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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More...
Red

1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle

 Syrah more
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12/31/2013 - peterk wrote: 97 points

New Year's Eve bottle - still amazing. Big, rich, powerful, long, young, velvety. Structured and balanced. A finish that just doesn't finish.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    1/2/2014 4:47:00 PM - What a way to end the year!
Red

2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

 Red Rhone Blend more
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3/28/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 100 points

Sometimes I feel blessed. Blessed to be alive. Blessed to be well. Tonight I feel blessed I have one of the world's best wines in the glass. The 2009 Janasse Vieilles Vignes is as perfect tonight as last time I tasted it. There are no flaws at all, except a bit of youth. No heat, no residual sweetness, no disintegration. The wine is simply profound!

The nose expresses a cascade of deep mature fruit which is so pure you can almost feel the grapes. There is an abundance of sun warm heather, beautiful violets, subtle lilacs and a whiff of sweet licorice. The palate follows through with perfect and elegant integration between acidity and fruit. At the back-end of the palate some tannins are speaking up, but they just tell me this wine is in it for the long haul. There is no heat to be found and the balance is just amazing. The length on the finish just goes on and on and the wine "clings to the cheekbone" in a way that makes me sigh. I am utterly impressed by this effort.

So, why do I keep giving this wine a perfect score over and over again? I guess because that is the only thing I can do. When a wine has no flaws it means it is perfect to me. No matter how hard I try I cannot find anything that would reduce the score. Domaine de la Janasse produces some classy and good efforts, but the 2009 Vieilles Vignes is better than good!

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    3/31/2013 4:59:00 AM - I am inspired to open a bottle as well. I purchased it at the winery in July 2011. I am a big fan as well. Great note!
Red

2009 Château Angélus

 St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/5/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 97 points

What a tour de force, with tremendous prospects in the future. Very expressive on the nose, ripe and inviting. Fine grained tannins complementing rich, balanced dark fruit notes on the palate. I detected mocha, violence, licorice and smoky flavors. Plenty of acidity to keep things in line. Very impressive.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    5/7/2015 9:58:00 AM - I had to laugh...only with auto spell do you get the word "violence" in a tasting note!
White - Sparkling

1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon

 Champagne Blend more
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9/13/2013 - peterk wrote: NR

Rich, fresh, and beautifully balanced - amazing Champagne. A perfect anniversary aperitif!

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    9/14/2013 1:00:00 PM - Happy Anniversary, Peter!
Red

1997 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard

 Napa Valley more
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1/2/2014 - sjdcellar wrote: 82 points

bottle was definitely past its prime - light at the edges and the fruit is almost completely missing.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    1/2/2014 4:54:00 PM - Just curious whether you've owned since release or bought on secondary...
Red

2002 Vérité La Joie

 Sonoma County Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/18/2015 - peterk Likes this wine: 95 points

Decanted for two hours. I tasted this immediately after decanting - it was Bordeaux-like but lacking fruit and complexity. After 2 hours everything changed. Intense, pure, with berries and flowers. Beautifully integrated, with a long, long finish, this wine is in a perfect place right now.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    1/18/2015 3:05:00 PM - I need January to be over!
Red

2010 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

 more
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8/10/2014 - peterk Likes this wine: 93 points

As good as ever - consistent with prior notes. Six pack all gone!

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    8/17/2014 6:50:00 PM - Oh well, I was hoping to try one of these when I got back to London!
Red

2011 Mollydooker Shiraz Velvet Glove

 McLaren Vale more
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1/11/2014 - JimN wrote: 95 points

A generous wine brought along to dinner by JJ, but I was reluctant to open it given my recent experience with the 2009. Thought for sure it would be too early. Following some rigorous "shaking" and a long decant, this was very special stuff. Gorgeous, unrestrained fruit, but it has elegance and balance and soft tannins that hold everything together. Silky and hedonistic. You'll be drinking this for a long time, but you won't be disappointed if you get impatient!

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    8/10/2014 7:27:00 PM - I hear you, but I tasted this wine at the winery with Sparky and he was adamant that it be shaken. Hard to argue with the wine maker!
White - Sparkling

1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame

 Champagne Blend more
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4/19/2015 - jhngo Likes this wine: 93 points

Delicious

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    5/14/2015 1:12:00 PM - I have a 3L of this in the cellar to be used on one of my wedding anniversaries (1990). 25 this year. Based on your recent tasting, would you save for 30 or longer or open now?
White

2009 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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1/8/2014 - wpd Likes this wine: 92 points

Drank half, put the other half in the refrigerator. It was better the next day. I think this wine could easily stand decanting as air seemed to improve it. Not the first time I have noticed this. An excellent wine.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    1/11/2014 6:53:00 AM - I am a big fan of the Aubert Chards and I always decant them and drink at cellar temp. In my experience, it makes a big difference, even with the older vintages. Cheers!
Red

2004 Château Le Gay Pomerol

 Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/6/2017 - PSUSteve wrote: 94 points

PnP. Fantastic value. Cherry laced with cedar and tobacco. Wonderful finish.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    11/8/2017 9:07:00 AM - Soltane Auction? If so, glad it worked out!
Red

2004 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command

 Barossa more
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3/23/2014 - JimN wrote: 95 points

