Dreamtasting #5

10 winefreaks select 10 bottles of 'dream'-wine from each others' cellar (marked *).
This time, we tried to complete the table with 10 extra bottles of comparable level and pedigree, and resticting ourselves to a maximum of 20 bottles.
Somehow, our host and sommelier Stefan managed to sneak in some blinded ringers...
All wines tasted non-blind, except were noted.

• NV Hammel SA Brut Réserve Val d'Eve 88 Points

  Switzerland

  (Blinded) Intriguing, estranging but not very attractive bouquet in which I think I recognise some clay, hard candy and potpourri/dried flowers. Hard to describe. On the other hand, this has a very pretty palate, off-dry, very soft, supple and agreable. Wonderful small-sized laid-back mousse. Fine. 16,5/20

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• NV Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very pale colour. Clean, clear, fresh and bright, good focus, liked the mousse as well. Apple skin, lemon and rocks. Very nice. 17.5/20
  Offered to us by our host. Thanks, Stefan!

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• 1969 Christoffel-Berres Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling feine Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Pop 'n pour. Light amber colour. Very mellow, effortless presentation right out of the bottle. Soft nuances of honey, resin, peach and apricot, custard, coppery notes too. Superbly pure and lucid and great definition of flavours. Perfect balance between sweet and acidic components, leaving an off-dry profile. Philipp estimated its Oechsle well below 100. Nowadays this probably would be named (gold capsule) spätlese..
  This is a marvelous wine, very vital and lively, although it lacks the depth and complexity of a real top-vintage (like 1971). 18-18.5/20

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• 2007 Weingut Keller Riesling G-Max 96 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  (*) My first encounter with this German legend and it was a memorable one! Light yellow-golden colour is already hinting at things to come: bright, radiant and unctuous in the glass. Mega-complex bouquet roars over the rim, boasting omnifarious scents and associations. Flint, custard, lemon-oil, candystore, cinnamon, fresh strawberries; just to name a few...
  When taking a sip the juice slowly imbues the mouth with an extremely luxurious and warm sensation. Larger-than-life concentration is framed by invigorating acidity, in a way that really brings out the hidden complexity of this young wine. Great overall harmony and balance, floral impressions, citric oily mouthfeel, grilled veggies, crushed rocks. Lively, clear and precise like a mountain stream. Dry yet sappy and cleansing. Massively impressive and way up there with the greatest dry white wines in the world. Made me think Montrachet, to be honest. 19/20

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• 2010 Sadie Family Chenin Blanc Mev. Kirsten 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Clearly a wine of noble pedigree showing tremendous complexity of an oceanic shell-like breeze, orange scented green tea, resinous pine cones, tropical fruit and that waxy, hay-like quality I often sense in Chenin Blancs. Alas, this is quite alcoholic in the mouth at the moment, which distracts my attention from it's main features. Big, fat, almost oily wine, saved by it's wonderful complexity. Hopefully, a few years of bottle age will allow the alcohol to integrate into the wine. There's enough structure and concentration to do that. 17.5-18/20

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• 2008 Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Crammed in between two monster whites (Sadie's Mev Kirsten and Chapoutier's le Meal Blanc) this struck me with a rather svelte yet muscular presentation. I learned that normally Batard is one of the more austere, powerful and masculine white Burgundies on the market. Liked this one quite a bit. Needs some cellartime to bring out its complexity which was kind of hidden now. Very mineral, peppery mouthfeel, bracing acidity. Clear and present use of oak, but this seemed well-judged and delicate. It suited the wine well and didn't bother me at all. Satisfying and weighty finish, maybe slightly hot. All in all, this is a wonderful wine. 18/20

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• 2007 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Le Méal 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  My goodness, these white Chapoutiers are grabbing me by the throat, time and time again.... I was stunned by the multiple layers in the mysterious, Arabian Nights-like nuances of dried fruit, spicebox, incense, tea leaves, candied ginger and tropical flowers. Warm and caressing mouthfeel, soft, plush and charming. Appears to be in a really beautiful phase right now. Complex and impressive, wow! 18.5-19/20

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non On The Lam 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  This is young and wild. Impetuous hints of fruit, spice and flowers are tumbling over my palate, and each other. Lots of orange zest, orange blossom, springflowers, great bitterness showes up on the finish. Aromatically, viognier is in first row at the moment. Upliftling, interesting, captiviting. This is so damn tasty, it's a hot bottle of fun. Helluva wine, Yihaa! 18.5-19/20

