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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
White - Fortified

1950 Barbeito Madeira Terrantez Reserva Velha Fajã dos Padres

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7/22/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 97 points

Divine. Golden, complex, deep, concentrated, honey, nutty, mineral; I have no idea how to describe it, but it was amazing. Never had an old Madeira before. now I want more. Joatmon brought it on the 2010 rpm Tour and we drank it in the cellar at Scott Harvey's house.

This guy might be better t description on this: http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=369

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Red - Fortified

1977 Graham Porto Vintage

 Port Blend more
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5/4/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

Hugh Johnson thinks it's a little straight and not lasting as long as it should for what was meant to be a 1945-quality port year. I'm not sure, and still enjoying these with little sign of tiredness. My bottles are ageing well, and even those I think I didn't store well last year remained amazingly complex and deep. This remains a classy classy vintage, though I did love 67 and 70 heaps.

One bottle which must have aerated a little before opening was, when opened, bringing out the walnut and cedar and other ground fruits of the wine. Still an amazing drink, and when compared to a well-cellared bottle with its heavy deep dark alcoholic gravitas, stood up well as just a lighter-balanced but deeply complex port.

So, depending on taste, (especially if you think Grahams is too "hot' and alcoholic, pah!) you could decant this for a few days, and enjoy the depth and variety of the favours it throws out. Certainly 24 hours plus is recommended whatever you do.

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White - Fortified

1886 Barbeito Madeira Malvasia Reserva Velha

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7/24/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

A little older, and showing it a little, so not as concentrated as the 1950 Barbeito Terrantez, but still quite remarkable. Nutty, complex, and delightful. Last day of the rpm Tour, thanks heaps to Joatmon.

Oh bollocks, this is also a duplicate, as it shows "White blend". I give up.. there are alo reviews at the following link, even though Malvasia is not correctly spelled! http://www.cellartracker.com/new/notes.asp?iWine=172249

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White - Sweet/Dessert

2006 Bergkelder Riesling Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest

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5/4/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

Truly outstanding Botrytis dessert wine. think of a Kabinett Riesling, but with more RS.

Good floral and citrus bouquet, and honeyed but not cloying palate, deepening with stone fruits, apricots, peaches in the light clover-honey, while a good acid content keeps the wine from ever cloying. The finish is outstanding, and lasts for minutes. Minutes. It has the metallic soft acid ending of the highest-quality German wines, and it offsets the soft honey body perfectly. It's even a sharp finish, not gentle at all in its length. Truly truly remarkablly outstanding.

It's a fresh drink and because the acid keeps it balanced and sharp, always refreshing and never cloys as do many sweet wines. I'd even call this a medium wine were it not for the beautiful honey flavours in the body.

I prefer to drink this on its own rather than spoil its balance with sweet dessert food, as it's not sweet like a Sauternes or even like a Muscat de Rivesaltes. It's more like a sweeter version of a very high quality Kabinett German Riesling (I've never had an Auslese or Beerenlese, but it might be like these). It has the fine and loooong lengthy metallic finish of the finest of these.

A real hidden and underrated gem. Later vintages (now wiith a semillon blend) have started to win several years' conesecutive prizes, and not before time.

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Red

2007 Kent Rasmussen Cabernet Franc Esoterica

 Mt. Veeder more
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11/17/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

this is an amazing wine. Will age for years, if not decades!

Right now:
Vegetal nose: like a field, smells of Spring.
Remarkable front, olives, redcurrants. a little alcohol up the nose. I said little more because I loved it so much. It had so much more going on in the mid-palate than the (07 Rasmussen Napa Cab), very fresh red fruit, complex.. mmmmmmm, and not short, although the cab of course had more weight and back end but without that amazing talkative middle.

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Red

2003 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Series Ramal Vineyard

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11/17/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

this is like a Grand Cru Burgundy for half the price! Earthy ad rich without being too big or overripe! Dark, rich cherry tones and great balance. the 05 is still too young, and this is jsut starting to get interesting. Plenty of fruit left, but leave this a few more years and it'll take that fruit and make even more of an integrated, wonderful bottle-aged Pinot!

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White - Fortified

1886 Barbeito Madeira Malvazia

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7/24/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 96 points

A little older, adn showing it a little, so not as concentrated as the 1950 Barbeito Terrantez, but still quite remarkable. Nutty and delightful. Last day of the rpm Tour, thanks heaps to Joatmon.

EDIT: this is a misspelled duplicate of http://www.cellartracker.com/new/wine.asp?iWine=941228

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Red

2007 Kent Rasmussen Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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11/17/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 95 points

Claret nose: Cab smell. Blackberry-boysenberry. At the start, oak, but not too much. Lively, with deeeep fruit. Som ered raspberry too. No huge tannins of overoak a la Napa, but instead with well-placed deep tannins underpin a fine stucture. Acid is nicely present. Finish has a medium weight, and is long-ish.

