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

2005 Reignac

 Bordeaux Supérieur Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/7/2015 - Magnum Bill Likes this wine: 90 points

Im a New World, QPR-focused guy looking to expand my horizons by trying Old World product. Recently I saw a video comparing some of the best Bordeaux of the '05 vintage. This $25 bottle scored better than a $1,000+ Petrus and other premieres. Wow! I''m still trying to digest the meaning of that. For some CT'ers it's too oakey. Maybe so. However for this nose, its balance of fruit, acid, grip and length creates an enjoyable quaff...at a terrific price!

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    2/25/2016 3:02:00 PM - Finally got around to the Reignac vertical. You can view the results here: https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=30723

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    5/13/2015 11:19:00 AM - I attended a dinner in 2008, hosted by Mr. Vatelot, where we tasted Reignac (2003 and 2004) and Balthus (2003 and 2004) blind against Lafite-Rothschild (2004), Haut-Brion (2003), Cheval Blanc (2003), and Dominus (2004).

    By consensus, the 2003 Balthus and Reignac beat out offerings from the same vintage from Haut-Brion and Cheval Blanc. Lafite and Dominus were preferred, though Reignac certainly wasn't embarrassed by the comparison. Considering that Reignac and Balthus sold for $20-30/bottle, it was a triumph that they held their own against wines >10x more expensive.

    Astute observers will note that all these wines were a maximum of 5 years old at the time. The real test, in my opinion, is whether Reignac will age for multiple decades. Reignac shows well in its youth, but I have difficulty believing that it will be as vivacious in 30+ (or even 60+) years in the way that First Growth Bordeaux from the superlative vintages are. Time, as always, will tell.

    To that end, I have a vertical of Reignac (1998 and 2001-2005) that I've been meaning to taste through. Notes to come, once I get around to it.
Red

2009 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Celebration

 Pinot Noir more
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1/14/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 85 points

Starts very airy, with bright fruits and a faint whiff of cola. Seems more like a light Sonoma Coast-style Pinot Noir (I know, I know, revoke my French visa, whatever; I am telling it like it is). This has a mouthfeel like a slightly overripe cherry: a juicy red fruit flavor with a musty side. The tannins are discouragingly sedate. I ask myself, "Self, if the purpose of the Burgundian classification system is to demarcate the areas (Premier and Grand crus) with unique, distinguishing qualities, what is the point of mixing them all together?" Alas, in response, this wine perched, and sat, and nothing more. Easy drinking, but I expected something a bit more compelling. Drag, man.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    1/15/2013 11:47:00 AM - Good info Champagneinhand, thanks. In your experience with the Bouchard, do the individual elements (the principal characteristics of each vineyard, say) ever start to assert themselves in a discernible way? Because the big disappointment here was how everything got muddled together, the way you can mix all the colors of paint and end up with brown. I bought 6 bottles of this without tasting, so I'll have ample opportunity to revisit it, I'm afraid. Watch this space.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    1/15/2013 5:21:00 PM - Decanted overnight, this has a bit more depth on the nose. Some darker aromas emerging, like mocha and espresso. There's a brandied cherry or kirschwasser quality to this now as well, with a very pronounced acetone note. Palate hasn't really evolved much, though the tannins have asserted themselves with a bit more of a tart finish. I'll guess an' fear for a few years before I try any of the remaining bottles.
Red

2005 Château Figeac

 St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/25/2015 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 points

La Fête du Bordeaux (Park Hyatt, Chicago): Medium-dark rosewood color. Ample nose of planed wood with a slightly sweet and toasty aroma, a residual wisp of sous bois, and a slightly green stem smell. The palate, by comparison, is still tightly held in the grip of constricting tannins, giving up little. This finishes plenty strong, with the tannins turning grainy at the back of the tongue. Any thoughts I had of opening my remaining bottle of this will have to wait until 2025 at the earliest.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    3/6/2016 9:15:00 AM - 70+ years sounds like a stretch, but then again the tasting notes for the 1925 and 1945 Château Figeac on CellarTracker seem to indicate that these vintages are still enjoyable. The nice thing about Bordeaux is there's usually plenty of it around if you're willing to pay. If I revisit this in 2025 and it changes my life, I'll certainly be able to find another bottle at auction.
Spirits

2007 Talisker 10 Year Old The Distillers Edition (bottled 2017) Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 45.8%

 Isle of Skye more
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9/30/2018 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 92 points

