Small glass, brief note. Black fruit with sweet spice, clearly in a very ripe package, possibly slightly more advanced than I expect from the best 2006s. Rather firm finish. Good balance overall. We had an interesting discussion whether this is at its peak or fading or has upside. Tough to say for certain, but if I had one bottle I would hold it a few more years before trying again.
Tasted double blind. Black berries, cassis, black pepper. Very firmly tannic and somewhat brooding, but there is no mistaking the power and fruit quality here. I'd hold until at least 2025.
Small glass, brief note. Ripe apple and candied lemon peel on nose and palate with intense concentration, very good length. Slightly riper than I might prefer, but that is well balanced with lots of acidity and minerality, most notably on very long finish. Re-tasted several hours later at warmer temp, and still tasty but less precise.
Tasted double blind. Tasty blacker fruits. Jammy fruit but everything in good proportion, even if slightly simple. Group had lots of trouble identifying the varietal, so certainly pleasant even if slightly non-descript.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as chardonnay, tougher to tell if Burgundy or California given richness and oak. Very ripe, slightly sweet, good concentration. Slightly more advanced than I would hope for 2002, but still fresh enough. I thought it was time to drink up when last tried in 2011 and that is even more true today.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black cherry and berry with licorice and dried herbs. More rounded and approachable than most 1996s at this level, showing wonderful balance. Certainly in its peak drinking window, with some possible upside.
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as New World Bordeaux blend, and I didn't think it Cab Sauv based. Dense, chewy black fruit with a slightly sweet character. I somewhat enjoyed this wine, others liked it a lot more.
Black cherry, plum and cassis with licorice and cigarbox, finishing with even more spice. Still nicely fresh, lots of nuance. Intense finish. Very good+.
Tasted double blind. Great array of black and red cherry with faintly sweet spice, but dominated for now by tannic structure. Very good concentration. Needs to 2025. Very surprised when unveiled as 2000, many of which I have found getting to be more accessible.
Tasted double blind. Sweet black fruit with overall excellent balance and finesse. Moderate weight, concentration and length. Almost in a bordeaux style.
Tasted double blind. Very reductive aromas to start, decanting barely helped. Lots of oak still coming through. Burly dark fruit with vanilla and dark chocolate. Very powerful, but not particularly nuanced.
Served double blind to the tasting group. Open an hour+ before serving. Red berry aromas and flavors with earth and dried herbs. Very elegant with excellent balance. Good weight and length. Should easily drink well another decade+.
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County
Tasted double blind. Massively reduced aromas to start, making this very challenging to assess. Better on palate. Showed very ripe and slightly jammy black and red fruit, which I initially thought Grenache. Moderate weight and better length. Tough to say how this will evolve. first vintage of the wine, so very young vines. I will have to open one of my bottles sometime soon.
Toasted almonds and walnut as well as toasted brioche throughout. This made me think of candied lemon peel and lemon custard in a gingerbread crust, while still coming across as bone dry. I liked this a lot, even if I am not always a fan of this house.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted double blind. Red cherry with subtle spice throughout. I thought this was Burgundy 1er Cru, thinking 2007 Volnay! Very elegant and wonderfully balanced with moderate weight. Good now.
Served double blind to the tasting group, with everybody correctly identifying this wine as US Pinot Noir. Rich red cherry and berry throughout with very good concentration and length. Sweet spice throughout as well, but giving a slightly sweet character that I found slightly distracting. I certainly liked the wine, but think others like this wine more.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
I tasted this many hours after it had been opened and tasted by the group. All red cherry with moderate concentration, but very good length and finesse with plenty of acidity. Maturing nicely. Expanding finish. Definitely enjoyed this, but a wine that really demands food.
Tasted double blind. Rich black fruit and cassis with good weight, albeit slightly simple. There was a mustiness that seemed slightly dirty here, and made me wonder if this was slightly corked, but nobody else agreed. That mustiness never disappeared, so I had trouble enjoying the wine.
