Riesling and Some Reds

This event featured a mix of Rieslings for the first half with Thai food we ordered and followed with a mix of generally lighter bodied reds.

• 2006 Petaluma Riesling Hanlin Hill 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Light gold color. 2.5oz pour over 20 minutes. This had lots of fusil on the nose, and plenty of mineral, with pear notes as well. The palate was quite mineral driven, lots of dry extract, no sweetness hiding here, fusil, lemon, pear, tart.

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• 2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese * 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light gold color. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. I cant believe that its been 3 years since last trying this. I think Keith Levenberg's note is spot on. Floral nose, bright. Gorgeous, round, lush, tropical with lovely pineapple, peach, crisp and fresh. Sweet, yes; cloying, not at all. This is one you could finish the bottle before you realize what happened.

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• 2008 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Light gold color. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. This was oh so crisp and fresh. I'm now going to use the word tangy a lot. Great tangy acids, tangy fruit, tangy peach and grapefruit. Ripe, bright and lifted. There's just some hints of honey. Very well balanced with a long finish. Tied for WWOTN.

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• 2000 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Beautiful medium deep gold color. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. Almost a little spritzy, honey, nectarine, stone minerals, light fusil on the nose. The palate is energized, nectarine, honey, fusil, round, lighter body, balanced and long. Really hitting the sweet spot. Tied for my WWOTN.

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• NV Domaine Serene "R" 90 Points

  USA, Oregon

  Consistent with previous notes. Lovely strawberry and cherry wafers, minerals on the nose and palate. Clean, dry, classy.

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• 2006 MacPhail Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Medium dark red color, moderate plus bricking. PNP, 2.5oz pour over 45 minutes. Great nose, earthy with cinnamon, spice, red berries, mushroom. The palate has a dry forest floor, red berry, cherry, and brown sugar. The palate takes on a more ripe, candied strawberry character over time. Lighter in body, this is a more restrained style though still fairly ripe.

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• 2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Lovely deep purple hued red color. Slow-O for about 8 hours. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. I loved the nose, "Bordeauxesque", damp earthy, gorgeous dark fruits of cassis, black raspberry and saddle leather. The palate is medium bodied, dusty minerals, tobacco, brambly dark berries and cassis with a firm tannic finish. This is still quite young and despite 8hrs open could have used some additional decanting. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but i think its fantastic juice. 92 (+)pts. My and group #2 RWOTN.

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• 1999 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol 92 Points

  France, Provence, Bandol

  Very dark red color. PNP, 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. This was ready and drinking just great. Lots of funk, damp earth, really floral, blood meal, red rose petals, cherry, graphite. The palate is medium plus bodied, earth, wet leather, blood meal, meaty, cherries, cherry sweet tarts, long finish. This was nicely integrated and well balanced. 92+pts. My and group #1 RWOTN. Can go 5 years.

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• 1998 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Eiswein 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Deep gold color. 2.5oz pour over 30 minutes. This was certainly an intellectual wine. There's a Jekyll and Hyde character here that somewhat defies logic. The wine is intensely sweet and aggressively acidic, just not at the same time. It's like drinking two different wines. The sweetness hits you immediately but it seems flabby and overt. Then this wave of acid overtakes the mouth and drives the bus. Weird. The palate is intense apricot, sour greens apple, and hints of menthol and eucalyptus. Good, but a little goes a long way. 88+ to 89pts.

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The trio of 07 Selbach, 08 Donnhoff, and 00 Prum were all fantastic. For the reds it was the 99 Terrebrune, the 09 Baudry and the 06 MacPhail that stood out.