This wine just grooves for me. Notes from earlier years apply. Difference this time was the nose, which had a distinct vanilla profile, plus a bit more complexity on the palate. Based on this bottle, I'd also put the drinking window much longer than my previous note. No need to rush on these.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    9/2/2018 11:36:00 PM - I haven’t been back to it in quite some time, so I’ll be interred to se your notes. Enjoy!
Red

2010 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Rocks

 Walla Walla Valley more
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4/27/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 93 points

Incredible balance was the first thing which crossed my mind when sniffing the 2009 In The Rocks. The nose is very elegant with an abundance of dark fruit and beautiful Syrah perfume. Somehow Syrahs containing Viognier sometimes get even more "Syrah-ish"... This effort is a perfect example of just that. The palate is nicely textured and adds to the elegant nose. The length on the finish lasts som 45-55 seconds. Overall impression is that of wine which is meticulously crafted and drinks perfectly if given a proper decant.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    5/2/2013 1:41:00 PM - You inspired me to pick up a few bottles!
Red

2002 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Bonnes Mares

 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Pinot Noir more
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7/8/2014 - JimN wrote: flawed

Part of a mixed vertical tasting of Bonnes Mares. Only flawed bottle of the night.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    11/7/2014 11:47:00 AM - It was badly corked.
Red

2001 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

 Nebbiolo more
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12/4/2017 - PSUSteve wrote: 92 points

Decanted and drank over an hour. First glass started with red fruit followed by a brick of tar whic faded fast to reveal a nice mix of layered red fruit with some tar but not as overwhelming.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    12/24/2017 11:32:00 AM - Any thoughts on window?
Red

2010 Blank Cabernet Sauvignon

 Rutherford more
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4/6/2014 - peterk Likes this wine: 93 points

Decanted for an hour before tasting. Beautiful dark fruit, chocolaty, tannins perfectly integrated. Perfect accompaniment to a rib eye. There's no need to wait; yet this wine, in my view, has a glorious life ahead of it. Wow!

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    4/13/2014 10:29:00 PM - Wish I was there for that combination!
Red

2009 A.P. Vin Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

 Santa Lucia Highlands more
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3/30/2014 - PSUSteve Does not like this wine: NR

On unscrew and pour, this was spritzy. Right away or with air this was unbalanced with a weird mix of sweet fruit at times. Wonder if this bottle was off. 87-88 at best.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    4/13/2014 10:31:00 PM - Sounds like secondary fermentation. I've had this happen a few times with younger Pinots.
Red

2011 Cherry Pie (Hundred Acre) Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Vineyard

 Napa Valley more
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10/2/2013 - PSUSteve wrote: 90 points

Pop and pour the first night. Plenty of cherry with a nice spice finish. Better on day 2 after VinVac but preferred prior vintages.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    12/30/2013 1:32:00 PM - I agree about prior vintages being better. The 11s may need more extended cellar time.
Red

2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary

 Napa Valley more
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5/14/2015 - felixp Likes this wine: 91 points

wow, what a polarising wine!!!
if anybody is ever looking for the definition of "wine snobbery", or they simply want to have a good laugh at the ridiculously pathetic comments of individuals who have egos far, far bigger than their brains, go take a look at the thread on this wine over on the "wines berserkers" forum. It most certainly will make you cringe, from the first post onwards!!!
anyway,to the wine. Yep, it has masses, and I mean masses, of everything. Black cherries, vanilla, coconut, blueberries, maybe even blueberry pancake. As an Aussie, I have seen this style of wine on countless occasions, although it is usually found in shiraz-based reds over here.
Pretty hard to drink if pop and pour, but let it settle in a decanter for six hours and you have a very bold, but never-the-less, decadent and quaffable red.
My guess is this wine will settle nicely with another 5 years in the bottle, and whilst it will never challenge the 2012's at the top of the Cali tree, it will still be interesting, enjoyable and excellent drinking.
Whilst not my style, I can see many wine-lovers really adoring this wine, with good reason. Those idiotic wine snobs who wrote that only "people with terrible palates" could love this wine are just that.
For me a 91+ point wine, but it is easy to see why many would rate this 96.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    5/14/2015 12:55:00 PM - Great post. This wine highlights that no one should tell people what they should like. If you can't appreciate why so many people like this wine, then you really don't understand much about wine. Thanks for calling it out. Not my taste either, but I would serve it without hesitation to just about everyone I know!
Red

2001 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard

 Russian River Valley more
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7/18/2014 - peterk wrote: NR

Upon opening, dominated by heat. A day later the same. will try again tomorrow... Next day: fruit all gone, still hot - down the drain

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    7/26/2014 6:25:00 AM - And?
White

2012 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

 more
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4/20/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 points

Pale gold. Tropical fruit, apple, lemon, minerality, and well judged oak. Nice long finish. This really punches above its weight.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    4/26/2014 10:48:00 AM - Getting caught up?!
Red

1989 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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7/23/2014 - JimN wrote: 87 points

See note from November 2008. Not sure why I am sitting on these, as they were running out of steam five years ago. Fine to drink, and even interesting at first, but you get bored quickly and want to move on to something with a bit more life. Definitely drink now.

  • Comment posted by JimN:

    7/26/2014 6:29:00 AM - I definitely will try it, as I have quite a few bottles left in inventory! Always amazing to me how even an old wine can change and evolve after opening. Appreciate the comment.

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