USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted double blind. Elegant aromatics, more dense and chewy on palate to start, slightly more lean and edgy on finish. Clearly New World Pinot Noir. Drink up.
Tasted double blind. Popped and poured. Started with fairly advanced, mature lack fruit. Fairly easily identified as from northern Rhone, but I was quie surprised this Côte-Rôtie. Moderate spice and overall intensity over the 10 minutes we assessed and discussed the wine. However, this was far more interesting when re-visited 2 hours later. Still fairly mature more spice and density was coming through. 89 points when first tasted blind, 91 points later in the day.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Served double blind to tasting group. Open approx 2 hours before serving. Some SO2 needed to dissipate when first poured , but after 10 minutes this was showing layers of slightly mature, firm blackberry and black cherry aromas with braised meat spice. Similar on palate, with firm but elegant tannins coming across at the very end. A very good Hospices wine. Good now, probably better in 5 years, and probably good through at least 2025 or 2030.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Tasted double blind. Very fresh fruit, also open and accessible, making vintage tough to identify. Lots of power with a broad array of cherry aromas and flavors. Firmed up with more air when retried an hour later.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Very easily identified as from Bordeaux, in a silky, elegant and rounded style. Black fruit throughout with some braised meat spice, emerging sauteed mushroom and very faint hints of liqueur. At a very good place today.
Tasted double blind. Also very easily identified as from Bordeaux, but showing more age and firm vintage character than the Figeac '98. Firm black fruit with some earthy elements, lots of structure throughout and a real meaty essence. Much better than another bottle tried (also double blind!) on Monday.
Tasted double blind. Clearly New World, this came across as more Cabernet than Merlot to me as well as most tasters today. Forward black fruit, very fresh for its age. Positive surprise.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as from Burgundy, this comes across as very Griotte-Chambertin to me, with an elegant red/black cherry character than I find more subtle than any of the other Gevrey Gran Cru vineyards. Good amount of pristine cherry still coming through alongside reduced mushroom. Very long, perfectly textured.
Lots of lush tropical fruit with some candied citrus rind. Incredibly easy to enjoy, but this seemed slightly less nuanced or complex than other 2001s I've tried over the past few years.
2002 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 86 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted double blind. Elegant aromatics, more dense and chewy on palate to start, slightly more lean and edgy on finish. Clearly New World Pinot Noir. Drink up.
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2002 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Tasted double blind. Popped and poured. Started with fairly advanced, mature lack fruit. Fairly easily identified as from northern Rhone, but I was quie surprised this Côte-Rôtie. Moderate spice and overall intensity over the 10 minutes we assessed and discussed the wine. However, this was far more interesting when re-visited 2 hours later. Still fairly mature more spice and density was coming through. 89 points when first tasted blind, 91 points later in the day.
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2001 Hospices de Beaune Corton-Cuvée Docteur Peste Maison Louis Jadot 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Served double blind to tasting group. Open approx 2 hours before serving. Some SO2 needed to dissipate when first poured , but after 10 minutes this was showing layers of slightly mature, firm blackberry and black cherry aromas with braised meat spice. Similar on palate, with firm but elegant tannins coming across at the very end. A very good Hospices wine. Good now, probably better in 5 years, and probably good through at least 2025 or 2030.
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2005 Lucie & Auguste Lignier Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussieres 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
Tasted double blind. Very fresh fruit, also open and accessible, making vintage tough to identify. Lots of power with a broad array of cherry aromas and flavors. Firmed up with more air when retried an hour later.
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1998 Château Figeac 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Very easily identified as from Bordeaux, in a silky, elegant and rounded style. Black fruit throughout with some braised meat spice, emerging sauteed mushroom and very faint hints of liqueur. At a very good place today.
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1986 Château Talbot 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasted double blind. Also very easily identified as from Bordeaux, but showing more age and firm vintage character than the Figeac '98. Firm black fruit with some earthy elements, lots of structure throughout and a real meaty essence. Much better than another bottle tried (also double blind!) on Monday.
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1997 Matanzas Creek Winery Merlot Sonoma Valley 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
Tasted double blind. Clearly New World, this came across as more Cabernet than Merlot to me as well as most tasters today. Forward black fruit, very fresh for its age. Positive surprise.
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1997 Domaine Fourrier Griotte-Chambertin Vieille Vigne 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as from Burgundy, this comes across as very Griotte-Chambertin to me, with an elegant red/black cherry character than I find more subtle than any of the other Gevrey Gran Cru vineyards. Good amount of pristine cherry still coming through alongside reduced mushroom. Very long, perfectly textured.
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1947 Bollinger Champagne Extra Quality Brut
France, Champagne
Low fill, tattered label, high risk. Nothing interesting left.
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2001 Château Sigalas Rabaud 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Lots of lush tropical fruit with some candied citrus rind. Incredibly easy to enjoy, but this seemed slightly less nuanced or complex than other 2001s I've tried over the past few years.
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