Plenty of Bordeaux and a few other bottles

Wine tasting dinner at C's. Theme was broadly defined as Cab Sauv, Merlot and blends and we ended up with plenty of Bordeaux and a few others. All wines tasted double blind

• 2012 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 89 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  Somebody brought a Pinot to the tasting to get the groups view, and C then took out a Burgundy out of the wine fridge to contrast the styles.
  Upon revealing the wine, I was surprised this was a 2012, as the color looked much more developed with a translucent rim and slight bricking towards the edge. Very earthy and herbal, lacking the floral aromatics and elegance of the Burgundy. Elevated acidity

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• 2009 Domaine de L'Arlot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Served as a comparison to the South African Pinot. Very fragrant on the nose with beautiful bright red fruit and floral aromatics, on the palate it's more the juicy fruit dominating, a sign of the vintage I suppose. Very nice but could do with a bit more refinement and complexity on the palate beyond the fruit. But perhaps that's yet to come. 91+

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• 1999 Lamborghini (La Fiorita) Umbria Campoleone

  Italy, Umbria

  By coincidence my own bottle was served first and I was asked to comment on it first. Easy to recognize own wine blind due to the unusual Merlot - Sangiovese blend and the herbal flavors. Consistent notes with earlier bottle

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• 2000 Château Léoville Poyferré 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Garnet with transparent rim, rich, lush fruit, clearly Cabernet dominated, very accessible with integrated tannins, good length. Was missing a bit the complexity but that is likely still to come. Guessed double blind left bank Bordeaux 2006 or 2004. 93+

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• 2009 Château Sociando-Mallet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  This was strange with weedy, herbal notes and none of the richness and exuberance on the palate typical for the 09 vintage. Was convinced this is not Bordeaux. Off bottle?

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• 2010 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Did not take many notes as I was still pondering over that strange 2009 Sociando Mallet in the same flight. This had deep and fairly sweet dark fruit, very rich with a long finish. Not over the top in my eyes. Guessed Right Bank 09/10.

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• 2005 Yeringberg 94 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley

  Dark garnet, very aromatic nose, sweet and deep black and blue fruit, good fruit concentration, not over the top, long finish. Had this again as 2009/2010 Right Bank Bordeaux and in terms of quality at par with the 2010 Canon La Gaffeliere. Excellent

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• 2010 Château Pape Clément

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Dark garnet, very concentrated and extracted, plenty of oak and even more coffee. Left bank Bordeaux that has been worked unnecessarily hard in an excellent vintage. I am hoping this can develop and integrate into something nice in 10 or rather 20 years but I for sure don't like it now. Others at the dinner were much more enthusiastic about this wine. Could only think of one left bank producer who could produce such a monster, and nailed it double blind as Pape Clement 2010. NR - drinking as of now in mid 80s, potential unclear for me

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• 2012 Viñedos Lacalle y Laorden Rioja Viña el Pisón 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  After all these big guns, I liked the freshness and acidity here but thought it lacked a bit concentration on the mid palate. Would like to try again as palate fatigue might had kicked in already - would expect more given how much this is retailing for. 91+

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• 2012 Domaine Bouyer Clos 56 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Round and lush on the palate, impressive for an 2012 and not overdone. At the same time lacking a bit in complexity. Have never seen this retail but I understand excellent QPR

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• 2012 Vérité La Joie

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  This was my biggest surprise at the dinner. Have had a few Verite La Joie from the 90s which I though were all very good but not great, so was really surprised I was so far off with this wine. After all these Bordeaux blends, this big, round wine was off the charts in terms of sweetness. I must admit that I was thinking Amarone or something along these lines, which I never drink, when tasting this double blind. NR

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• 2008 Rockford Cabernet Sauvignon Rifle Range

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  While I found the 2012 Verite La Joie challenging to drink since it was far too sweet for my liking, I thought this was undrinkable as the last wine of the tasting. I noted sweet medicinal notes, more like some kind of coughing syrup. Would however not mind trying this again with a fresh palate

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