Robert's Holiday Party

A nice get-together for the Holidays! Good friends, good food, and, of course, good wine!

• NV Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Love this Champers! It punches way above its price point! Brioche, citrus, green apple and some sea shell...great starter wine! 91+ for my palate!

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• 2011 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  This was a pleasant surprise as I was not very high on the 2011 vintage in Champagne. Comtes never disappoints, and this 2011 was no exception! Lots of yeast, with creamy pear, citrus and melon, with loads of minerality (chalk and limestone) and some hints of flint. Nice acidity, which kept the fruit lively. Young, but so good now! 93-94 now, but will improve if you can keep your hands off for a few years! Good luck with that though!

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• 2021 Keplinger Eldorado 92 Points

  USA, California, Sierra Foothills

  Nice white Rhone blend. Fruity, with strong citrus and tropical notes! Goes well with food. Very good value wine and worth having in the cellar! This is a wine that wine lovers and non-drinkers will enjoy. 91-92 points!

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• 2015 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 93 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  This needs more bottle age....drinking well now, but will be better with a couple more years of age on it. Lots of pear, apple and some citrus, with notes of stone fruit, spice and wet stone. Good, but will be much better later. 93 now with possibly 2 additional points down the road. Can drink now, but I would recommend holding.

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• 2015 Staglin Family Chardonnay Estate 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Nice wine but tastes like it is past its prime, i.e., drink up. Doesn't seem like bottle variation, but you never know for sure. Fruit has faded and was lacking in the wine. I would guess this bottle was peaking a coupe years ago. Still quite palatable now, but would be better with more fruit and more acidity (acidity was also lacking). 90 now (would guess 93-94 at peak). Recommend drinking now, if you still have some.

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• 2018 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  My favorite Chardonnay of the night! This was singing even better than the 2015 Leeuwin, and surprisingly, was more integrated. Lots of pear, apple and melon with some hints of spice and citrus, and nicely integrated sweet toasty oak! Absolutely delicious now, but will be even better with a little more bottle age. Easy 94 to 94+ now! Drink or hold.
  
  Note: I don't know why I don't buy this....such a good value and squarely in my wheelhouse!

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• 2001 Robert Ampeau & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  This is a nice nuanced wine and will appeal to others more than I. At this stage, much more of a terroir wine than a fruit wine, although some red fruit was still present. Very delicate and nuanced, and those who love contemplating what they are drinking will get more enjoyment from this wine than I. Light cherry, some spice, earth and bramble with very slight hints of white or black peppercorn. I think this is past its prime, but others enjoyed it much more than I. 91 now and likely better for my palate a few years ago.

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• 2011 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This paired nicely with a 2001 Robert Ampeau & Fils Volnay 1er Cru Santenots....both are lighter wines and on the lean side. I liked this wine because of the strawberry component, which I usually find in Rose, but not so much in American Pinot. The wine showed quite a bit of red fruit, although more on the delicate side, i.e., light cherry, raspberry and strawberry notes with some bramble and spice. The strawberry component stood out the most for me. A nice wine I enjoyed sipping! 91+ for me, and surprising, especially for a 2011 Oregon Pinot.

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• 1953 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  My WOTN...and I am not a Nebbiolo fan! This bottle opened my eyes to why some people collect Barolo wines. This was reminiscent of a nicely aged Bordeaux. Shockingly good, especially for a 70 year old wine! This had the "WOW' factor in spades! Everything you could expect from an older wine and more! The fruit was still present (tart and sweet cherry) with plenty of mushroom, Unami, forest floor, earth, leather and some herbal notes. Utterly delicious and would never have guessed a Barolo nor anywhere near 70 years old! Truly a treat....Thanks Kevin! 96-96+ for my palate, and that is likely conservative!

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• 2007 Harlan Estate The Maiden 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Slo-O'd at the restaurant for about 2 hours. This was very Harlan-esque with a rich mouthfeel and silky smooth tannins. Lots of red fruit and leans on the fruit side of the scale (rather than tertiary), although tertiary notes are definitely there! For those who prefer more hedonistic wines with some of the complexities that tertiary flavors bring, this is in a great spot right now! (This is drinking quite well for me!) For those who prefer wines with much more tertiary flavors than fruit, this wine still needs a few years.
  
  Mostly red fruit (currant and red berries) with some black fruit (mostly dark cherry) lurking in the background. Also, notes of earth, leather and some tobacco with hints of tar and graphite. Oak is well integrated and finish is medium to medium long. Tasty and certainly in my wheelhouse. Easy 93+ to 94 points! Will be opening my other 2 more sooner than later!

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• 2010 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Double decanted then served 2 hours later. This wine tasted older than 2010 to me. I thought it was leaning toward the tertiary side of the spectrum (rather than the fruit side). Not sure if it was partially closed or supposed to taste that way. Either way, it was a nice wine with dark fruit, some earthy notes, leather and some spice, and nicely integrated oak. I think a little more fruit would have been better, but not sure if that would happen with more air, more time, or if it was already past prime. I have to believe it was likely an off bottle or partially shut down. A 92 now...??? in the future.

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• 2005 Château Rieussec 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Very nice Sauternes showing off the 2005 vintage. An orange creamsicle with citrus, ginger and spice. Nice acidity balances out the sugar. Easy 93 to me.

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Happy holidays and Cheers