Not as lively on the palate as the 07 Esoterica CF, but had more power and weight, suggesting great great ageability.

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Red

2005 Pine Ridge Vineyards Fortis

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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7/23/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 95 points

An amazing wine, but then it damn well ought to be for the price. Big and hearty, masculine wine, but with a fine "brick-like" red flavour in the midde. no idea what it is, but it's unique, tasty and delightful. Maybe it's like Rutherford dust, but from whatever component in this blend has that unique flavour. I think red Italian or English bricks when I taste it, and want more. And I'm not really a big Napa Cab drinker! It's just - like most in that region of Napa - horrendously overpriced.

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White

2007 Jana Winery Riesling Black & Red Vineyard

 Leelanau Peninsula more
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5/3/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 95 points

Fresh, good florals on nose and early on. Light, crisp with peach, apricot apples and the like, but more than this: warmer complex tastes in the middle. Off-dry, but high acid balances it perfectly. Slight spritz. Slight sweetness in middle, but only a hint, and ends with strong, loooong metallic acid. Wonderful! Like an open, summery top-end Kabinett. Maker learned in Germany and it shows. Possibly no better USA Riesling.

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Red

2005 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Series Ramal Vineyard

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11/17/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 95 points

Fine wine, should with a couple of more years be even btter than the 03. A respected friend says it's a but like Premier, or even Grand Cru Burgundy at half the price, though this may be overenthusiasm. Yet it's really that good, I think... have to age it a while more to know for certain. Quite possible you could age this for a decade or considerably more. Complex, rich without being heavy or overripe or overoaked! Brilliant delicate complex Pinot.

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Red

2003 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Series Ramal Vineyard

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7/23/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 95 points

At the winery (inc Pommard clone, Dijon, ) 115 667 clones.
?Barnyard. Black cherry nose.
Palate raspberry, loganberry medium-aged PN. Acid, lively, integrated. Nice body. (medium body). Like a Grand Cru Burgundy
Oak needs time to knit.. this has nicely.

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Red

2007 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Series Ramal Vineyard Dijon Clones

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2/22/2011 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

Didn't have the Ramal blend ready yet, but this Dijon clones was dark, dangerous and very very tasty. Wait til 2014 or later to drink. Great Burgundian promise. No CA power pinot this, it's the real thing.

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Red

2007 Expression Pinot Noir 44° Roserock Vineyard

 Eola - Amity Hills more
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10/22/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

This bottle seemed a lot better than the previous. Possibly just me, but now it's got great earthy forest floor and tight, bright brick-acidity like a Burgundy. A very fine wine indeed, and may well improve nicely with age. Can I resist opening my final bottle?

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Red

2009 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna Asinone

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4/18/2021 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

I never expected this out of a sangiovese, but wow, this is a revelation. I bought 4 bottles in 2012 because they were on accidental 75% discount in Tesco, and it looked like great wine. Every time I take it I go wow this is good but I bet it opens up in time. And still it's not immediately open on the first day which means it's got years left, maybe two decades even.

This is still dark and closed and tannic on day 1 but after 24-hours of being open it has opened up into leather and Cassis and briar fruits with still strong acidity and some floral notes on the middle and end of the palate. It is long and deep and subtle and beautiful. This could last another 10 years. I hope I haven't just drunk my last bottle! Highly recommended this is a really really good wine, and structured to last.

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Red

2007 Kent Rasmussen Pinot Noir Carneros

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11/17/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

Amazing. Remember to Decant to let it open!
Pinot-y nose. Black pepper start. Good acid at the start too. More body than the 06, and smoooth. Vanilla notes in the middle, what was it, aha.. it tastes a little of Vanilla custard! Light wine, still. Longer than 06, a medium finish or raspberries and strawberries. A great wine. Kent said “big, austere, proper”.

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Red

2003 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon

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1/9/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

Divine, with good acidity, violets, red-purple fruits and length! That wonderful zingy acidity but with smooth, well-weighted body.
This needs a fair amount of (aeration) decanting, as well as sedimentary decanting!

Straight out of bottle it's nice, but a little empty, meh, OK, like a good 10-15-year-old 3rd growth claret, but with an overnight in the bottle (not decanted) it's amazingly transformed, with aromas, more body, depth and complexity, now able to hold against the beautifully keen acidity. It may still be coming out of the dumb period, so needed that extra time because of it, but I think this is just such a tightly-drawn and beautifully supple wine that it just needs it.

Given the time it took to open up, I think peak will be in 5-10 years, ,especially since I just also had a 1989 which still had many years of possibility ahead of it!
I really look forward to trying one of the even better Kronos one of these days soon!

