| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
1995 Château Ducru-BeaucaillouSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
11/5/2023 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 pointsThis took a bit of air to open up, but it proved to be in a nice drinking window. Silky, melt-in-your-mouth tannins, cedar, dark fruits and leather. Beautifully balanced. |
| White - Fortified |
1957 Blandy's Madeira Bualmore |
7/12/2023 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 pointsWell, this is odd. Nowhere near the power and richness of a bottle I had almost two years ago. I wonder if this is in a weird phase or perhaps a different lot.
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| White - Fortified |
NV Rare Wine Co. (Vinhos Barbeito) Madeira Malvasia Special Reserve Manuela Barbeito Demijohns No. 22, 32, 33 & 90Malvazia, Malvasia more |
11/27/2021 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 pointsThis is excellent and very much in the clean, crisp, elegant Barbeito style. Lots of dried citrus and spice; not much torrecfaction. I was taken back by the lack of sweetness here, seems more like a Verdelho. I liked it, but would have preferred a bit more richness on the palate... perhaps that will come with more time in the opened bottle?
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| Red |
2015 Domaine La Garrigue Côtes du Rhône Cuvée RomaineRed Rhone Blend more |
3/25/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 pointsNot the best wine to pop and pour, as the tannins are a bit aggressive. With some decanting, this smooths out a bit and shows deep, dark, plummy fruit. The black fruit notes are accompanied by pen ink, licorice, tar and herbs. Quite a lot going on for such a humble wine. This could use some medium term time in the cellar. UPDATE: Really delicious on day 2. Satin-like texture.
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| Red - Fortified |
NV Henriques & Henriques Madeira Tinta Negra 50 Years Oldmore |
6/14/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 97 pointsWow... So much depth, power, length and complexity. Perhaps the best Tinta Negra I've ever had... truly "the belle of the ball".
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| White - Fortified |
NV Barbeito Madeira Malvasia 50 Years Old O Japonêsmore |
8/15/2020 - mdefreitas wrote: 97 pointsBeautiful amber color with a golden greenish rim. Gorgeous aromatics, with dried apricots, sultana raisins and honey notes. Attacks the palate with a luscious honey texture but firms up quickly as the acids kick in; so clean, so precise, so crisp on the palate. This is very much in the Barbeito style of Malvasia... filigree, ethereal, lifted and elegant; not much torrefaction. On the dry side of Malvasia, but still shows balanced sweetness. The finish is long, tangy, lip-smacking and tinged with a hint of tangerine. One of those wines that clings to the gums, palate, and teeth. Long after swallowing, a mere swipe of the tongue along the gums brings the wonderful flavors back again. This is something very special.
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| White - Fortified |
1968 Blandy's Madeira Bualmore |
1/21/2018 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 pointsBottled in 2004. Popped and poured. Very rich, but a bit unbalanced, with the flavors overwhelmingly veering towards honey and butterscotch; loads of VA and varnish-like notes. I will let this sit for a few days to see how it evolves. UPDATE: On day two, this did integrate a bit, gaining a fudge chocolate character and the acids a bit more palatable.
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| Red |
1985 Château Ducru-BeaucaillouSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
1/28/2020 - mdefreitas wrote: 96 pointsBordeaux from the 80s (Peppercorn's (Hartford, CT)): Direct form the estate. Recorked in 2011. Perfect condition. This was flat out gorgeous. The nose was so forthcoming and opulent; earth, leather, tobacco leaf, mushrooms and cassis. A bit of pleasing funk (think Cordier funk). I was thinking this might be a 1986 Gruaud Larose. Although mature, but this does not seem to declining anytime soon. I could have smelled this all night. A tiny hint balsamic if you searched for it, but by no means distracting.
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| Red |
2015 L'Enclos des Braves Gaillac Les GourmandsDuras more |
4/20/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: NROpened and immediately tasted. This is so hard to drink at the moment, with harsh tannins and stinging acidity. Highly structured and tightly coiled, but the concentration of fruit is admirable. The cork was put back in and I will revisit the next day.
