Lemon, plenty of toast, honey and wax - quite worked in style but I like it. Creamy palate, good acid and fruit power. Has good persistence with a tinge of dosage.
Chalky minerality, lemon and pear aromas. Exceptional elegance on the palate - this is pure and already delicious. Not up to the unbelievable 2002 for me but give it time to take on complexity but this will be sensational.
Orange peel, graphite, florals and ripe pear. Good body to this, it has richness from the fruit but also a mineral core that keeps the wine focussed. Good texture to it as well. Not sure what would happen with ageing but I really liked it now.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Butterscotch, ginger, nutty and iron notes. Has good acidity, there is an oxidative edge but it doesn't detract greatly (yet). A touch below a bottle last year, I think this is ready to go.
Honey, nutmeg, pear, apple and smoke. Lovely restrained sweetness on the palate, there is really good cleansing acidity as well to give it a sense of great balance. Excellent length and character. Doesn't quite have the astounding depth/complexity of the 89 Clos Ste Hune VT but it is a great wine in its own right.
Cinnamon, eucalypt, cedar and VA - given time in the glass it starts to show some floral notes and darker fruits. Excellent structure still, with the fruit starting to fade on this bottle. Still good but a long way from blowing my socks off. This bottle was holding on but probably 5-10 years past its best.
Cherry and chocolate with some charred notes to the nose. Good presence initially on the palate, I like the tannin structure and there is fruit still in play, however it start to show some sourness towards the finish, clipping things off early.
Sesame, earth, licorice, roses, spice and licorice - smashingly good aromas here. Palate is at a perfect point for me, the structure is still present but it is mostly resolved and the balance and length are fantastic. A joyous wine to drink.
Tar and charcoal up front with dark chocolate, cherry and graphite aromas. The palate shows more fruit sweetness with the tannins sitting in the background nicely doing their job. Good acidity to it as well keeps it bright. I think this is drinking really well now and should continue to do so over 5-10 years.
Cloudy coloured. Perfumed nose - cherry and roses. The palate is brighter than the colour would indicate, it is fresh with good fruit power and depth. Drink now though based on this bottle as its in a good spot.
Graphite, tar, violet and dark chocolate. Good power and has intrigue with layered flavours coming through with each taste. Structure is still firm, I think this will improve but I hope the fruit holds up long enough to maintain balance.
Cocoa, tar, kirsch and earth. Vibrant and deep at the same time, the tannins play a perfect supporting role here. Still has time on its side, I think this will be near peak in 8-10 years time.
Served blind. Roses, red currant, raspberry and blackcurrant. Feels modern with the fruit power really driving things. The high level of acidity though saves this from feeling too ripe and youthful but it does feel a little awkward on the finish with the acid pulling ahead. I think giving this more time will serve it well.
Tar, red cherry, spice and plenty of oak. Backward and un-evolved on the palate, it is imposing and really really needs time. Served next to a couple of other 06s that made this seem even more in need of time.
Tight nose with smoke, violets and some savoury smallgoods. The tannins dominate but the acidity and fruit power give it a much needed lift. Not a wine for drinking now, it is impressive but hard to love. Score is mostly on potential.
Blackcurrant, black cherry, smoke and violet aromas. Super youthful palate, the tannins are powerful but the fruit keeps up. A forceful wine that is in need of a large amount of time. Despite the youth, it is a wine that I kept thinking about it following the event, so there is something special about it just waiting to show its full potential.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Served blind. Very perfumed floral nose with some spice, spice and cherry as well. Delicate and with very fine tannin, this is well balanced and still youthful. One of the best Clos de Tarts I've had.
Served blind. Stemmy, strawberry, spice and some meats. Beautifully balanced palate, with fine detail and good depth. Drinking really nicely now but has plenty of life left should you wish for more development as well.
Pineapple, lime, pear and light apricot aromas. Good balance between sweetness and acidity. Has good potential to improve a large amount over time. Glad to see consistently good bottles of this after the original one was disappointing.
Floral, ginger, orange peel and a nutty aroma to it. Rich and delicious on the palate, this is what one might expect from the vintage but it doesn't feel over the top. The acidity is good but if it were great the wine would lift a notch or two.
Pineapple, quince and honey on the nose. Restrained sweetness, it feels rich around the edges but with a good core acidity to give it focus. A very nice wine.
2002 Besserat de Bellefon Champagne Cuvée des Moines Brut 91 Points
France, Champagne
Lemon, plenty of toast, honey and wax - quite worked in style but I like it. Creamy palate, good acid and fruit power. Has good persistence with a tinge of dosage.
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2004 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
Chalky minerality, lemon and pear aromas. Exceptional elegance on the palate - this is pure and already delicious. Not up to the unbelievable 2002 for me but give it time to take on complexity but this will be sensational.