Medium dark burnt orange color. Very coastal nose, with maritime elements balanced by a buttery sweetness. There are swirling aromas of seashells and iodine singing harmoniously in a chorus with creamy notes from the Amoroso cask, and a very subtle orange creamsicle aroma. On the palate, a clean, austere, almost flat entrance gives way to a burst of bitter citrus fruit peel at midpalate. Finishing interminably with a hot, sweet and savory note of Texas BBQ sauce, this lingers with a smoky richness and a mouth-drying stony note. Different than the Talisker 10, this is mainly about the interplay between smoke and creamy richness, rather than the breadth and depth of flavors there. I was able to pick up a bottle on sale for $70 (identical to the core 10 Year Old Bottling), at which price I find this an interesting digression into cask finishing from a distillery that I like very much indeed. However, I'd be reluctant to pay the $95 this commands on release, as it doesn't really improve on the lower-priced and consistently reliable Talisker 10.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    10/3/2018 3:48:00 AM - Speaking of sherry cask finishes, just read this review of the Ledaig 13 Years Old Amontillado Cask finish, which seems like it might be up your alley: https://tinyurl.com/LedaigAmontillado

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    10/2/2018 2:58:00 AM - I see where you're coming from. The sherry cask definitely takes the edge off (whether that's good or bad- de gustibus non est disputandum). Have you tried adding a bit of water to the 10? Like, perhaps a few droplets from an eye dropper? It's bottled at nearly 46%, so you've got a little wiggle room to dilute it down slightly.

    If that doesn't work, I'd strongly recommend the Talisker 18 Years Old. Actually, I'd strongly recommend the 18 in any situation. It's legendary.

    I've not tried the Port Ruighe; as a general rule I tend to avoid their NAS bottlings based on persistently poor reviews. You can read some here: https://tinyurl.com/TaliskerVertical
White

2012 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire

 Chardonnay more
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8/26/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 84 points

Light straw color. Nose overwhelmed by a wave of oak, with only very deep inhalation yielding the hoped-for maritime aromas of Chablis. On the palate this is a bit thin, though the oak is more sedate than the aromatic profile would suggest, and the seashell and mineral flavors more prominent. Acidity is mediocre, inspiring little hope for the future on this one. Fevre's "Champs Royaux" offers a much better entry-level Chablis at a lower price.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    6/8/2015 9:24:00 AM - You contend that Brocard never uses oak on its Chablis, despite the vintner's having provided evidence to the contrary. Is it possible that they may have used some oak for this wine in this vintage?

    Regardless, this $25 bottle of Village-level Chablis doesn't merit ongoing rancorous debate. It's a free country; if you disagree strongly, I'd encourage you to add your own tasting note to correct any misapprehensions caused by my review.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    6/8/2015 7:15:00 AM - This is a widespread, incorrect belief- a review of the technical sheets from the winery shows clearly that they use oak barrels as well as foudre across a number of their wines.
Red

2001 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva

 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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10/13/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 points

Accesed with Coravin. Medium carmine color. The nose immediately expresses a mix of smoky, rocky, woody and fruit flavors. With aeartion, additional nuances of rose petals, berries, roasted bell peppers, cedar, and cinnamon emerge. The palate starts out somewhat restrained by stiff tannins and firm acidity. However, some time in the glass allows this to mellow and express fruity notes like the nose. Regrettably, the nose itself fades during this process, leaving the wine unbalanced between one and the other. This is a complex wine made in a restrained old-world style, but I would like to see it achieve better harmony between fragrance and flavor.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    10/16/2013 6:14:00 AM - Chatters, to first answer succinctly: Coravin is way more than a novelty gadget or a fancy corkscrew. It has its ups and downs, however.

    On the positive side, it performs as advertised, as far as I can tell from a few months of using it. Wine in the bottle stays fresh over several weeks' time. I like that it allows me to have a single glass of wine (on a weeknight, say) without having to commit to an entire bottle, or resorting to a chaper bottle with half poured down the drain or saved for cooking. It's also fun to have friends over and to be able to offer them a taste of anything in the cellar.

    Drawbacks are few, but here they are: it's an expensive piece of kit, at nearly $300. With time and economies of scale, I wonder if the price won't come down? The argon gas also has an associated cost- at $10/capsule and 15 glasses per capsule, it adds about $4 to the cost of a bottle of wine. Thus if you think the convenience is worth, say, a 10% premium, it only really makes sense to use on bottles that are $40 and up.