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| White - Sparkling |
2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve BrutChenin Blanc more |
4/1/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 pointsNo "pop" when opened. Dark golden in color and no effervescence... more like a light spritz (like Vinho Verde). Very evolved and I wonder if this bottle is representative. Notes of bruised apples, honey and sherry, with hints of wet wool. Interesting, crisp, savory, and enjoyable as more of a unique, slightly oxidized table wine (like a Jura white).
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| Red |
2012 Palacios Remondo Rioja La MontesaGrenache Blend, Grenache more |
3/27/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 pointsPleasant enough wine, with good Rioja character, but quite short and without a lot of depth. Perhaps this will flesh out on day two. UPDATE: This did improve overnight. The middle fleshed out a bit, becoming more plump and plush. The fruit flavors are very dark, with notes of coffee and baking spices.
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| Red |
1996 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Blewitt Springsmore |
3/18/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: 79 pointsOne of those purchases I regret. Too sweet and fruity. Like an unbalanced late harvest Zin. No structure to speak of. Time for me to drink up... just 1 more bottle to go.
|
| White |
2014 Louis Jadot Mâcon-VillagesChardonnay more |
2/13/2016 - mdefreitas wrote: 84 pointsDecent enough wine, but lacking the energy I would expect from the vintage. The oak and roundness from the barrel treatment is not overdone, but heavy enough to dull the wine, as the underlying material here does not seem able to support it. Not flabby, just lacking brightness and minerality.
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| Red |
1987 Viuva José Gomes da Silva & Filhos Colares Reserva TintoRamisco more |
12/6/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 95 pointsWines @ Mike's (Coventry, CT): Such a pity that Colares (especially mature ones) are so hard to find in the US. A truly under appreciated appellation. A glorious nose that combines the secondary notes of maturity with a fresh core of bright red fruits. The fine structure (seems more acidic than tannic) keeps this refreshing and light. So many flavors emerged throughout the night... dried cherries, stones, iron, leather, dried flowers, autumnal spices. An elegant and delicate wine, with a memorable and persistent flavor profile.
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| Red |
1995 Château Mouton RothschildPauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
10/18/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 95 pointsThis has "first growth" written all over it, with its depth of fruit, powerful structure and ability to age. This was a pristine bottle, purchased on release and perfectly stored. The fill level was well into the neck. The color was surprising youthful. When first opened, the intense nose of creme de cassis, spice and florals overwhelmed the nose. The palate however was not as pleasurable as the tannins were ample, severe and harsh. After about seven hours of decanting, this softened up a bit, but still remained primary and firm. This will be fabulous some day and the underlying material is so strong. Probably will not touch this again for another 20 years.
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| Red |
1934 Viuva José Gomes da Silva & Filhos Colares Reserva VelhoRamisco more |
12/18/2013 - mdefreitas wrote: 97 pointsColares @ Aldea (NYC): Just like the 1931, this was deep red in color with a slight rust rim. A bit more pure than the 1931 (no rubber note). Dried, tart red fruits, but lots of secondary notes of chestnut, iodine, antique wood and spice. Layered, complex and very lengthy. The tannins were fine and filigree. So much going on in this wine. It almost sounds crazy, but this could probably age more, given the deep color, quantity of fruit and still-clinging structure. My wine of the night.
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| Red |
2005 Bodega Classica Rioja Hacienda López de Haro ReservaTempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more |
4/10/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 pointsVery good wine. This was more on the fruity, rich style, although not crossing over to a new-worldish style. Loads of sweet cherry fruit, some oak spice and a hint of herbs. Good structure that bodes well for further cellaring, but this is quite accessible now. Again, a bit more beefier than I expected, but this retains balance. Very good QPR at $13.
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Comment posted by mdefreitas:
11/7/2023 5:24:00 AM - We gave it 2 hours, but it could have benefited with more decanting.