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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
White - Sweet/Dessert

1927 Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1830

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2/25/2024 - Champagneinhand wrote: NR

I bought some of this and left this comment in case people unfamiliar with a label that states a vintage and has solera behind it. Over time there certainly is less of the older juice circulating but the solera systems are all a bit unique and the blends marked solera will always have some variance much like multi vintage champagne and in that same manner the winery that maintains this 1927 or whatever base vintage solera unit tries to tune their batch so it represents what will ultimately come to be as close as possible using these unique ways to capture bigger units of time and all the things that happen over 5 years. It’s going to show, but you have to marvel that all of these wineries develop styles that they hold even in some off years. Soleras are much like insurance against any one year of devastation.

I look forward to sipping these down a half glass at a time watching time move and the seasons change. I feel fortunate to be in these circumstances. These are fairly easy on the wallet considering how long I can get the amazing bouquet and flavors/textures from while enjoying some ripe cheese, nuts and dried or cut fresh fruit.

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Red

2007 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine

 Red Rhone Blend more
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1/25/2020 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 94 points

Stunning. This really impresses, especially since I considered giving most of my CdPs away. Beautiful blackberry fruit, with some plummy compitiendo. Nice hint of Asian 5 spice, smoke along with curing charcuterie. Impress, until it gets too warm. High ABV so it’s best served at cellar temperature.

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Red

2009 Fidelitas Red Mountain

 Red Bordeaux Blend more
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12/22/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 93 points

Even smoother and more flavorful than the last bottle. Very solid wine.

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White

2010 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett

 Nahe more
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10/5/2019 - Champagneinhand wrote: NR

Much more sweetness that still needs to integrate. I know most people are happy getting declassified Spatlese but not why looking for dry.

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Red

2001 Ontañón Rioja Gran Reserva

 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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8/17/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

This was a very enjoyable GR Rioja. Smooth velvety tannin. Typical dark fruit.

The one thing I couldn’t pick up was the American oak I so often associate with the better aged Rioja. Still very, very enjoyable.

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White

2014 Philippe Raimbault Pouilly-Fumé Les Lumeaux

 Sauvignon Blanc more
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7/31/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 89 points

Solid and very reasonable Pouilly-Fume. Nice light citrus and very notable just ripe kiwi with fine acidity.

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Red

2009 Cayuse God Only Knows

 Walla Walla Valley Grenache more
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7/25/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Much better than I anticipated. Really up there with the better 90%+ CdP wines. Beautiful fruit, textures and not too hot.

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Red

2008 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard

 Red Mountain Red Bordeaux Blend more
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6/17/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Not too dissimilar from recent tastings. I think these should hold up for several more years but I think these are near their peak.

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Red

2007 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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6/8/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

This was really drinking nicely last night. Great red and black fruits with integrated oak that’s a bit of milk chocolate in there with some light baking spices. The tannins are very soft as is the acidity but it all works to make a nice Bordeaux blend CA style.

Not a 98, but probably 93-94 today.

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Red

2016 Montalbera Fuori Catalogo

 Piemonte DOC Red Blend more
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6/4/2019 - Champagneinhand Does not like this wine: NR

This bottle was only enjoyable for about the first glass. After that the heat coming off the blend made the fruit seem more compote style. I ended up pouring out a third of the bottle. This did not fair well with a cheese burger or pizza. Go figure. I’m glad I didn’t buy a case of this wine.

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Red

2016 Wolfberger Pinot Noir

 Alsace more
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5/29/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Easy drinking Alsace PN from Alsace while in Cologne. Quite lovely for under 15 quid.

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Red

2016 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Volte Toscana IGT

 SuperTuscan Blend more
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5/20/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Tonterías really inexpensive, but when buying a wine at Harrod’s you aren’t bargain hunting. Just wanting a decent qpr. Not bad with dark fruit, cassis dominating with wood, minerals and oak tannins keeping it young but expected.

What wasn’t expected was the crappy cork. Yes I had a lame oil rig type of opener, thanks TSA but it literally pulled up sawdust time and time again. I would have returned it had I an extra day. Still, whatever, blew the cork dust out to the best of my abilities and pushed the cork in.

Very drinkable now. Swirl for 40 minutes and this is quite tasty in its primary phase. Pr witty much a $15-$20 wi Th a pedigree that lets a big store charge £30ish.

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White

2009 Château Le Thil Comte Clary Blanc

 Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more
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5/17/2019 - Champagneinhand wrote: NR

I quite enjoyed this, but it seemed to be fading. I liked the under ripe nectarines, citrus and white florals along with the stony sensation which some would call serious mineral, or at least feeling that way.

Enjoyable but not overly impressed. High 80s.

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Red

2015 Lapostolle Carménère Cuvée Alexandre

 Apalta more
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5/12/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

A very enjoyable Carmenere at a nice price. Deep dark fruit with some uplifting spices. Nice tannin as well as acidity. Very enjoyable.

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White - Off-dry

2010 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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5/10/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Weird. Not as memorable as the first bottle. Much like a shut down phase. Pleasant enough with spicy food. Decent petrol, White florals and a massive apple, citrus and tropical fruit blend meshed with acidity. I guess it could be called grapey as well which I don’t really associate with decent Riesling.

I think I would hold these another few years. It could just be a dull period. It happens.

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Red

2003 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

 Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/5/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Still very young compared to 1990 and 1989. A bit more modern probably because of the warm vintage dark fruit dominates the red. Good structure/ mineral and some nice tannic grip.