    Another drawback is that it doesn't allow older wine to aerate and mature, which is sometimes key to enjoying it. I have been underwhelmed by some older bottles at first but, after decanting, they really start to bloom. The downside of the wine remaining fresh is that it stays exactly that way- fresh. I guess you could use the Coravin to decant half a bottle, or to allow the glasses to sit and aerate a while.

    I also had a problem with two bottles- both Fichet Meursault- where everything seemed fine at first. However, the next day I noticed that the cork was soaked through with wine, and the wine had oxidized. I tried this with a second bottle of the same wine and encountered the same issue. I don't know if this is specific to the type of cork Fichet used, but it was irritating to lose a whole bottle and have to drink the entire second one straightaway. That said, I have used this dozens of times on various wines and this is the only issue I have had. However, it makes me a little nervous about using the device on a seriously special bottle.

    In all, I'm a satisfied customer and would recommend this.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    10/17/2013 7:00:00 AM - The Fichets were both 2005. I have used this on older wines (e.g. this C.V.N.E., which I tried again last night, with no issues) that have been just fine. I am thinking now that this is attributable to cork problems with that vintner and vintage, but will check back in if the issues recur with other wines.
Red

2008 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

 more
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5/26/2018 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: NR

Medium-dark rosewood color. Brooding nose, with some piquant cedar wood and some lightly oaked black fruit. The palate is not yet fully resolved, coming across as somewhat mute at this point in time. This is so hard- it's pleasant, but nondescript. Overall, this seems to be in a bit of a dumb phase, but smells and tastes very nice all the same. I am leaving this not rated and reserving judgment, as I know how majestic Dunn Howell Mountain can be in old age.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    5/29/2018 1:22:00 PM - Thanks for the responses. I am a longtime Dunn fan and have had spectacular bottles from the 1980's with 25+ years on them, so I am inclined towards maximum patience with these babies.
Spirits

NV Dalmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 40%

 Highlands more
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8/2/2016 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 89 points

Medium orange marmalade color. Aromas of lemon rind, graham crackers, golden raisins, varnish, tobacco, and cedar. The palate is tightly wound, entering with warmth before constricting around a mineral core at midpalate. This has a medium-length finish with a woody note of cocoa beans. The overall effect is bit more rich than a standard Highland malt; what is here has good balance, but I am wishing for some ripe fruit flavors to fill this out. Better to upgrade to the Dalmore 15, which is truly a benchmark Scotch.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    11/15/2016 6:04:00 AM - Looks like there is some inventory of the 15 Year Old at http://www.bcliquorstores.com/

    Budget price, too (near US$80)- my competitively-priced local liquor superstore is asking $100. Relief may be at hand!
White - Sparkling

NV Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial

 Champagne Blend more
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8/14/2016 - tanglenet wrote: NR

Non wino neighbors invited us over and served two bottles of champs because they knew my wife likes French Champagne. We had this and the NV Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow. (I think they picked these up at Trader Joes). No formal notes, but my wife and I both enjoyed this wine better than the VC with more citrus with a cleaner more refreshing finish. Good.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    8/15/2016 10:13:00 AM - Don't beat yourself up about it. Tia Carrere made the same mistake:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4NyXL5JAQ

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    8/15/2016 9:09:00 AM - "Oh, actually all champagne is French, it's named after the region. Otherwise it's sparkling white wine. Americans of course don't recognize the convention, so it becomes that thing of calling all of their sparkling white 'champagne,' even though by definition they're not... It's a lot like 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' In many ways it's superior but will never be as recognized as the original."
Red

2004 Antinori Tignanello

 Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend more
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12/26/2014 - darrenhe Does not like this wine: 77 points

Was it the anticipation of my first bottle of Tig?....not sure but this was probably the biggest wine disappointment ever! How can there possibly be 85% Sangiovese in here!!??....it never showed itself. The 10% Cab Sav totally dominates this wine and not in a particularly good way. This was clunky/chunky, had some good fruit in the middle but a very tart (almost astringent) finish. If drunk blind I may have thought this was a cheap Cab Sav from California without any of the warmth or charm. At this price would much rather have 2 bottles of the Ridge Estate Cabernet than one of these. Absolutely no link to Tuscany - really could have been from anywhere - San Guido and Ornellaia 2nd and 3rd wines are light years better. I have a case of 2006 in bond which I will be shipping on after this tasting.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    1/6/2015 3:42:00 PM - Darren, I'd suggest trying some older vintages for perspective. These wines are built to last, making them somewhat inaccessible in their youth. I recently had a 1995 Tignanello at Cantinetta Antinori (the vintner's restaurant) in Zurich, and it was mind-blowing. Very lovely, subtle flavors of truffles and sous-bois. It's not necessarily classically Tuscan (I find it lacking the "red rocks" flavor that distinguishes the region) but these do tend to suggest elegant, mature Bordeaux as they get older. Terroir extremists (terroirists?) may scorn this, but that just leaves more for the open-minded.
Red

