For some reason this was showing as one of the better Krug Roses I've had. In the past I've been a bit skeptical of this wine for the price tag and while that hasn't really changed, this was showing very well today. Poured a nice orange color and had strawberry and dragonfruit and a decent acidity and just a very pleasant wine to sip on.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
I don't know how they do it. This is the 'flood year'. The wine is not meant to be awesome. And still I find it lovely and haunting and just nice herbal and some tea leaves going. Very light and elegant and Burgundian in nature. I really like it. Should prob have gotten more.
This is a pretty intense wine. Lots of very deep dark fruit. A wine that is very hedonistic. Just a hint of acidity (at least compared to the Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer we tried right after) which I think really helped it. It was a bit one dimensional though and got completely overshadowed by the '05 HA.
Wow is this an intense wine. It's basically like blackberry/blueberry jam in a glass. No real acidity to speak of. I thought the Maya was hedonistic but this goes to a whole different level. It's the kindof wine that if kids drank wine they'd love. A touch alcoholic though. There's a time and place I think for this, but for me it was nowhere near the '05 HA.
My WOTD. Opened and poured and then I stuck the glass in a corner and tried other things. Came back to it prob 2-3 hours later and man was it singing. Original taste on pouring had been tight and almost flavorless, but at this point it was potpourri and fruit and leather and dried leaves and just all sorts of wonderful. These wines are just special. Would hold though on any bottles of this.
Opened and poured in a glass and also let it wait for awhile. This was really beautiful. Floral, lavender, bits of cigar and leather. Very pretty wine that was well balanced and with just a bit of time in the glass opened up beautifully. Really liked it.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Very nice wine. A dark cherry flavor to it. Bit intense, but it settles down after some time in the glass. No rush on this one. I think it's got another 5-10 years easy. Oak still quite prominent.
Truly excellent and interesting wine that just kept getting better and better. Prob my number 2 or 3 (in contention with the Rayas, after the Grange). This is an intense wine, but so multi-faceted and felt like every sip was a new experience. With time in the glass the alcohol blew off a bit and then it was just this wonderful evolving mix of fruit and spice and everything nice. Really enjoyed.
A nice wine but not quite at the same level as some of the others on the table. It's a well-aged cali so it has the fruit but also some leather and spice. A quicker finish than I would have liked and just a bit overshadowed by some of the other wines on the table. Still, enjoyable.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very bright red fruits, young wine, much more approachable than I would have imagined for a 2012 Bordeaux. Moderate tannin which shows it has more life to go, but doesn't dominate now. Good.
NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé
France, Champagne
For some reason this was showing as one of the better Krug Roses I've had. In the past I've been a bit skeptical of this wine for the price tag and while that hasn't really changed, this was showing very well today. Poured a nice orange color and had strawberry and dragonfruit and a decent acidity and just a very pleasant wine to sip on.
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2002 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pignan Reserve
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
I don't know how they do it. This is the 'flood year'. The wine is not meant to be awesome. And still I find it lovely and haunting and just nice herbal and some tea leaves going. Very light and elegant and Burgundian in nature. I really like it. Should prob have gotten more.
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2012 Dalla Valle Maya
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
This is a pretty intense wine. Lots of very deep dark fruit. A wine that is very hedonistic. Just a hint of acidity (at least compared to the Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer we tried right after) which I think really helped it. It was a bit one dimensional though and got completely overshadowed by the '05 HA.
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2001 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Wow is this an intense wine. It's basically like blackberry/blueberry jam in a glass. No real acidity to speak of. I thought the Maya was hedonistic but this goes to a whole different level. It's the kindof wine that if kids drank wine they'd love. A touch alcoholic though. There's a time and place I think for this, but for me it was nowhere near the '05 HA.
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2004 Penfolds Grange
Australia, South Australia
My WOTD. Opened and poured and then I stuck the glass in a corner and tried other things. Came back to it prob 2-3 hours later and man was it singing. Original taste on pouring had been tight and almost flavorless, but at this point it was potpourri and fruit and leather and dried leaves and just all sorts of wonderful. These wines are just special. Would hold though on any bottles of this.
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2001 Château Lafleur
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Opened and poured in a glass and also let it wait for awhile. This was really beautiful. Floral, lavender, bits of cigar and leather. Very pretty wine that was well balanced and with just a bit of time in the glass opened up beautifully. Really liked it.
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2003 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Very nice wine. A dark cherry flavor to it. Bit intense, but it settles down after some time in the glass. No rush on this one. I think it's got another 5-10 years easy. Oak still quite prominent.
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2005 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon "Deep Time"
USA, California, Napa Valley
Truly excellent and interesting wine that just kept getting better and better. Prob my number 2 or 3 (in contention with the Rayas, after the Grange). This is an intense wine, but so multi-faceted and felt like every sip was a new experience. With time in the glass the alcohol blew off a bit and then it was just this wonderful evolving mix of fruit and spice and everything nice. Really enjoyed.
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1997 Dominus Estate
USA, California, Napa Valley
A nice wine but not quite at the same level as some of the others on the table. It's a well-aged cali so it has the fruit but also some leather and spice. A quicker finish than I would have liked and just a bit overshadowed by some of the other wines on the table. Still, enjoyable.
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2012 Château Quintus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Very bright red fruits, young wine, much more approachable than I would have imagined for a 2012 Bordeaux. Moderate tannin which shows it has more life to go, but doesn't dominate now. Good.
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