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2012 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Cà del Merlo 92 Points
Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
Orange peel, graphite, florals and ripe pear. Good body to this, it has richness from the fruit but also a mineral core that keeps the wine focussed. Good texture to it as well. Not sure what would happen with ageing but I really liked it now.
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1997 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 89 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Butterscotch, ginger, nutty and iron notes. Has good acidity, there is an oxidative edge but it doesn't detract greatly (yet). A touch below a bottle last year, I think this is ready to go.
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1989 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Vendanges Tardives 93 Points
France, Alsace
Honey, nutmeg, pear, apple and smoke. Lovely restrained sweetness on the palate, there is really good cleansing acidity as well to give it a sense of great balance. Excellent length and character. Doesn't quite have the astounding depth/complexity of the 89 Clos Ste Hune VT but it is a great wine in its own right.
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1985 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese Flawed
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Sadly I think this was corked.
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1964 Franco Fiorina Barolo Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Madeirised
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1964 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barbaresco 85 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Chocolate, caramel and soy. Just barely holding on to life with plenty of caramel notes to it.
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1971 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino Speciale 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Cinnamon, eucalypt, cedar and VA - given time in the glass it starts to show some floral notes and darker fruits. Excellent structure still, with the fruit starting to fade on this bottle. Still good but a long way from blowing my socks off. This bottle was holding on but probably 5-10 years past its best.
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1974 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Speciale Santo Stefano 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Cherry and chocolate with some charred notes to the nose. Good presence initially on the palate, I like the tannin structure and there is fruit still in play, however it start to show some sourness towards the finish, clipping things off early.
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1974 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Sesame, earth, licorice, roses, spice and licorice - smashingly good aromas here. Palate is at a perfect point for me, the structure is still present but it is mostly resolved and the balance and length are fantastic. A joyous wine to drink.
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1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì Tildìn 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Tar and charcoal up front with dark chocolate, cherry and graphite aromas. The palate shows more fruit sweetness with the tannins sitting in the background nicely doing their job. Good acidity to it as well keeps it bright. I think this is drinking really well now and should continue to do so over 5-10 years.
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1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Cloudy coloured. Perfumed nose - cherry and roses. The palate is brighter than the colour would indicate, it is fresh with good fruit power and depth. Drink now though based on this bottle as its in a good spot.
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1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabajà 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Graphite, tar, violet and dark chocolate. Good power and has intrigue with layered flavours coming through with each taste. Structure is still firm, I think this will improve but I hope the fruit holds up long enough to maintain balance.
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1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Cocoa, tar, kirsch and earth. Vibrant and deep at the same time, the tannins play a perfect supporting role here. Still has time on its side, I think this will be near peak in 8-10 years time.
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2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Served blind. Roses, red currant, raspberry and blackcurrant. Feels modern with the fruit power really driving things. The high level of acidity though saves this from feeling too ripe and youthful but it does feel a little awkward on the finish with the acid pulling ahead. I think giving this more time will serve it well.
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2006 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tar, red cherry, spice and plenty of oak. Backward and un-evolved on the palate, it is imposing and really really needs time. Served next to a couple of other 06s that made this seem even more in need of time.
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2006 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Tight nose with smoke, violets and some savoury smallgoods. The tannins dominate but the acidity and fruit power give it a much needed lift. Not a wine for drinking now, it is impressive but hard to love. Score is mostly on potential.
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2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Blackcurrant, black cherry, smoke and violet aromas. Super youthful palate, the tannins are powerful but the fruit keeps up. A forceful wine that is in need of a large amount of time. Despite the youth, it is a wine that I kept thinking about it following the event, so there is something special about it just waiting to show its full potential.
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1998 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Served blind. Very perfumed floral nose with some spice, spice and cherry as well. Delicate and with very fine tannin, this is well balanced and still youthful. One of the best Clos de Tarts I've had.
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1999 Antinori Solaia 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Served blind. Stemmy, strawberry, spice and some meats. Beautifully balanced palate, with fine detail and good depth. Drinking really nicely now but has plenty of life left should you wish for more development as well.
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2007 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Pineapple, lime, pear and light apricot aromas. Good balance between sweetness and acidity. Has good potential to improve a large amount over time. Glad to see consistently good bottles of this after the original one was disappointing.
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2003 J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Beerenauslese 91 Points
Germany, Rheingau
Floral, ginger, orange peel and a nutty aroma to it. Rich and delicious on the palate, this is what one might expect from the vintage but it doesn't feel over the top. The acidity is good but if it were great the wine would lift a notch or two.
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2005 Château Suduiraut 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Pineapple, quince and honey on the nose. Restrained sweetness, it feels rich around the edges but with a good core acidity to give it focus. A very nice wine.
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