2006 Harlan Estate The Maiden

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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12/29/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 points

Opaque, with crimson rim. Nose starts with a light floral note and quickly becomes more brooding, with ripe blueberry, cedar and ash aromas, and a pervasive flinty or slate-like stone smell. The palate is round and full of fruit, with ripe tomato and blackberry flavors, with subtle woodsy accents. The tannins are softer better-integrated than when I first tried this, but still reasonably firm and tight. This drinks well now with aeration (I decanted for three hours and consumed over another three) but may benefit from 3-5 more years in the cellar.

I respect the professionals at Harlan Estate and think they run a top-class operation from a winemaking and customer service perspective. I am gratified to support their tireless pursuit of excellence with my custom. All that said, I'm not sure this wine is worth the price. As evinced above: I like this wine; however I'm not sure I like it $150 worth. You're at or above the high end of Deuxième Cru Bordeaux at that price point, and I think I'd rather have a Pichon Lalande or a Léoville-Barton. How to resolve this? The commerical director of a winery would know; I don't.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    12/30/2013 9:39:00 AM - Exactly my point, ArtF: my willingness to pay this much is going to be based on whether I have comparable or better alternatives for a similar or lower price. At $150/bottle, I'd argue that I do. In addition to the French wines mentioned above, Harlan's neighbor Dominus sells their first wine for roughly that much.

    As I said, I like the Harlan folks and I enjoy their wine, and I would like to patronize their enterprise through fat and lean years. However, I'm going to be less inclined to purchase consistently in the lesser vintages (2011: I'm looking at you) at $150/bottle, whereas I would probably put in a three-bottle order every year at $75/bottle, just to support the team.

    They know how to run their business better than I do, and I'm sure there is no shortage of takers for every drop they have to offer. I'm not claiming to be anything more than a lone, plaintive voice in the wilderness. I believe the point deserves to be made, nonetheless.
White - Off-dry

2001 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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8/19/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 87 points

Accessed with Coravin. Medium-gold color. Classic Riesling nose of honeysuckle and petrol, but all very faint. Sweet but clean palate with sedate acidity and a faint note of stone. Not much finish, with the airiest wisp of tart lemon flavors. Slightly past its prime, this will not improve much and should be consumed immediately. Would be nice as pairing with lighter desserts (fresh fruit, berry tart, etc).

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    8/20/2013 6:25:00 AM - I myself was surprised, given that other reviewers seemed to really enjoy this. It's entirely possible that it was an off bottle. I have two more bottles in the cellar, so will certainly be revisiting this with high hopes. The foie gras suggestion is a good one; I was thinking this might be a nice substitute for heavier sweet wines like Sauternes, for when a lighter pairing is required.
Red

2007 Meerlust Rubicon

 Stellenbosch Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/29/2014 - Neecies Does not like this wine: 79 points

I am absolutely at a loss to reconcile Tanzer's 92 pt description against the rotting cabbage/sewage nose on the four identically tainted bottles of Rubicon I bought and poured for a local wine tasting a few weeks ago. Opened early in the day, splash decanted and left to air out over about eight hours, though some fruit developed in that time the stench never did blow away. I'm very familiar with this wine in other vintages and know this not to be typical. But four bottles says it's not a problem with the closures.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    1/29/2014 3:34:00 PM - Did you purchase them from different sources? Sounds like a case that was left out in the sun. I've had three bottles of this in the past month that were all excellent, with nary a sign of the rotten smells you note. Maybe you should press the seller for a refund.
White

2009 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

 Chardonnay more
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7/3/2014 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 91 points

Silvery Sauvignon Blanc colour. Nose is ozone, fresh-chucked oyster shells, a bracing sea breeze, wet pebbles. Palate is wet stones from a brook, very crisp, white apple, precise but slightly overwhelming acidity. Beautifully made. Some length. Fruit stones emerge on the palate after 2+ hours in the glass. Some length. Super...... but I would mistake it blind for a killer Sauvignon Blanc at this stage of its development. Needs at least another 5 years to flesh out. Everyone loved this.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    7/7/2014 9:13:00 AM - Kindly indicate exactly which Sauvignon Blancs taste like Les Clos, because I'd immediately buy a case.
Red

