Virtual New Years Eve: F#%K 2020

This was our annual New Year's Eve party and tasting. This one had to be done virtually and it could not have worked out any better. Lots of moving parts to coordinate here to make things work out. We had just enough jars to pull this off for a dozen people with the benefit of couples being able to share jars for most pours. It was great to see a bunch of people and bid good riddance to a difficult 2020 and welcome in a year of hope and more optimism. Cheers and good health to all.

• NV Champagne Le Mesnil Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Light gold color. PNP into vessels at 6:15pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over 30 minutes starting at 8pm. The Champagnes for this event really held up well with transport - I think better than any virtual event we've doe to date. I'm not sure why, just glad they did. This was showing apple, spice, chalk, green apple blossom on the nose. The palate showed tart apple, apple peel, fine chalk, quince, lots of yeastiness, wet stones, fleshy fruit, quite bright and crisp acid. 91+pts.

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• 2004 Union Champagne de Saint Gall Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Orpale Blanc de Blancs 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Light gold color. PNP into vessels at 6:15pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over 30+ minutes starting at 8:30pm. The Champagnes for this event really held up well with transport - I think better than any virtual event we've doe to date. I'm not sure why, just glad they did. I hadn't had the '04 version before, but I really like the '02, so i had pretty high expectations for this. My expectations were certainly met, as I found this engaging, and while maybe not as complex as the top Tete de Cuvee's, it is not far off. A hugely over performing value too. Lovely, musty earth, toasty, funk, a little ocean, golden fruit, honey. The palate is full bodied rich and toasty, golden fruits, honeyed, limestone, nice maturity and depth here. Not sure if this better, as it is awfully good now. 93+pts.

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• 2011 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Light medium gold color. PNP into vessels at 6:00pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over 30 minutes starting at 8:30pm. Beautiful; lovely nose with Meyer lemon, clementine, sea shells, very bright and focused. The palate offers a serene blend of complex citrus notes, saline, dry stone minerals and perfectly framed oak and spice finish. Long, lovely, and lively. 93+pts.

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• 2011 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 92 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Light gold color. PNP into vessels at 6:00pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over 30 minutes starting about 8:45pm.
  Ocean air, crushed oyster shell, lemon; A little Chablisesque again on the nose, albeit somewhat bigger overall. Lemon, tart citrus, a little sour white grapefruit, flinty minerals, oak, lots of acid and a touch of bitters on the finish. Not as expressive as the last bottle a few years back. 91+ to 92pts.

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• 2013 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 7 Shea Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Light medium ruby red color. From Magnum; decanted for 80 minutes and pour into vessels at 5:30pm for transport. Drank a 4oz pour over an hour starting around 9:00pm. This clearly needed the air and seemed more integrated and less green with the decant. Sweet cherries on the nose, dried potpourri floral spice, a little damp earth appears with coaxing and it remains just a touch herbaceous now. The nose is a step above the palate which shows cherry, sous bois, tart red currants, deeply spiced, dried spices. This is a more delicate and subtle Shea than most; clearly red fruited and a little on the green side. And like 2013 in general, a vintage that varies and often benefits from age and air. 90+pts.

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• 1995 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very dark red color, 1cm transitional margin. Decanted for 1.5 hours and poured into vessels at 5:30pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over an hour starting around 9:30pm. This has a great nose, one of the best of the night. A lovely mix of dark berries, cassis, black raspberry, ripe cherry, pencil, leather, soft earth, and kir. The palate was just a little less evocative than the nose. The dark fruits are introverted, cassis, kir, leather, minerals and more dried wood notes with medium grained tannins. Very good, and others liked this even more than I did. 93+ to 94(?)pts.

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• 1995 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark red color, 7mm transitional edge. Decanted for an hour and forty minutes and poured into vessels at 5:30pm for transport. Drank a glass over two hours starting around 9:00pm. Wow, this was amazing again. Despite the decant, this just kept improving in glass. The nose really shines as it develops a beautifully high toned perfume of sweet pencil shavings, deep cassis and mulberry, leather, purple flowers, and a little beef blood with a damp forest floor note that comes forward in glass. The palate is full and harmonious, building in glass, polished dark fruits, cassis, creme de cassis and black raspberry, pencil, minerals, leather, tobacco leaf, earthy and very long. Loved the texture, purity and plush tannins. This wine continues to impress the heck out of me. My WOTN in a strong lineup. 94+ to 95pts.

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• 2000 Château Beychevelle 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red color, saturated to edge. From Magnum; decanted for 1hr & 40 minutes and poured into vessels at 5:30pm for transport. Drank a 4oz pour over an hour starting around 9:30pm. Geez, this has a great nose too, just screaming pencil notes and dried leaves, dark sultry fruits. This is ready to go with a little air from mag, elegance, balance and polish to the refined tannins, cassis, pencil, forerst floor and dark chocolate notes. Really enjoyed this, classic Bordeaux.

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• 2000 Château Malescot St. Exupéry 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Very dark red/purple color. Splash double decanted and then decanted for an additional 30 minutes and poured into vessels at 5:45pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over an hour plus starting around 10pm. Red berries, creamy cassis, nicely floral with violets, hi toned dry earth. The palate is a mix of black and blue fruits, ripe, full bodied, blackberry, grahite and dried wood shavings in a more modern style. This has more youthful feel though it is drinking very well now.

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• 2003 Château Hosanna 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1.5 hours and poured into vessels at 5:45pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over an hour plus starting around 10:30pm. Modern and flashy with a big core of sweet blackberry and tart black cherry; wet and earthy on the nose, cedarbox, sandalwood, dusty, chocolate, gravel and minerals. Tasty.

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• 2012 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 1.6 hours and poured into vessels at 5:45pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over an hour starting around 11:00pm. Cassis, blackberry, scorched earth, some blue fruits; sweet tobacco, cigar, ripe, full bodied, dried wood. Nice and in stride.

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• 2006 The Standish Wine Company The Relic 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Very dark red/purple color, 4mm tansition. PNP into vessels at 5:45pm for transport. Drank a 2oz pour over an hour starting around 11:00pm. The nose has some nice aromatics, ripe blackberry and dark brambly berries, hints of more pungent florals, hints of menthol, earth and dried spice. The palate is full bodied, ripe, blackberry cobbler, huckleberry pie, soft texture, balanced, well integrated and not fading at all.

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• NV A. R. Lenoble Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Mag 14 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Light gold color. From Magnum, PNP into vessels at 6:15pm for transport. Drank a 4oz pour over 30 minutes starting at 11:40pm. The Champagnes for this event really held up well with transport - I think better than any virtual event we've doe to date - especially this wine which didn't hit glasses until over 5.5 hours after it was opened. I'm not sure why it worked better tonight, just glad they did. Bright and vivacious, fine bead, green fruits, pear, papaya, almonds, peach, wet stones. This has great fruit and acid, good lift and supreme elegance and balance. I loved it, and it was a great way to toast the new year and better days to come. Cheers!

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