River School Auction Tasting

A tasting, in single-blinded flights, with a "new world/old world" theme.

• 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  Everything a grand marque should be. Brioche and lemon curd and perfect texture and fine mousse and length.

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• 2020 Hundred Suns Chardonnay Old Eight Cut 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Incisive, bright, and young as heck. Good length, but outclassed in this tasting against aged Cameron and White burg. Good upside. A bit of oak still to be subsumed.

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• 2012 Cameron Blanc Clos Electrique 92 Points

  USA, Oregon

  I expected this to best the White Burg but it was a different animal, with a hint of sweetness on the nose (not the palate) and a roundness that put it in a different class from the Chassagne-Montrachets, which were a bit more incisive. A great wine on its own, but gave a riper feeling than anticipated.

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• 2008 Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes 93 Points

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

  Excellent, if not quite reflective of being 100 feet from Montrachet. Good length and fineness. Well layered oak gave a sense of butteriness. Excellent wine overall.

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• 2010 Henri Prudhon & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes 94 Points

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

  A beauty - a hint of matchstick and white flowers on a nose of lemon and white fruit. Subsumed oak lent a bit of depth and persistence. A lovely wine and more reflective of Puligny than Chassagne.

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• 2009 Peay Vineyards Pinot Noir Ama Estate 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Firmly New World and predictable as such. Lovely notes of cola, pomegranate and dark red berries. Exquisite texture. Needs a decade to be at its finest, but tannins are fairly soft. Still just felt young to me.

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• 1994 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve 96 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Incredible. Blew multiple excellent Burgundies out of the water. This was a late release from the Lett family, recorked (in DIAM) at the winery. Vivid red berries and a touch of earth. The sunkissed nature of Oregon was there, and it did not have the structure of a Grand Cru, which is seemingly a good thing - all its own and as good as old Oregon gets as far as I'm concerned.

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• 2001 Charles Noellat Clos Vougeot 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  A thoroughly meh wine. A bit cloudy of nose, with indistinct dark berry and abundant earth, a good bit of residual tannin.

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• 1996 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Perrières 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  A "nice Burgundy" but nothing more - dark fruited, medium weight, good earth tones and strong acidity but, honestly, not an overly intense 1996 acidity. This is very drinkable, just not quite at the typical level I expect from Chevillon. One word: rustic.

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• 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Exposition One Weill a Way Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  Incredible, deep fruited and clearly the "La Landonne" look-alike with a fairly burly and rich Syrah nose. The meat and smoke was there, with less white pepper. Wonderful length. This impressed.

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• 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Exposition Two Weill a Way Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  The "La Turque" of the three. This had, to my tastes, the best combination of classic Northern Rhone elements - smoked meat, brine, flowers, white pepper - and dark fruit. Great length and depth but texturally right between the lighter Exposition 3 and the rounder Exposition 1. Really a great trio together and, as a serious Northern Rhone drinker, this was as close as I've seen a New World wine approach Cote Rotie.

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• 2011 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Exposition Three Weill a Way Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  The "La Mouline" of the trio, with higher viognier balanced with a lower whole cluster percentage. Wonderful depth and length but a more floral and nuanced nose than the Exposition 1. Kudos to Morgan on this.

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• 1998 Bernard Burgaud Côte-Rôtie 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Burly, Bretty, pretty, rustic. All there, if not the most striking or elegant wine. Enjoyable.

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• 2012 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Flawed

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  Badly, sadly corked.

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• 2009 Lagier Meredith Syrah 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

  A nice wine but fairly obviously new world. Decent length and good flavor. A bit outclassed by its company. Still, Carole Meredith is my hero.

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• 1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  An excellent Dominus, with classic sunny dark fruits, a touch of green pepper, and excellent length. A smooth and pretty wine.

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• 1983 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Old California doesn't get like this. Almost every experienced wine taster's WOTN in a crowded field. This was perfect in texture, First Growth Bordelaise in poise and length. Soft and resolved red fruits, leather and tobacco, a touch of green pepper and just an etheral note to it.

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• 1992 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Didn't get much eucalyptus from this, and this had a slightly more ripe nose than its brethren, but it was still incredibly good and 1992 is really a sleeper vintage, coming in just before RMP's influence really trashed the next 20 years.

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• 1986 Château Gruaud Larose 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Maybe a touch softer and less dense than the 1982, but this is just perfect Bordeaux.

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• 1989 Château Rausan-Ségla 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Loved by everyone, classic Margaux spice and litheness, and better than it had been touted. Third in the flight after the 83 Mayacamas and the 86 Gruaud, but only by a touch.

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• 1910 Barbeito Madeira Sercial Reserva Velha 94 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  Warm toffee, burnt orange, excellent balance. Youthful.

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• 1934 Henriques & Henriques Madeira Verdelho 94 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  Wonderful madeira. Youthful, bright, balanced. Saline and butterscotchy with orange rind and a bit of marzipan. Great persistence.

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