A random Saturday Evening

Shane and I hit up Mike and Karen's house for an assortment of wines, some duck, and other various foods to go along with a whole bunch of fun conversation

• 1997 Domaine Carneros Brut 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  nose: interesting nose of lemon drops, yeast, bits of honey and mineral tones. Well evolved nose with nice depth that has a interesting aspect to it
  
  taste: a bit hollow on the mid-palate which detracts from it, but posseses nice tones of lemon drops, minerals, and a good amount of honey. Nice medium acidity accompanies this
  
  overall: a really good and mature california sparkler. If the mid-palate had a bit more to it, it'd be a lot better, but what is there is a very nice sparkler

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• 1994 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  nose: some oak strikes right off the bat, but its not overt and then goes into well balanced and rich tones of black fruits, dar red cherries, black currants, bits of raw meats, along with hints of eucalyptus and mint. Has a real nice almost aussie/cote rotie style to it at this point with real nice depth
  
  taste: great medium/full body with a real good plushness to it along with tones of black currants, black fruits, dark red cherries and tones of eucalyptus. Excellent depth and far from feeling past its prime as it hits all parts of the palate well
  
  overall: Certainly seems like it can go for longer at this point. Good richness to it and far from being over the hill, it is in an evolved stage that is very enjoyable

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• 2002 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  nose: lovely and wafting nose filled with fresh picked strawberries, plums, all sorts of purple floral tones, bits of various spices and nice tones of shiitake mushrooms. Beautiful depth with real nice expression
  
  taste: very pretty and elegant on the palate with nice medium+ acidity along with tones of strawberries, plums, purple florals, bits of spice, and hints of smoke on the back end that gives way to a lovely finish
  
  overall: starting to drink well, and has a real nice elegance to it. Certainly has a ways to go, but one should not feel bad about popping one of these right now. Lovely aromas and flavors that are well in balance that is just pure classic oregonian pinot noir

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• 1994 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  nose: beautiful depth on the nose with great tones of petrol, pears, minerals, white florals, and all sorts of green apples. So much depth and purity on the nose as it opens up and sings out of the glass
  
  taste: very silky and smooth feel that is very succulent with bits of grass, all sorts of green apples, pears, minerals, and a touch of white fruits. Excellent medium+ acidity gives this a good spine
  
  overall: AP #01-06, this is a late release prum. Light yellow color, this certainly has a long way to go, but is soooo delicious that it may be hard to keep my hands off my other two bottles. Loads of depth and purity this is in a good place this is what makes JJ Prum, JJ Prum

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• 2001 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  nose: this just flows right off the bat with beautiful and lush tones of red cherries, bits of earth, dark raspberries, and a touch of red florals. Very deep, lovely, and demure that has a lot of class to it and envelops
  
  taste: very polished and demure on the palate with confident tones of red cherries, dark raspberry tones, and a good amount of various red florals with bits of clove spices. Nice medium+ acidity gives this a good spine
  
  overall: as this was open, it was a very beautiful wine, but it didn't grow in the glass. Both LeatherPalate and I had put it off to the side in a Grand Cru burgundy glass to revisit it later with the hopes that it would be better, but instead had become more flat and was starting to fall apart a bit which was rather dissapointing. When it was open it was a lovely wine

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• 2000 Quinta do Vale Meão Douro 91 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  nose: extremely port-like on the nose as one would expect considering the grapes involved along with intriguing tones of black cherries, spices, black currants, and loads of black fruits. Very bold and pungent on the nose with great balance. The portish take on it keeps me going back to smell as its fun to smell what a port would be like as a table wine
  
  taste: excellent medium/full body with still rich tannins and tones of black cherries, dark spices, black fruits, and big tones of dark belgian chocolate
  
  overall: a very intriguing wine that does have a way to go. This was a fun wine for me as it was like port, but without the fortification. Big and bold, this was a great learning experience as I don't come across that many portugese table wines

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• 2008 Bonny Doon Vineyard Vinferno Beeswax Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Seco

  nose: very tasty nose of apricots, pears, tropical citrus', and hints of star fruits. Nice sweetness to the nose with good balance, though slightly lacking some depth
  
  taste: a very nice feel with good medium weight and tones of star fruits, pears, and apricots. Good medium acidity and isn't all that cloying either
  
  overall: a very nice young dessert wine. May flesh out a bit with a little more age, but this is the perfect kind of dessert wine for a hot afternoon with some ice cream or sweeter fruits

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This turned into a real late night, lots of fun with good wine and conversation taking us all the way until 3 in the morning. It all flew by fast and that always shows how good of a time was had, Can't wait to do it again