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White

2007 Jana Winery Riesling Black & Red Vineyard

 Leelanau Peninsula more
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5/3/2010 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

this should be under the Jana Riesling, whch is made by Scott Harvey, so this is a miscategorisationof name. Fresh, good florals, light but full of complex tastes in the middle. Slight spritz. Ends with strong, metallic acid. Wonderful! Like an open, summery top-end Kabinett. Maker learned in Germany and it shows. Possibly no better USA Riesling.

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White - Sparkling

1999 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année

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8/4/2011 - richardhod Likes this wine: 94 points

When opened, fresh apple on the palate, bright acidity and fresh fresh bubbly. After an hour open, and with some warming from fridge temperatures the brioche (yes, it took me a while to notice that)and hazelnut came out and made it even more interesting. Great mineral on the finish after a while too.
Tart, but not astringent, and a very long finish. Outstanding.

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Red

2006 Tudor Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

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10/9/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

Top notch California Pinot. Excellent acidity, deep fruit without being big and Cabernetty, or oaky, and made to express the grape, not please bombasts. Along with the Inspiration and Rasmussen one of California's best that I've had. If you like European Pinot Noirs, this is a California wine you will appreciate.

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Red

2006 Wellington Syrah Estate Vineyard Sonoma Valley

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11/11/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

Outstanding Syrah, and drinking very nicely for a medium-young one. This one not corked and it's such a difference! Much better aftr 24 hours in the decanter, as it's good but tight the first day even after an hour or two, albeit still good. This suggests it will indeed age well for another decade or two!
North-Rhone style, and purple berries, rich, intense. Smooth, hefty body, but balanced acidity, fruit and soft tannins. Tannins are well-integrated now, but they are subtly apparent on the finish, with heft but not over-oaked cloyingness. The acidity zings beautifully, and on the mid-late palate has that almost minerally aspect to it which you want in a top-notch red.
Highly recommended, and I'm so lucky to have bought a case of these at a steal! Will drink gradually, and keep some for a long long time.
Worked very nicely with a cauliflower cheese w bacon and mushrooms. And with ham sandwiches. And a nice hefty root veg soup. Next time I'm having it with maybe cassoulet or something really special.

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Red

2007 Kent Rasmussen Cabernet Franc Esoterica

 Mt. Veeder more
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2/10/2013 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

Really good CF, but to me this bottle sings after 48 hours open! Nose of deep red-purple fruits, with some dust. Palate, those deep red fruits come bursting through, sharp redcurrant, cranberries, loganberries, maybe a hint of red cherry. Keen acidity quickly kicks in and adds to the sparkling flavours, staying sharp and alive through a long moutwatering finish with violets and raspberries, with a long aftertaste of the red / dark red fruits. Tannins pretty integrated by now.
Two days ago, an hour after opening, there was a lot more tannin, and stronger flavour, b ut not as subtle or integrated. I recommend cellaring this beauty for 5 years minimum, and maybe 10-20 depending on taste.

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White

2007 Jana Winery Riesling Black & Red Vineyard

 Leelanau Peninsula more
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1/8/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

More sheer divinery! Let it breathe for a bit for the beautiful minerality to shine, and the Riesling fruit to open up.
Drink it at different temperatures to appreciate the different ends of its character!
A truly brilliant Riesling in off-dry Alsacien / Mosel style!

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Red

2005 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Series Ramal Vineyard

 Carneros more
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10/22/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

Better than last time. Tight, flavourful.
This stuff cellars seriously well, and if Wkdpanda says it needs nearly 2 hours to get seriously good, then there is indeed legs in this stuff.
Back to status as one of my favourite CA Pinots Noirs!

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Red

2008 Inspiration Vineyards Pinot Noir

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5/19/2012 - richardhod Likes this wine: 93 points

I opened a bottle last night. Popped and poured, and it was amazing. The nose was huge fromthe beginning, it had vibrant acidity, and biig sweet ad sour cherry fruits with hints of all sorts of other redness .Rounder and fuller than Kent Rasmussen's estate Pinot, and less sour, bigger and much more accessible than Saintsbury, it has good acidity (from the higher TA than many, I think, but pH3.6 keeps it accessible), and really really good.

Minerally too, really mouth-zinging. My favourite California PN so far. Not really a patch on a great Burgundy, but you can drink it a lot sooner, and it will balance big fare too, without being dark, cola and overripe like many CA pinots. It's really really intense, with hints of swetness (no sugar, just deep concentrated fruit), and has acidity to balance. Big, but not bombastic or overbearing. If you got it a bit funky it would be really amazing

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  • Tasting notes: 449 notes on 307 wines

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