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• 2003 Domaine Langlois-Château Saumur Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

  (Blinded) Ripe and mature, powerful wine, waxy, tasty and fine. Lots of acidity. Not very complex, just very good. Reminds me of a white Pessac. Nobody recognised it as a Chenin... Fine. 17/20

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• 2005 Château Troplong Mondot 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This wine was a stand-in for a Cheval Blanc 1998 (*), which was cancelled unfortunately. A sensuous bouquet rolls from the glass: cassis, dark plums, melted chocolate, BBQ-spices, vanilla and tomato-paste. On the palate there's licorice and bay leaf in spades, covering all the juicy black fruit like black cherries, cassis and blackberries. Tobacco, coffee beans, Indian ink, sandalwood. A very opulent and modern wine, powerfull and pretty convincing, I must say! 18.5/20

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• 1990 Tertre Rôteboeuf 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  (*) Eminent, notable nose, extremely soft, meticulous delineation and unbelievably complex... Sigh... Beef stew, BBQ, cigarbox and luxurious oak are only a few of the description that came into mind (and I was able to describe). On the palate this wine is soft as silk and completely mature, perfect balance, gorgeously clean and bright, medium bodied, long aftertaste which still has a hint of the ruggedness it must have had in spades in the early days. My first encounter with a wine of this producer and I adored it. 18.5-19/20

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• 2002 Château Lafite Rothschild 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (*) This is a beautiful, very traditional, classic Bordeaux, however only slightly impaired by the vintage. The nose was to die for... very elegant and gracefully perfumed; graphite, cedar, bright red fruit, and a very pure and intense whiff of that wonderful classic cigarbox! Alas the palate didn't quite live up to the promise of the bouquet. Allthough there is good weight, charme and precision in the mouth, it's lacking some sap, concentration and persistence towards the end. Somewhere mid-palate a vegetal hint of underripeness is peeking through, that classicists (like me) could suit, but others might find off-putting. Well, I thought this was a wonderful bottle of wine at the pinnacle of its life. 18-18.5/20

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• 1983 Château Palmer 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (*) Now this is old-school Margaux! Dried flowers, soft touch of mocha, some leather, small currants, violets and warm compost. Allthough, at the age of 30, this wine is losing weight and urge, it's still extremely charming and rewarding to sit and sip and let it take over your thoughts and memories. Very soft, charming and elegant, some might call it feminine. A very pretty wine, in the best sense of those words. Unhurried and relaxing, which I think are true virtues in this day and age... 18.5/20

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• 1985 Château Margaux 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (*) Gorgeous perfume, tiny red berries and currants, cigarillos. Distant hints of cappucino, wet soil and undergrowth, dried black cherries and fresh cranberries. Airy and light on its feet, yet very persuasive and demanding attention. Weighty, well structured mid-palate. Fantastic in its definition, fine grained acidity, maximum integration of tannines and structure. In the middle of its drinking plateau, will hold up for several years to come. This is all about balance and harmony, this is ultimate elegance..., magnificant! 19/20

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• 1974 Château Margaux

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (Blinded) Uh-oh... lavas, kitchen-sink, mouldy. I'm sorry, D.O.A.... Not Rated.

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• 2006 Tua Rita Syrah 96 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Bam! This is a bombastic, self-confident piece of art. Very concentrated and tight, shining like a brand new race-car. Gorgeous tension in this baby, taut and focussed. Not overly sweet, flabby or overripe. It's broad, it's deep, it's got everything. Amazing fruit, gorgeous structure and mouthfeel. Perfect balance in this authorative wine, putting Tua Rita on the list of best Syrah-porducers in the world! Loved it! 19/20

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• 2007 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Oh my... Didn't know what to think about this wine. Maybe it suffered from its position in the line-up, served inbetween two other top-syrahs (Tua Rita 06 and Porte du Ciel 06), but this came across as clumsy and sweet. Very jammy and port-like on the nose. Hot, alcoholic aftertaste. Had such high hopes for this one, but for me it was the most disappointing wine of the tasting... All in all I did like the purity and cleanliness of the fruit and its impressive concentration, so I'll keep my fingers crossed while the remaining bottles slumber in the cellar for a couple of years. 16.5/20