1998 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco

 Langhe DOC Red Blend more
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7/8/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 87 points

Medium-dark rosewood color. This was initially quite dumb on both the nose and the palate. Two hours of decanting didn't improve this much. The nose had a faint smell of berries and chalk, with the palate being a muddle of indistinct dark fruit flavors. This started to open up a bit by hour three. The wine developed a more Cabernet-leaning nose, with cigar box aromas. On the palate, this was weighted towards the front of the mouth, though there was an earthy finish punctuated by grainy tannins. This wasn't seriously flawed but was obviously past it's prime. The Terlato site recommends drinking this between 5-7 years; I'd try this again, but would drink a vintage within that window.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    7/11/2014 2:08:00 PM - Very helpful, thank you!
Red

2005 Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas

 Red Rhone Blend more
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7/14/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 83 points

Popped and poured at cellar temperature, this was very reticent. Decanting for an hour didn't help this much. Medium-dark crimson color. Faint aromas of graham crackers, but not much else on the nose. The palate is tannic but lacks body and character. I tried this back in 2009 and assumed then that the overall underwhelming impression was due to youth; unhapily, I can report that this seems to be an inferior vintage relative to the expressive, enjoyable 2003 and 2004.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    7/17/2014 6:50:00 PM - Pretty sure it wasn't flawed. It didn't taste stewed or funky or corked or anything- just dull. As I said, I had this several years back and recall a similar impression, despite generally being a big fan of Dominique Ay's wines. I'll certainly try again in the future.
Red

2004 Clos del Rey Côtes du Roussillon Villages

 Red Blend more
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1/20/2015 - NineteenEightyTwo Does not like this wine: 70 points

Opaque rosewood color. This is a big, oaky, vanilla-saturated fruit bomb on both the nose and the palate. I'm usually not too prissy about a wine being a bit "internationally" styled, but this is preposterous; the wine is totally unbalanced and aggressive. The palate tastes like jammy acetone, as though someone dumped a bottle of nail polish remover into a bucket of grape juice. My remaining two bottles will be "gifted" to people I loathe. Drink never.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    2/22/2015 11:05:00 AM - Please re-read my tasting note attentively. At no point did I indicate that the wine was corked. On the contrary, this was full-throttle. However the vigorously alcoholic and extracted style combined with injudicious use of oak made this wine unpleasant to drink. I didn't rate it "flawed" because it wasn't flawed; I rated it 70 because it sucked.
Red

2009 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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2/16/2016 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: NR

Unlike any other Williams Selyem wine I have ever had. LOL j/k! Exactly like every other Williams Selyem wine I have ever had. Garnet color; aroma of cola nut, ripe peach; sweet fruit on the palate balanced with moderate acidity, blah blah blah. I honestly don't know why they go to the trouble of making 21 different wines. Oh, wait: money.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    2/18/2016 6:23:00 AM - Short answer: I was splitting hairs.

    Long answer: Of course one can find differences between the wines. That's true not only between vineyards, but between bottles from the same vineyard. My source of disappointment is that the "house style" always seems to override any vineyard-specific characteristics. Again, this begs the question: why bother making 21 wines?

    If this was a standard $25-40/bottle New World Pinot Noir, I wouldn't be complaining. But you've got a range of price points from $40 to $100+/bottle, which puts these wines in competition with 1er Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy. Those wines can express incredibly wide variation between appellations and lieu-dits, with vineyards separated by a few hundred feet having totally different aromatic and flavor profiles. Williams Selyem's wines, by comparison, seem homogeneous and boring.

    These aren't bad wines; they are pleasant and enjoyable. They're just kind of a rip off. You're paying classified Burgundy prices without getting any of the magical nuances that make classified Burgundy worth paying up for. I don't know if the deficiency is with the terroir, or the vines, or the winemaker. That's for them to sort out; they should do it soon, lest they lose other devoted customers who wise up.
Red

2014 Meiomi Pinot Noir

 California more
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9/9/2016 - dsheahan Likes this wine: 88 points

Interesting wine. It performed very poorly in a blind wine tasting. It finished last out of 6 reds. I just served it with a Sun-dried beef dish (made with 1 c of this wine) and it did well. We are cab people, so had a bit of prejudice against this pinot, but do give it a chance. Very drinkable.

  • Comment posted by NineteenEightyTwo:

    9/10/2016 2:09:00 PM - Are you recommending it for drinking, or for cooking - or, indeed, for drinking while cooking?

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