I would hold another year but that was my last bottle.

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Red

1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

 Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/6/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

We had 1989, 1990 and 2003.

All were good and consistent but with their own highlights and minuscule cons that can actually be attributes depending on the situation.

The 1989 tasted very young when first uncorked and poured. It’s differential was higher acidity, but it gave the wine its structure to go with food. Sweet tannins that were chewy. Long finish and highly recommended.

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Red

2009 JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard

 Yakima Valley more
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5/4/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Holding up well. Decent but nothing mind blowing. After the big bottle and such it feels a bit of a let down. At least it didn’t taste too jammy or seem to be overwhelmed by the ABV. I wouldn’t pay more than $25 for this type of CS. Ripe black fruit, a bit of cassis. Some baking spices and smooth tannin.

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Red

2015 Château Larroque

 Bordeaux Supérieur Red Bordeaux Blend more
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4/22/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 92 points

I was quite blown away as how this wine improved dramatically on a PnP with an Easter dinner with lamb. I expected this to be closed down, heavy handed with oak and white tannic. To some extent it was all that pouring and taking a sip without swirling but using my glass and following this over 2.5 hours, I was impressed what a wonderful wine this was and how the new oak, though not yet integrated, framed the red berry, red cherry and chassis driven fruit. The tannins were very pleasant in texture coating the mouth yet having just a hint of sweetness as opppsed to being overly chewy or grippy. Good acid and mineral made the earth deco day and slight touch of baking spices fill out this young wine.

I can’t see this doing anything but improving over the next 5-10 years and I’m thrilled I grabbed a case based on the very nice decanter review. I plan on drinking another bottle tomorrow night with a steak to see if the bottles vary by much.

It seems that when a petit Château pulls off this kind of extraordinary effort it should be celebrated and rewarded. I’ve had wines costing 5x as much taste much worse in youth.

It reminds me just a bit of how surprising the second wine of 2015 Calon-Ségur was drinking almost one year ago. Stunning as I have not had many great experiences with second wines either.

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Red

2005 Bodega del Palacio de los Frontaura y Victoria Toro Frontaura Crianza

 Tinta de Toro, Tempranillo more
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4/5/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 84 points

Day one this was not great. All disjointed, warm, flavors and aromas popping up everywhere but no great fruit. Mostly secondary basalmic notes with some black cherry. Herbaceous but not smooth very disjointed. Strange oak pops up. Mostly tasting like a bad home brew.

I am always suspicious of a Spanish wine that has a full description in English. Especially when it’s clearly opaque rather than translucent as the descriptor states in the first few words.

Day 2 this was much more than integrated with deep cherry, herbaceous and black tar with some funky oak notes. Truly I e had many $15 wines that were more fresh, crisp and enjoyable. However this is Tinto de Toro, a variety I am not as familiar with.

With all the English notes on the front and the little gold medal sticker always makes e weary.

In the e d it was acceptable table wine on day two. Day one was a bust.

Maybe this has long aging ahead of it but I wouldn’t buy another bottle. I didn’t hate it, but it was educational. I’ll steer clear of this as I love more defined wines of CS, Merlot, PN or Syrah.

I’ll keep looking for good Tempranillo rather than Tinto de Toro.

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Red

2012 Full Pull & Friends Merlot Klipsun Vineyard

 Red Mountain more
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3/31/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Upon opening it had a familiar funk and wasn’t pleasant at cellar temperature. As it airs, things are starting to open up as the nasty funk floats off. Deep red fruit, dark plum skin, touch of leather, dark chocolate promising more. I expect that by the time this has been open an hour that the Klipsun merlot will have shaken and signs of sleep and be drinking nicely. Decent chewy tannin that is starting to sweeten up. Minerals were also apparent in the mix. Decent drinking wine. With various cheese and some dinner tbd, later.

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Red

2008 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot

 Pinot Noir more
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2/16/2019 - Champagneinhand wrote: NR

This clearly wasn’t ready. Pretty shut tight even with plenty of swirling. I should have given it a 24 hour slow-ox or let it rest.

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Red

2009 Forgeron Cellars Merlot Minnick Hills Vineyard

 Walla Walla Valley more
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3/19/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 93 points

Wow a decade has been good to this bottle. I expected hot goey mass, but quite the opposite. Structured, classic merlot fruits good tannin that is resolved. Stellar WA merlot. So much better than other vintages of Foregeron I have had.

With Kim-Chi covered steak.

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Red

2009 Anticato Cabernet Sauvignon

 Santa Barbara County more
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3/16/2019 - Champagneinhand wrote: NR

QPR CA Cabernet. Some deep dark cherries, Casiss and scorched earth. A bit of bay leaf, sage and maybe a splash of Grenache in this. But not enough to violate the 85% Cabernet rule. Perhaps a bit of Cab Franc too where the underbrush is coming from. There’s some bitterness towards the end.

Meh, I’ve had better at the same price level but considering it’s going on 10, whilst it’s not asleep I don’t think this has long bones. A bit over extracted. But the more I sip it the more intriguing it becomes. I have to think with tiny bits of dark grapes and loads of skin contact the winemaker was trying on this. A warm vintage. Props for trying to take this somewhere unique in a sea of cheap Cabernet. I wouldn’t rate near excellent but an E for effort.

Just slightly above middle of the pack. I agree with the 85 or 86. But again E for effort.

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White

2010 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett

 Nahe more
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2/21/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: NR

Great $20 wine drinking like a Spatlese.

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  • Tasting notes: 1,168 notes on 759 wines

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