The Jug is done fooling around

Suite 100
Tasted Friday, July 25, 2008 by hutch with 572 views

Introduction

Great tasting, without a bum wine in the bunch. Ornellaia and Casa Real splash decanted an hour before tasting, the rest double decanteed about four hours earlier.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 1997 Louis Roederer Champagne Vintage Brut 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    What a surprise that there seems to be so little interest in this wine. This wine was opened on its sweet spot for my taste. Still fresh and bright, but with just the beginning of some of the aging qualities of champagne. A little yeast on the nose along with the apples. A real tasty champagne. 91-92

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 2 (3 Notes)

  • 2001 Viña Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Casa Real Alto Santa Rita Old Vines Vineyard 92 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    Santa Rita wines are always distinct to me for that tarry, almost hints of rubber, black olive note. This one is no different. Although with time, that element, which I rather enjoy, blew off. An really nice juiciness to this wine. The tannins have integrated nicely. Drinking quite well and harmonious right now, but still seems very young. Sit or wait, it's a win win situation with this wine. It's a $50 Chilian Cab, but that seems fairly priced to me.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2000 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 94 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

    I was happiest with this wine. Mostly because it never had a chance. Released during a time when people were getting sick of Super Tuscans, and their prices, in a vintage that was pretty much panned by the critics. Our store bought 18 bottles a few years back, and we had 15 left before this tasting. Well, the forgotten wine shone, and Tanzer's right again. I can't imagine this wine drinking much better then right now. Beautiful sweet red fruits caress the palate. Still some decent tannins, but they melted away after a double decant. This also managed to keep the echo of Italy, which is so rare in the Super Tuscan's I tried. The acidity, and suggestion of spices are reminders of its home soil. Not an ager, but a beautiful wine to drink right now. 93-95

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2005 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate 94 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

    I've always liked DeLille's stuff, but this wine really made me a believer. It more then held it's own surrounded by wines that cost 2 or 3 times as much. Upon opening, rich dark chocolate and oak filled the nose. Extremely rich and dense on the palate, with a touch of heat on the finish. All black fruits.
    But this wine just got better throughout the night. The oak integrated, the bitterness melting into dark chocolate with this whisper of some spices. Amazingly gorgeous packed blackberry and black currant fruit. Just a stunning bottle. I'm really upset we sold it all, b/c I'd like a bottle or two for myself. You can drink this now, but it could be put away for ten years as well. 93-95

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Pasanau Priorat Finca La Planeta 91 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    Upon opening, great nose, full of red fruits, some pencil lead, and rasberry liquor. Medium bodied on the palate, with mouth clenching tannins. Long finish. Later on, the tannins subsided, but this took on a tartness with the high acidity. This was very good, but never really came together. Kind of like a jug saw puzzle that never quite fit, but it looks like it's gonna be a really nice picture. Even so, 91-92, with higher potential.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2005 Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Hickinbotham 91 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

    Amazing wine upon first being opened. Crazy thick, rich and full of sweet black fruit that pretty much swallowed the massive tannins. Unbelievable how thick this wine was. 93-96
    Double decanted and tried later on. Slightly disturbing nose with almost a plastic aroma. Mouthcoating, with a little heat. Some spiciness, with that drak black fruit. Still pretty impressive. 91-93
    Took hom in an attempt to try and figure this wine out. The nose consisted of molasses, blackberry, and brown sugar. A little heat pokes out. Dense and rich, but this time a touch over the top. Low acidity, and while the finish is long, it slowly becomes cloying over the course of a whole glass. I'd be interested in trying the in a decade. Seems like the WA went overboard, while the Speculator score seems a little low. Final conclusion 90-92

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 (3 Notes)

  • 2004 Bodega Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata 96 Points

    Argentina, Mendoza

    Upon opening, lighter then I expected. Tannins well integrated. Blackberry fruit, with pencil notes. Endless finish.
    After double decanting and trying a few hours later, this was a different wine. Gained incredible depth. Beautiful blueberries, blackberries, with a streak of minerality somehow penetrating the fruit. You know you're drinking a great wine when its full on contradictions. Amazingly dense and powerful, but elegant. Rich, but with a refreshing finish. This is gorgeous. 95-96

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2003 Château Pontet-Canet 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Upon opening, medium bodied, with huge tannins. One of the more complex wines opened. Lots of pencil. Long finish. 92-95

    Double decanted and retried later. Lots of graphite, pencil, and dark red fruits on both the nose and palate. A little closed up, but still lots going on. The most restrained wines of the heavy hitters. 93-94

    2nd Day: Just a phenomenal nose now, full of rich, dense, cab fruits. Really filled out. Now able to envelope and balance out the mammoth tannins. Lots of power, but it's the elegance, the pedigree, of this wine that really stands out, especially in contrast to the slutty Clarendon Hills. Endless finish. It would be an experience to track this over the course of the next 20 years. 94-96

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2005 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Upon opening, this was stunning. Massively rich, with black fruits, chocolate, and pencil on a gorgeously full, rich silky palate. The fruit and body completely eat up the tannins. The finish goes on so long that only later do you realize you're not tasting the wine. 95-97

    After tryingthis a few hours later after double decanting, I was a little disapointed. The oak really takes over, and there was a rich buttery flavor that was a little over the top for me. Eventually, this quality, to me at least, took over. It was too amazing upon opening for me to give up on this, but I might put it away and forgot about it for a few years. 91-94

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

×
×