This was on the bucket list and I was planning on buying a bottle for our next event. Then this showed up... I didn't have any expectations other than don't get too disappointed if it's just "okay". It wasn't okay, it was fantastic. It stood out paired with a Vilmart CdC. Enough said. Light yellow color; white bread and a little oxidation on the nose. Yellow apple and a crazy fluffy mouthfeel. So light and nimble. The soufflé of champagne. Just a hint of salinity and ripe apple and lemon brulee.
This was the Fred Astair to the Cristal Ginger Rogers. It was very nice, graceful, and elegant. But everyone is staring at Ginger Rodgers. Very light yellow with a touch of brass. The aromas are complex and a raw wood note. Clean lemon and lime with a nudge to sweetness at the finish.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Very light yellow color pushing the boundary of nearly clear. Light note of flint on the nose and pear. Subtle. Good stone mineral with a fairly prevalent burnt oak note. Finishes with more pear and yellow apple.
Medium plus depth of gold. Perfume and white flower aromas are abundant. Touch of fruit cocktail. Palate has a solid spicy, almost pepper, base with a little clove. Medium plus weight and slick mouthfeel. It has fine prickly tannins yet creamy palate. Very interesting wine and I enjoyed it. Almost drinks like a red wine.
This was Andrew's birth year and he brought this, nice treat. It was on the downward spiral of life but still enjoyable. Very light cranberry color, looks like sherry. Looks and smells the part of an old Barolo, no surprises here. Tannins are gone but there's still the tar and cherry notes. She was tired but fun to drink.
This seems to be holding up very well, it taste like it was just bottle. It's almost primary in some respects, the stem notes are very forward, the blue and red fruit are clean and there's a note of terrpin at the finish. Very nice but I'd hold if I owned.
Looks like the color has started of fade just a bit., a washed out cranberry color. The palate and nose are strong sweet strawberry preserve. Tannins are light and there's a gentleness to this wine and its approachable food friendly quality.
Showed a little brett which just added to the rustic reputation of Musar. It's fruit driven by sweet cherry and raspberries which seems to be the profile across the 95, 99, and 2004. All showed very well. There's a Chambord note at the finish and light tannins. I would describe the wine as smooth and slightly creamy.
Of the 95, 99, and 04 this was definitely showing as the youngest. There was the sweet red fruit and strong cherry flavors but had some shoulders supporting the structure., a little edge or angular. Very nice and I wrote "delicious". That would describe it.
Deep dark purple color. Lots of blue and black fruit here for everyone. Like the charcoal note which could probably be broken down into chalk and black incense. Has a gritty backbone even after lots of airtime and a stronger iodine note at the finish. Nicely balanced.
I knew nothing about this wine other than it carries a high tariff so I kept an open mind. Plus 2011 doesn't have the best reputation for Napa cabernet. Get this out of the way immediately, great wine. The nose has a touch of cinnamon, perfume, and unsweetened cocoa. Cassis, tar/tobacco, fine tannins creating a nice framework.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
This was flighted with a very nice Napa cabernet and pushed this towards the sweet end of the scale. The nose has a distinct maple syrup quality and lots of dark fruit. Very concentrated. Tar and earth tones at the finish. It's intense.
First thing that caught my eye was the structure. This is a solid built wine and should age, it showed very youthful tonight. It's your classic cocoa and dark cassis profile and enjoyable. If I owned, hold for another 5 years and let the pieces evolve even more. Nice.
2004 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
France, Champagne
This was on the bucket list and I was planning on buying a bottle for our next event. Then this showed up... I didn't have any expectations other than don't get too disappointed if it's just "okay". It wasn't okay, it was fantastic. It stood out paired with a Vilmart CdC. Enough said. Light yellow color; white bread and a little oxidation on the nose. Yellow apple and a crazy fluffy mouthfeel. So light and nimble. The soufflé of champagne. Just a hint of salinity and ripe apple and lemon brulee.
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2004 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
This was the Fred Astair to the Cristal Ginger Rogers. It was very nice, graceful, and elegant. But everyone is staring at Ginger Rodgers. Very light yellow with a touch of brass. The aromas are complex and a raw wood note. Clean lemon and lime with a nudge to sweetness at the finish.
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2015 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Very light yellow color pushing the boundary of nearly clear. Light note of flint on the nose and pear. Subtle. Good stone mineral with a fairly prevalent burnt oak note. Finishes with more pear and yellow apple.
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2015 Domaine Bernard Gripa St. Joseph Blanc Cuvée Le Berceau
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Medium plus depth of gold. Perfume and white flower aromas are abundant. Touch of fruit cocktail. Palate has a solid spicy, almost pepper, base with a little clove. Medium plus weight and slick mouthfeel. It has fine prickly tannins yet creamy palate. Very interesting wine and I enjoyed it. Almost drinks like a red wine.
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1967 Marcarini Barolo Brunate
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This was Andrew's birth year and he brought this, nice treat. It was on the downward spiral of life but still enjoyable. Very light cranberry color, looks like sherry. Looks and smells the part of an old Barolo, no surprises here. Tannins are gone but there's still the tar and cherry notes. She was tired but fun to drink.
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2011 Rhys Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
This seems to be holding up very well, it taste like it was just bottle. It's almost primary in some respects, the stem notes are very forward, the blue and red fruit are clean and there's a note of terrpin at the finish. Very nice but I'd hold if I owned.
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2007 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Old Vines
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Looks like the color has started of fade just a bit., a washed out cranberry color. The palate and nose are strong sweet strawberry preserve. Tannins are light and there's a gentleness to this wine and its approachable food friendly quality.
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1995 Chateau Musar
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Showed a little brett which just added to the rustic reputation of Musar. It's fruit driven by sweet cherry and raspberries which seems to be the profile across the 95, 99, and 2004. All showed very well. There's a Chambord note at the finish and light tannins. I would describe the wine as smooth and slightly creamy.
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1999 Chateau Musar
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
I really enjoyed the '99, the right balance of age and fruit. Still clean and fresh with a light oak note. The fruit was cherry and Raspberry.
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2004 Chateau Musar
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Of the 95, 99, and 04 this was definitely showing as the youngest. There was the sweet red fruit and strong cherry flavors but had some shoulders supporting the structure., a little edge or angular. Very nice and I wrote "delicious". That would describe it.
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2015 Xavier Gerard Côte-Rôtie
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Deep dark purple color. Lots of blue and black fruit here for everyone. Like the charcoal note which could probably be broken down into chalk and black incense. Has a gritty backbone even after lots of airtime and a stronger iodine note at the finish. Nicely balanced.
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2011 Promontory
USA, California, Napa Valley
I knew nothing about this wine other than it carries a high tariff so I kept an open mind. Plus 2011 doesn't have the best reputation for Napa cabernet. Get this out of the way immediately, great wine. The nose has a touch of cinnamon, perfume, and unsweetened cocoa. Cassis, tar/tobacco, fine tannins creating a nice framework.
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2012 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
This was flighted with a very nice Napa cabernet and pushed this towards the sweet end of the scale. The nose has a distinct maple syrup quality and lots of dark fruit. Very concentrated. Tar and earth tones at the finish. It's intense.
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2007 Quintessa
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
First thing that caught my eye was the structure. This is a solid built wine and should age, it showed very youthful tonight. It's your classic cocoa and dark cassis profile and enjoyable. If I owned, hold for another 5 years and let the pieces evolve even more. Nice.
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