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I hosted this one, with a theme of 2010 or Not.

• 2007 Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne

  Beautiful gold in the glass with tons of tiny bubbles. Poured from magnum, and I think I had the first glass. There was a little bit of funk initially in the nose, but that quickly opened up to a toasty, yeasty profile with some green apple. It tasted very fresh, however, and was a great start to our lunch.

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• 2011 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  I originally bought 6 of these, and opened my 4th and 5th at this lunch. I agree with a few other notes that this wine is into its maturity. The acidity is much lower than I would expect, and the TDN is relatively low. But the wine tasted great. It was oily and creamy, and tasted like a mature Riesling. I tasted the 2001 Clos St. Hune not long ago, and while that wine was more complex, there was a similar profile of low acidity, but beautiful honeyed flavors. A great experience, and I’ll hold onto my last one for a while to see what happens.

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• 2013 Château Simone Palette Blanc

  France, Provence, Palette

  Beautiful gold in the glass, with a nose of slight honey. I was excited to taste this bottle, and certainly not disappointed. Very complex on the palate, slightly oily, minor oxidation, low-ish acidity. Very good wine.

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• 2010 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Slow ox for about 4 hours. In the glass, it was cloudy, with the slightest bricking around the edges. But the nose screamed a Sonoma coast pinot. Rasberry and some cherry, mixed with cola on the palate. In a great place and very enjoyable. I don’t think of Aubert as a whole cluster producer, but this one was at least partial whole cluster.

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• 2010 Frog's Leap Merlot

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  2nd time tasting this wine. I had relatively low expectations, based on the wines around it. But it showed really nicely, and with the air time, the mocha/chocolate notes that I love in merlot were prevalent on the nose, with fresh cherry, mixed with slight leather in the palate. I really enjoyed these bottles.

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• 2004 Château Léoville Las Cases

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Decanted for about 4 hours. The purity of fruit in this wine is great. It needs the air, but with about 4 hours, it has a soft and subtle nose of red cherry, with not bright, and not stewed, just good red fruits on the palate. This one has a decent runway ahead, and is well made, with good structure, integrating tannins, and pure fruit.

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• 2011 Cain Vineyard & Winery Cain Five

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Decanted for about 4 hours. I had opened one of these a year or two ago, and was not impressed. With air time, however, it was really good. It was certainly typical of a cold-vintage CA cab, with lots of green pepper - maybe even mild jalapeño - on the palate. Perfect colors in the glass as expected with Cain’s goal for aging wines. I served this blind, and while most people missed, one or two in the group called a 2011 or other cold vintage California cab. They were spot on.

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• 2010 Favia Syrah Quarzo

  USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County

  Wow - what a big wine. This is the 3rd or 4th bottle of this I’ve opened, and it seems to be the biggest yet. That is most likely because of the wines it followed, but even after a 4 hour decant, it needed food. And with beef short rib, it was singing. Very dark in the glass, strong, but not overpowering tannins, and loads of blue and black fruit on the palate. I do love this wine, and it has a long life ahead of it.

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• 2010 Château Coutet Barsac

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Golden in the glass with a strong nose of honey and apricot. Actually quite sweet, but really tasty sweet stone fruits. And great qpr.

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