2006 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée La Colombiere 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Small glass, brief note. Black fruit with sweet spice, clearly in a very ripe package, possibly slightly more advanced than I expect from the best 2006s. Rather firm finish. Good balance overall. We had an interesting discussion whether this is at its peak or fading or has upside. Tough to say for certain, but if I had one bottle I would hold it a few more years before trying again.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasted double blind. Black berries, cassis, black pepper. Very firmly tannic and somewhat brooding, but there is no mistaking the power and fruit quality here. I'd hold until at least 2025.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Small glass, brief note. Ripe apple and candied lemon peel on nose and palate with intense concentration, very good length. Slightly riper than I might prefer, but that is well balanced with lots of acidity and minerality, most notably on very long finish. Re-tasted several hours later at warmer temp, and still tasty but less precise.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Jemrose Grenache Foggy Knoll 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley
Tasted double blind. Tasty blacker fruits. Jammy fruit but everything in good proportion, even if slightly simple. Group had lots of trouble identifying the varietal, so certainly pleasant even if slightly non-descript.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as chardonnay, tougher to tell if Burgundy or California given richness and oak. Very ripe, slightly sweet, good concentration. Slightly more advanced than I would hope for 2002, but still fresh enough. I thought it was time to drink up when last tried in 2011 and that is even more true today.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1972 Pierre Bourée Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Completely madeirized.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1989 Château Troplong Mondot Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Stewed, most likely heat damaged in some way.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Château Angélus 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Black cherry and berry with licorice and dried herbs. More rounded and approachable than most 1996s at this level, showing wonderful balance. Certainly in its peak drinking window, with some possible upside.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Michel Rolland Malbec Val de Flores
Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco
Tasted double blind. Easily identified as New World Bordeaux blend, and I didn't think it Cab Sauv based. Dense, chewy black fruit with a slightly sweet character. I somewhat enjoyed this wine, others liked it a lot more.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1991 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Black cherry, plum and cassis with licorice and cigarbox, finishing with even more spice. Still nicely fresh, lots of nuance. Intense finish. Very good+.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Tasted double blind. Great array of black and red cherry with faintly sweet spice, but dominated for now by tannic structure. Very good concentration. Needs to 2025. Very surprised when unveiled as 2000, many of which I have found getting to be more accessible.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind. Sweet black fruit with overall excellent balance and finesse. Moderate weight, concentration and length. Almost in a bordeaux style.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc 90 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma
Tasted double blind. Very reductive aromas to start, decanting barely helped. Lots of oak still coming through. Burly dark fruit with vanilla and dark chocolate. Very powerful, but not particularly nuanced.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Served double blind to the tasting group. Open an hour+ before serving. Red berry aromas and flavors with earth and dried herbs. Very elegant with excellent balance. Good weight and length. Should easily drink well another decade+.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard 89 Points
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County
Tasted double blind. Massively reduced aromas to start, making this very challenging to assess. Better on palate. Showed very ripe and slightly jammy black and red fruit, which I initially thought Grenache. Moderate weight and better length. Tough to say how this will evolve. first vintage of the wine, so very young vines. I will have to open one of my bottles sometime soon.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires 93 Points
France, Champagne
Toasted almonds and walnut as well as toasted brioche throughout. This made me think of candied lemon peel and lemon custard in a gingerbread crust, while still coming across as bone dry. I liked this a lot, even if I am not always a fan of this house.
Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted double blind. Red cherry with subtle spice throughout. I thought this was Burgundy 1er Cru, thinking 2007 Volnay! Very elegant and wonderfully balanced with moderate weight. Good now.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Old Vines 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Served double blind to the tasting group, with everybody correctly identifying this wine as US Pinot Noir. Rich red cherry and berry throughout with very good concentration and length. Sweet spice throughout as well, but giving a slightly sweet character that I found slightly distracting. I certainly liked the wine, but think others like this wine more.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1997 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
I tasted this many hours after it had been opened and tasted by the group. All red cherry with moderate concentration, but very good length and finesse with plenty of acidity. Maturing nicely. Expanding finish. Definitely enjoyed this, but a wine that really demands food.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Château Siran
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasted double blind. Rich black fruit and cassis with good weight, albeit slightly simple. There was a mustiness that seemed slightly dirty here, and made me wonder if this was slightly corked, but nobody else agreed. That mustiness never disappeared, so I had trouble enjoying the wine.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1989 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Hengst Vendange Tardive
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Very floral/spiced like we expect from Gewurztraminer, with nutty and ripe apricot notes. Big and powerful, while not dominated by sweetness.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue