Fine Vines Fall Grand Tasting

This was a nice sized walk around tasting. A good amount were self pours and there weren't too many people there either

• 2007 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru

  nose: good round and fat nose with good depth and excellent tones of melons, tree fruits, citrus', and nice tones of white fruits
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with tasty and round tones of tree fruits, white florals, citrus tones, and bits of white fruits. Good medium+ acidity gives this a nice spine and a freshness as well
  
  overall: A real quality young white burg. Obviously needs some time and has the feel that once it sheds some baby fat that it'll really sing. Good depth on both the nose and palate right now, it just seemed to be holding back a bit right now

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• 2007 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  nose: linear and focused nose of crushed stones, mineral tones, white florals and tart lemon tones. Good depth with a good amount of zest to it right now
  
  taste: excellent medium+ acidity with tasty tones of crushed stones, minerals, lemons, and green apples. Really good medium feel that has a real polish to it
  
  overall: This is a real outstanding village wine. Needs a little downtime to round into form a bit, but this is really good right now and would work great with a lot of food

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• 2007 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne 91 Points

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

  nose: succulent and tart nose of stone fruits, minerals, citrus tones, and a touch of smoke on the nose. Good depth with good focus on the nose as well
  
  taste: has a fatter feel with richer tones of stone fruits, tart citrus tones, and some bits of lemons and smoke. Excellent medium/high acidity that gives it a nice backbone
  
  overall: Has a meursault-like feel to it, but with a puligny style to it as well. Good depth on both the nose and palate, this needs a bit of time before its fully ready

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• 2007 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Chassagne-Montrachet Les Perclos 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet

  nose: nice tart nose with citrus', oranges, oils, bits of peaches and peach blossoms. Has a good fatter tone to the nose with good depth
  
  taste: medium/full feel with good medium acidity and well balanced tones of tart citrus', oils, peaches and peach blossoms
  
  overall: A really nice young village white. Good balance with precise tones that have good depth to them. With a few more years this could be really nice

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• 2006 Château de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Château de la Maltroye 89 Points

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

  nose: round nose of tropical citrus, peaches, bits of apricots and some cherry blossoms. Has a riper and forward side to it with nice medium depth
  
  taste: medium/full feel with medium acidity and tart tones of tropical citrus, apricots, cherry blossoms and some hints of oak as well. Good depth with nice tart fruit
  
  overall: This is probably as good as it will get. Has a riper style to it that is forward and inviting. Well balanced and tasty, this is really nice and should be good for a while

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• 2006 Domaine Chavy-Martin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 86 Points

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

  nose: riper nose of tropical citrus, minerals, and fat tones of meyer lemons. Good tones, but nothing too exciting
  
  taste: solid medium feel with riper tones of tropical citrus, white fruits and some bits of meyer lemons. Nice medium acidity accompanies this
  
  overall: a rather blase' wine. Its nice enough, but its rather forgettable and standard

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• 2006 Maison Champy Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  nose: excellent nose of creams, green apples, bits of lemons, minerals and tree fruits. Good depth with good focus as well
  
  taste: very good medium feel with medium+ acidity and good tones of creams, green apples, tree fruits and some bits of wood on the back end
  
  overall: a quality puligny. Good definition with nice aromas and flavors, this does everything well, but nothing really stands out

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• 2006 Domaine Chavy-Martin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 89 Points

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

  nose: nice and crisper nose of white fruits, white florals, bits of peaches and some tones of fresh picked lemons. Excellent balance and the tones are slightly on the riper side
  
  taste: well balanced medium feel that has a fatness to it. Medium acidity backs up tones of white fruits, peaches, white florals, and loads of mineral tones on the back end
  
  overall: A quality 1er. Will need some time to gain some depth, but this doesn't come across as a long distance runner. On the riper side and the acidity isn't too big at this time, this should be an earlier drinker

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• 2005 Maison Champy Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux 91 Points

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

  nose: tight, but very promising nose of tree fruits, white peach tones, various white florals, and minerals. Good depth, its just wound tight right now
  
  taste: very tasty medium/full feel with tart medium+ acidity along with excellent tones of white peaches, florals, and various tree fruits and a touch of citrus'
  
  overall: Very young and certainly in need of age. If this doesn't premox, this should be real nice in another 3 years or so

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• 2006 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 90 Points

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

  nose: real nice and hi-toned with a forwardness to the tones of navel oranges, meyer lemons, peaches, and bits of apricots. Well balanced tones that have a tartness to them
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with good medium+ acidity and tasty tones of meyer lemons, peaches, bits of pears, and white florals. The acidity is more complimentary right now
  
  overall: This came off as very accessible. Could use a little bit of time to round into form a bit, but this is very good right now and has excellent tones on both the nose and palate

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• 2006 Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie 88 Points

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

  nose: nice tart and softer nose of peaches, white fruits, white blossoms, and mineral tones. Nice depth, but not really of 1er quality right now
  
  taste: Very good medium feel with excellent medium acidity and understated tones of meyer lemons, white fruits, white blossoms, and mineral tones. Has a more delicate feel and style on the palate
  
  overall: A nice and pretty wine, but left a bit to be desired. There is good balance and nice tones, but they are lacking definition and depth. This is young and some depth could be used, but its a bit forgettable

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• 2007 Bachey-Legros Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 88 Points

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

  nose: smokey nose with tones of citrus', meyer lemons, oak, and bits of apricots. A bit too much oak and toast on the nose right now, but has some nice depth
  
  taste: excellent medium/full feel with medium/high acidity that is very noticeable right now along with very good tones of citrus', smoke, apricots, and tones of oak. The oak is a bit noticeable now as well
  
  overall: If the oak can integrate and add some depth, this could really become something nice. The oak was a bit bothersome right now and it is very young, so a bit of time will be needed

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• 2006 Vincent Dancer Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Tête du Clos 89 Points

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

  nose: nice tart nose of creams, white fruits ,bits of lemons, and peaches. Good balance with nice depth that shows off its youth right now
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with medium+ acidity that is pronounced right now along with tart tones of white fruits, sweet citrus', peaches and some bits of tropical citrus as well
  
  overall: This is in need of a few years. There is very good balance and nice depth to it, but the nose is a bit tight and the palate is a bit strong on the acidity

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• 2007 Vincent Dancer Meursault Les Corbins 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  nose: very good depth and fatter nose of tree fruits, navel oranges, melons, citrus', and some bits of peaches
  
  taste: Excellent medium/full feel that has a excellent roundness to it with tones of peaches, citrus', tree fruits and some undertones of minerals. Good depth with real good medium+ acidity
  
  overall: A real quality village meursault. With a bit of time this could really be nice. It is very enjoyable now though and is very meursault

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• 2006 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Chevalières 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  nose: fat and round nose of meyer lemons, blood oranges, tropical citrus tones and bits of tree fruits. There is a ripeness to the tones with good depth
  
  taste: fuller feel with medium acidity and riper tones of blood oranges, tropical citrus tones, bits of meyer lemons, and a real nasty bite of oak comes up on the end
  
  overall: Needs some time to add depth and integrate some of the oak. There is good balance to the tones and they are a bit more forward. This is fairly accessible now and can be aged a bit

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• 2006 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Le Tesson 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  nose: tart and balanced nose of oranges, apples, sweet citrus tones, and bits of white florals
  
  taste: excellent medium/full bodied feel with medium acidity and tones of apples, oranges, oak, and bits of sweet citrus. The oak is a bit much and it detracts from the flavors
  
  overall: if the oak integrates this should become a real nice wine. Well balanced on both the nose and palate, the oak sneaks up on the end and it brings the wine down a bit

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• 2006 Château de la Maltroye Bourgogne 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  nose: nice and lighter nose of red fruits, berries, bits of earth and spices. Fairly nice and agreeable nose that is straightforward
  
  taste: good feel with nice medium acidity and tones of red fruits, spice, and some earth tones. Decent depth for a bourgogne and solid tones
  
  overall: A fairly correct and straight forward bourgogne. Would be a nice food wine and is nicely balanced

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• 2006 Domaine Francois Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  nose: well balanced and fragrant tones of wood spices, violets, red fruits and red cherries. Somewhat tart on the nose with nice depth
  
  taste: good medium feel, but doesn't seem to have the depth that nose did. Well balanced tones of wood spices, violets, red fruits and some mixed berry tones all work well togther with medium+ acidity and good tannins accompanying it
  
  overall: a nice young Vosne. Needs some time to have the palate come around to the nose, but there is some promise on it. The tannins and acidity are a bit tough right now, so some patience will be needed

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• 2006 Domaine Francois Lamarche Clos Vougeot 91 Points

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

  nose: robust nose filled with tones of earth, spices, dark red fruits, red cherries and dark raspberries. Good depth that one would expect from a grand cru with a good powerful nose
  
  taste: very young with medium/high acidity and chewy tannins. Well balanced and deep tones of brown spices, earthen tones, dark red fruits and dark berries show off clos vougeot well on the palate this young
  
  overall: A quality young Clos Vougeot. Needs time to fully show up, this should be real nice in a good 10 years. Has a real robust quality to it that is fairly powerful right now and needs to calm down a bit

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• 2006 Domaine Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Grande Rue Grand Cru

  nose: lovely and aromatic nose filled with spices, red florals, dark red cherries, red currants and dark berries. Very deep but also fairly tight at this time as well
  
  taste: great depth with a quality medium feel and high acidity as well as chewy tannins with great tones of spices, dark red cherries, dark berries and a touch of red florals on the back end. Very classy on the palate as well
  
  overall: very young. This needs a lot of time to really come around. The aromatics are great and the feel shows off a whole lot of class as well

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• 2006 Domaine des Croix Bourgogne 82 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  nose: nice and easy nose of red fruits, spices and bits of cherries. A bit simple and light
  
  taste: easy medium feel with tones of red fruits. Fairly non-descript and one-dimensional
  
  overall: a correct wine, but unexciting. Simple and easy drinking, this is a nice quaffer and not much else

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• 2007 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Bourgogne 85 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  nose: nice hi-toned nose of red fruits, berries, and floral bits. Nice balance, but not much depth
  
  taste: good soft feel on the palate with nice fruit tones of berries and red fruits with medium+ acidity
  
  overall: a nice bourgogne. Well balanced with good tones on both the nose and palate

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• 2006 Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes 88 Points

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

  nose: robust and earth driven nose along with tones of dark berries, dark cherries and raspberry tones. Fairly pungent, but has a brooding quality as well
  
  taste: very good medium feel with medium+ acidity and good tannins backed up by robust tones of earth, brown spices, and dark berries
  
  overall: Excellent feel right now, but it is showing its youth. Very dark and a bit brooding, this could use some time to smooth it out

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• 2006 Digioia-Royer Chambolle-Musigny 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  nose: lovely and hi-toned nose of red fruits, red cherries and red floral tones. Has the chambolle feminine style to it that is very attractive
  
  taste: Silky and polished feel with medium/high acidity and good tannins along with tones of berries, red cherries, florals, and red fruits. The acidity and tannins are noticeable at this young stage, but aren't too much
  
  overall: Well balanced that really shows off the terroir very well. An excellent village wine that should be really nice in about 5-6 years to really come together

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• 2007 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  nose: beautiful and hi-toned nose of flowers, spices, red cherries, and berry tones. Nice depth that is real pretty tight right now
  
  taste: excellent richer and robust feel (for chambolle at least) with nice tones of flowers, spice tones and berries. Good medium+ acidity with good tannins as well
  
  overall: this needs some time to smooth out a bit. Very pretty aromatics with good depth for a village wine. A bit more built then most chambolles, this still shows off the terroir well and is certainly a chambolle

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• 2006 Digioia-Royer Chambolle-Musigny Les Fremières Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  nose: very tight with good depth and tones of spices, dark red cherries, red currants, and dark red florals
  
  taste: medium/high acidity and big tannins set this off and are showing themselves in a big way. Dark berries, spices, and dark red cherries fight through the acidity and tannins with good depth
  
  overall: this is really in need of time. It is being overwhelmed by tannins and acidity on the palate. This should turn into a real good wine with some serious time and has the feel of a long distance runner

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• 2006 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St. Denis Vieilles Vignes 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis

  nose: nice nose of red florals, earthen tones, wood spices and some berry tones. decent depth with nice aromatics
  
  taste: good medium feel with medium+ acidity and very good tones of red cherries, berries, spice tones, and bits of earth. Well balanced, but comes off a bit lean right now
  
  overall: Excellent aromatics and well balanced. Young and nice, this was coming off a bit lean and thin right now. If it can add a bit more weight and depth it could become a real nice wine

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• 2007 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Bertin 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  nose: nice and robust nose of red fruits, dark red cherries, spices, and red berries. The fruit has a brighter style with nice depth
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with attractive tones of red fruits, dark red cherries, bits of spice and berries. Nice medium acidity backs this up, but its not overbearing
  
  overall: Fairly open right now. Should add some depth with a bit of time, but is nice and attractive right now

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• 2006 Albert Morot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Bataillère Aux Vergelesses 84 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  nose: a bit reduced at first but with some swirling tones of dark red cherries, iron, and dark spice tones emerge. A bit disjointed on the nose right now
  
  taste: good medium feel with good tannins and tones of dark berries, dark red cherries, and bits of spices. A bit rough on the palate as well
  
  overall: not sure if this will improve too much with age. Seems a bit off-kilter but the tones aren't exactly bringing much excitement either at the moment

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• 2006 Vincent Dancer Beaune 1er Cru Montrevenots 88 Points

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

  nose: excellent and tart nose of red cherries, earth, spice tones, and lots of dark berries. Good depth with a real nice dark profile to it
  
  taste: extremely young on the palate with high acidity and chewy tannins and tones of red cherries, earth, and dark berries. The tones are a bit buried right now underneath the tannins and acidity
  
  overall: an intriguing young cote de beaune. In serious need of aging to come around and show what it has. Has good balance along with big acidity that is a bit oppressive right now

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• 2006 Maison Champy Volnay 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay

  nose: lovely and effusive nose of floral tones, spices, and red berries. Good depth and fairly open right now as well
  
  taste: showing its youth on the palate with some noticeable medium/high acidity, but also with pretty tones of dark red cherries, floral tones, spice and red berries
  
  overall: needs a bit of time to fully come together on the palate. Shows off the terroir well and is pretty textbook volnay along with having some added depth to it. The nose is fairly open, but the palate is a bit young right now

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• 2005 Maison Champy Beaune 1er Cru Les Champs Pimont 90 Points

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

  nose: robust with some power behind it with tones of earth, brown spices, dark red cherries and dark berries. This is wound up a bit tight right now
  
  taste: quite young on the palate with some chewy tannins and medium/high acidity that is almost overbearing. Behind them are excellent tones of brown spices, bits of earth tones, and dark berries
  
  overall: Very much a baby. This could reward in a big way with requisite time as the acidity and tannins are a bit much right now. What is underneath is real good though and looks to be great underlying material

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• 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches 91 Points

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

  nose: tart and fairly rich nose of red cherries, berries, earth tones and a whole lot of dark spice tones. Tight, but showing off some great tones already
  
  taste: Fairly robust and bigger on the palate with high acidity and chewy tannins along with rich tones of red cherries, a lot of dark spices, and dark berry tones poke through the tannins and acidity
  
  overall: Very young and in need of time, but there is something really good lurking underneath. The fruit has a ripeness to it, that while it won't be confused for new world fruit, that is a bit different from normal beaunes

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• 2005 Domaine Latour-Giraud Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 90 Points

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

  nose: pretty and hi-toned nose of florals, red berries, fresh picked raspberries, and a touch of spice tones. good depth, and wound a bit tight right now
  
  taste: showing off its youth with high acidity and firm tannins. Behind those though are lovely tones of red berries, dark red cherries, bits of florals and a touch of spice tones
  
  overall: A good ways away from being near ready. The acidity and tannins are a bit much right now, but the quality is showing underneath

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• 2005 Maison Champy Chambolle-Musigny Les Bussieres 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  nose: lovely and aromatic nose of florals, fresh picked berries, spice tones and some red fruits. good depth for a village wine with good balance, though it is a bit tight right now
  
  taste: excellent feel with medium+ acidity and feminine tones of berries, red cherries, spice tones and bits of floral tones. Very nice and showing a bit of youth with the acidity being a bit pronounced
  
  overall: an excellent chambolle. Well balanced with pretty aromatics and good acidity to back it up. A bit young, this comes off as being almost in its window. The aromas are very nice right now and the palate needs to catch up a bit

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• 2007 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet L'Estimee 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet

  nose: sappy nose of dark red fruits, dark florals, and spice tones with loads of berry tones. Decent depth with good balance and fairly forward
  
  taste: robust medium feel with good tannins and medium+ acidity along with tones of spices, berries, and dark red fruits.
  
  overall: Good dark fruit provides a nice core that makes this fairly open right now. This could benefit from a couple of years sideways, but is fairly charming right now

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• 2006 Maison Champy Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds 91 Points

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

  nose: Quite a lovely and feminine nose filled with violets and other purple florals, red cherries, bits of spice tones as well as earthen tones. Excellent depth and a bit tight right now due to the youth
  
  taste: very young with medium/high acidity that is very noticeable. The tannins are a bit rough as well and are backed up by lovely and elegant tones of violets, red cherries, spices and some bits of earth
  
  overall: This is very nice right now, but needs to smooth out some of the rough edges it has. A very lovely wine that should reveal more with a bit of age and could really become something beautiful

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• 2006 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Syrah La Rosine 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes

  nose: filling nose of bacon fat, charcoal, smoke and black cherries. The bacon fat dominates and is really nice. This is classic northern rhone on the nose with good depth
  
  taste: full bodied with real good tones of mesquite, bacon fat, and black cherries. Good supporting tannins back this up well
  
  overall: This is really good and drinking fine right now. Its has a classic profile that makes it real fun

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• 2006 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  nose: beautiful and pungent nose filled with bacon fat, black cherries, smoke and all sorts of various floral tones. Captivating and deep, this is a bit tight, but ever so lovely
  
  taste: silky and elegant medium/full feel with lovely tones of bacon fat, black cherries, charcoal, bits of purple florals, some black fruits and smoke tones. Real good firm tannins that aren't too big and good medium+ acidity back this up
  
  overall: this comes off as approachable with a good decant. Really, this should be held for about 3-5 years before digging in and should last a good while. Very pretty and elegant, this has a real stylish side to it that is very appealing

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• 2006 Domaine Combier St. Joseph Cap Nord 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  nose: dark and classic nose of black fruits, black cherries, smoke and black pepper tones. Good depth with good balance as well
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with good tannins and excellent tones of black fruits, balck cherries, and black pepper tones. Good medium+ aciidty backs this up as well
  
  overall: a quality st joseph. Well balanced with classic Northern Rhone tones that are showing well on both the nose and palate

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• 2006 Domaine Faury St. Joseph La Gloriette Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  nose: deep and rich tones of charcoal, smoke, black cherries, animale tones, bacon fat, with a touch of white pepper. Great balance and a bit tight right now
  
  taste: great medium/full feel with balanced tones of charcoal, black cherries, black fruits, white pepper and bacon fat tones. Good tannins and medium+ acidity accompanies this
  
  overall: comes off as a bit young. This could be real good with a few years on it. There is real good depth on both the nose and palate already, the tannins need to pull back a bit and the aromatics need to deepen

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• 2006 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  nose: ripe and somewhat extracted nose of red and black cherries, currants, and red berries. Good balance, but this doesn't really smell like a northern rhone at all
  
  taste: excellent medium/full feel with more international flavors of red cherries, currants and tart tones of red berries. Decent depth and smooth tannins
  
  overall: This tastes like it could come from anywhere. Its a well made wine and is very good, but it doesn't speak of the northern rhone at all

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• 2006 Domaine Faury Côte-Rôtie 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  nose: sumptuous and sexy nose of black and white pepper, bacon fat, black cherries and some charcoal tones. Real good depth and fairly open right now as well
  
  taste: excellent full body with elegant tones of black and white pepper, bacon fat, black cherries and some bits of violets and black fruits. Real good tannins with medium acidity as well
  
  overall: fairly open right now. Should improve a bit with age as it smooths out. Doesn't come off as a long distance runner, but is a rather elegant cote rotie

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• 2006 Tardieu-Laurent Côte-Rôtie 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  nose: more forward and modern nose of black cherries, dark floral tones, with tones of black and white pepper. Good depth with a plushness to it as well
  
  taste: real good medium/full body with very good tones of black and white pepper, black cherries, and tones of oak show themselves on the back end
  
  overall: The oak detracts from the wine. Not too much depth to it either as it comes off more as a very good st joseph and doesn't really have that extra layer of depth you normally get from cote rotie

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• 2006 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  nose: dark and brooding with a tightness to it, but also possessing complex and deep tones of roasted meats, black cherries, charcoal, bacon fat, black pepper and some bits of dark florals. Real robust, but not too powerful either
  
  taste: Full bodied with stiff tannins along with pure and deep tones of roasted meats, black cherries, bacon fat, black pepper and some black fruit tones and a touch of animale
  
  overall: A very young and rich Clape. This needs a good amount of time to unwind, but this could be a real treat in another 15 years. This has a real confidence about it that doesn't mess around

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• 2006 Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  nose: excellent and balanced tones of black cherries, dark berries, violets, spice tones and bits of black pepper. Real good depth with real expressive tones on the nose
  
  taste: real classy medium/full feel with rich tannins that are a bit overpowering and tones of black cherries, dark berries, spice tones and a good amount of black pepper. Excellent medium acidity accompanies this as well
  
  overall: rather young right now. Well balanced, its a bit tight on the nose and the tannins are a bit overpowering on the palate. This won't ever big a blow away wine, but with some age should turn into a real elegant hermitage

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• 2006 Champ des Soeurs Fitou 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Fitou

  nose: funky nose with some dark red fruits, black fruits, and some meaty tones as well. More surface tones
  
  taste: nice medium feel with solid tones of dark red cherries, black fruits and some funky tones
  
  overall: a solid wine for $9 or so. Good dark tones with a touch of funk that makes it enjoyably different

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• 2007 Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  nose: rich and dense nose of black cherries, garrigue, black and red currants, and a good amount of roasted herbs. Excellent depth goes with this and its relatively open
  
  taste: excellent medium/full feel and rich tones of liqueur, roasted herbs, black cherries, garrigue, and black fruits. Some good tannins back this up and there is a bit of heat on the back end
  
  overall: A really good CdP. Well balanced with a nice richness, this could use a bit of time to smooth it out and let it really sing

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• 2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Champauvins 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages

  nose: good nose of black fruits, dark meaty tones, liqueur tones and some black cherries. Decent depth with real good tones
  
  taste: very good medium feel with good tones of black fruits, liqueur tones, and black cherries. There is some heat poking through that is distracting
  
  overall: The heat takes away from the wine a bit. There is more depth on the palate then the nose, but the heat snaps up a bit on the end

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• 2005 Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux Vacqueyras Cuvée des Templiers 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras

  nose: good robust nose of roasted meats, black fruits, black currants, and tones of garrigue. Good depth with a more dark profile
  
  taste: medium/full feel with chewy tannins and tones of garrigue, black currants, black cherries and roasted meats. A bit rough right now on the palate
  
  overall: needs a few more years to come together. There is a good dark and brooding side to the wine that is interesting, but the tannins are rough right now and make this a bit hard to drink

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• 2006 Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac La Dame Rousse 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac

  nose: real attractive nose of red and black cherries, garrigue, dark red fruits, and a good amount of melted licorice. Really good depth with a good intensity about it
  
  taste: Rich with good and firm tannins along with a real good medium/full feel and tones of red and black cherries, dark red fruits. Real good feel with a good balance and depth
  
  overall: a young wine for sure, this will need some time to put on a bit of weight and add some depth. Well balanced and quite enjoyable, this is a great value and has a real good intensity

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• 2007 J.L. Chave Sélection Côtes du Rhône Mon Coeur 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  nose: rich and ripe nose of dark cherries, black currants, spice tones, and some tones of melted licorice. rather juicy that is fairly forward as well
  
  taste: excellent medium bodied feel and good tannins along with riper tones of dark red cherries, spice tones, black fruits and bits of licorice
  
  overall: forward and pretty smooth. Has good polish to it with a creamy side to the fruit. Doesn't really come off as a classic CdR and has a more international profile

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• 2007 Domaine les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée 3 Cépages 87 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages

  nose: nice nose and decent depth with red fruits, spice tones, garrigue and some liqueur tones
  
  taste: solid medium feel with good tones of red fruits, spice tones, and liqueur tones. There is also a bit of heat as well
  
  overall: a very good CdR, but a bit lacking. Has a good feel, but lacking some depth

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• 2007 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Rasteau 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Rasteau

  nose: excellent nose of red fruits, red cherries, black and red currants, with some licorice tones
  
  taste: very good medium feel with polished tones of red fruits, roasted herbs, red cherries, and some bits of black and red currants
  
  overall: An excellent CdR. Well balanced with a good ripeness to it while still showing off its rhone qualities

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• 2007 Domaine Brusset Gigondas Tradition Le Grand Montmirail 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas

  nose: beefy and dark nose of black fruits, roast beef, hoison sauce, and black spice tones. Good depth and a bit tight right now
  
  taste: excellent medium/full body with dark and rich tones of black fruits, roast beef, black spices and some bits of black cherry liqueur as well. Good silky tannins back this up as well
  
  overall: This needs some time to fully get itself together. The feel is really good and there is good depth on both the nose and palate.

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• 2006 Domaine Jean Royer Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Nose: dark and brooding nose of black fruits, bits of roasted meats, black cherries and tones of black licorice. Excellent depth but a bit tight right now as well
  
  taste: excellent and rich medium feel with good tannins and balanced tones of black fruits, black cherries, garrigue, roasted herbs and some bits of black licorice
  
  overall: On the young side, this could really use another 3-5 years before it starts to begin to drink. Well balanced with classic tones, this shows itself well with a more dark profile

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• 2007 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  nose: tart and red fruit based nose with red berries, garrigue, herbs, and creamy tones of red fruits. Good depth with a more forward style to it
  
  taste: well balanced medium feel with lovely tones of red fruits, garrigue, dark red cherries, and bits of roasted herbs. Good depth with good supporting tannins, this is drinking perfectly right now
  
  overall: A real nice chateauneuf. Well balanced with an attractive red fruit base, this is drinking perfectly right now and doesn't come off as a long haul wine. Could be cellared for a little bit longer, but this is very good right now

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• 2004 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  nose: real deep and expressive nose of melted licorice, garrigue, dark red cherries and all sort of perfumes. Great purity on all of the tones and they really jump from the glass
  
  taste: great and sexy medium feel of black fruits, garrigue, dark red cherries, dark red fruits and some real nice bits of perfumes as well. Good tannins give this a nice backbone
  
  overall: This is looking like its starting to come into its window. Well balanced with a real suave and silky feel as well as great depth

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• 2008 Hugl Weine Zweigelt 88 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  nose: elegant and hi-toned nose of red berries, red florals, red cherries and a touch of spice tones. Decent depth with a pinot-like character to it
  
  taste: silky medium feel with very nice tones of red berries, red florals, and red cherries. Good depth with nice medium acidity as well to give this a bit of a spine
  
  overall: A very nice wine. Enjoyable and well balanced, this brings some real good aromas and flavors and comes off as pretty food friendly

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• 2008 Thorn-Clarke Shiraz Shotfire (Ridge) 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  nose: rich and very australian nose of black cherries, spices, blackberries and bits of anise. Not over the top, but certainly bold and fairly big
  
  taste: Full bodied and very rich with bold tones of black cherries, blackberries, and anise. Good feel and holds the fruit well without going over the top
  
  overall: this stays on the border of too much. Big and rich and is classic Barossa shiraz

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• 2007 Roots Wine Co. Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  nose: light and aromatic nose of red cherries, spices, and some bits of berries and earth tones. Very fragrant and pretty, this is a bit more feminine in style
  
  taste: excellent medium+ acidity with a lovely and lithe feel of red cherries, red fruits, dark berries, spices and hints of earth lying underneath. Good depth and a bit restrained right now
  
  overall: on the young side, this could use a couple of years to fully round out. Has a more nuanced side to it and could use a bit more depth. A great wine for the price though and comes off as either a good food wine or one to drink on its own

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• 2007 Beau Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Juliet 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  nose: very balanced and fragrant nose of red and black currants, cedar, dark red cherries, all sorts of tones of cassis, and dark berries. Good depth and really expressive at this young stage
  
  taste: great full bodied feel with silky tannins and well balanced tones of black currants, dark red cherries, dark berries, and a good amount of cassis. Nice and plush on the palate with good fruit, but it isn't too much
  
  overall: a lovely cabernet. Real good promise on this wine, and its drinking quite well already. There is a lot of polish to this right now that comes off as classy

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A real nice tasting. There wasn't much of a crowd, so it was easy to go at my own pace and taste what I wanted to taste