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• 2006 Château de la Négly Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape Porte du Ciel 94 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape

  This wine impresses due to its awesome personality, which is very refreshing and pure. Gorgeously seductive mixture of creme de cassis, rspberries, rhubarb and black truffles. Still somewhat tannic and also warm and slightly sweet, but very persistent and convinving. This is a beautiful syrah in an open and international style, but definately deserves its place in the middle of the Hermitage-Barossa-Central Coast-Triangle. 18.5/20

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• 1991 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (*) Nicely evolved, wonderful mature cabernet bouquet. A tiny stinker, manure, some floral action too. Small currants and berries, rosehip, good dose of grilled bell-pepper, which I like. Tannines are still present and they give this wine a slightly rough and masculine character. A tad drying in the back, though. Beautiful example of classic, mature Napa Cabernet. 18/20

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• 1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  USA, Washington

  (*) A rich and complete wine, which still might need some time in the cellar. I thought the tannines where sticking out a little bit, demanding better integration. But besides that this is a fabulous take on Cabernet, just like we're used to when we pull a bottle of QC. Classic cassis and cedar, intermingled with damp, earthy outdoorsy feel which I adore. Classic Cabernet aromatics built on top of an amazing modernistic fundament of structure and concentration: it all gives way to the wines' enourmous complexity finesse, focus and precision. It really combines the best of both worlds... 18.5/20

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• 2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  (*) Very primary in its aromatic play, yet the structure is starting to soften. Very mellow, velvety, no hard edges... this is how alcohol and oak should be integrated into the wine! Mindboggling complexity opening up after extensive aeration. So rich, so comforting, it has to be tasted to believe it. Creme de cassis, fresh black cherries, cuban cigars, espresso, asian spices, it goes on and on. This is a total masterpiece and I had visions that - in 5 years' time - this wine would merit the perfect score... 19-19.5/20

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• NV Jacques Selosse Substance 95 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Disgorged 2011. Minimal mousse, clearly some oxidation-notes, but I expected that. When you like apple skin, hazelnuts, roasted almonds, brioche and biscuit, pine kernels and a small sigh of that miraculous seabreeze, than this is the deal! And it's very creamy too, like creme brulee, with an extra shot of peach-yoghurt. And coffee. And caramel. I could go on and on. Man, is this an awesome wine. Luckily for me, I might like his Initial even better... :) 18.5-19/20

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• 1997 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Le Mont 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  (Blinded) Lots of evolution, soft and sweet, mediumbodied, citrus zest, copper polish, wet wool, nuts, resin and honey. Hint of oxidation. Quite nice. Chenin Moelleux '90? 17.5/20
  After the demasqué I felt this was a suboptimal bottle, seeming a little too old for its age.

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• 1997 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Le Haut-Lieu 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  (Blinded) Clearly more fresh and fruity when compared to the previous wines. Hints of peach, mango, honeyed oranges and pine-apple. Nuances of almondpaste and resin add complexity and depth. Wonderful minerality, too. A small hole somewhere mid-palate is the only letdown. 17.5-18/20

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• 1994 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Auction 94 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (*) There's nothing like a mature bottle of Haag which has been lovingly cherished in a wine lovers' cellar for some years... That magnificant, fine grained, filigreed acid-structure is making my clock tick. Again, this example of Haag's auslese (a very well-noted and famed example, for that matter) is shining. It's lively, extremely fresh and urges you to drink, not sip. This wine melts in your mouth and resolves in the tastbuds, like it was physiologic... Pure apricot, baked apples, hint of grapefruit, pine-apple, slate and flint. A petrol haze lurking around from start to finish. A truly great wine, yet not extraordinary for me, since I like my Haags a little younger, when they still have some of that citric punch and vigor left.... So, 18.5/20

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• 2009 Philipp Veser Mülheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Spätlese 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  (Blinded) Cleansing, refreshing and a perfect way to end this memorable evening. Was not able to produce detailed notes anymore, but this was impressively elegant and well made. Loved it a lot. Especially when - after the demasqué - it was made clear that this bottle was served in honour of its creator, our friend and tablemate, Mr. Philipp Veser! 17.5/20

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Personal WOTN: 2001 Shafer Hillside Select
Other wines to look out for: 2006 Tua Rita Syrah