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Wine Type
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Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
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Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
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Red
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2001 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
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This was the first of three bottles purchased on release. It was decanted for 1 hour then returned to the bottle to air for another 90 minutes before serving with a stir fry of peppers, onions, portobello, and moose meat over polenta and finished with a selection of cheeses.
This was a lovely Napa cab that is in the heart of its sweet spot. I was expecting something with an imposing presence, but found a wine of surprising elegance, subtlety, and class that continued to blossom throughout our dinner. It is medium-full bodied and beautifully balanced with silky tannins, solid mid palate, and long lingering finish. In spite of the 14.5% ABV, there is not a hint of heat.
I did not detect the overemphasis on oak that some others have mentioned; for me, it was spot on.
Still youthful in appearance, the black and blue primary fruits, while still evident, have evolved into a exquisite play of secondary and tertiary impressions that align more with Margaux than Pauillac. It clearly outclasses the 2001 Hoopes and Isosceles recently consumed.
It has the structure to go another 10+ years but it is so pleasurable now that the remaining two bottles will be gone by then.
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Red
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2003 Moris Farms Maremma Toscana Avvoltore
SuperTuscan Blend more
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The second of 6 bottles purchased on release and properly cellared. The first bottle was opened several years ago with only a vague mental note to wait until age 10 and try again.
This was decanted for 90 minutes leaving a moderate amount of a very fine sediment. It had a lovely medium deep ruby color with no evident browning at the edge.
I was not expecting anything extraordinary from this wine and picked it to have with leftover balsamic chicken and pasta followed by a small selection of cheeses to finish the bottle.
On first pour, my oh my what a sensual set of aromas greet the nose. The aromatic profile is entirely secondary with a complexity that defies individual descriptors. The mouth feel is silky smooth and sublime with a balance that is exquisite. It has a rare quality of solidity and weightlessness that is almost mystical. There is an enfolded blend of earthiness, macerated dark berries, anise, exotic spices, cigar, fresh roasted coffee beans, and old leather that plays out across the palate in a way that is so seamless and harmonic that it seems to create a new dimension to the flavor experience. This lingered in a way that seemed to distort time and I stopped eating 2/3 of the way through my entree, skipped the cheese, and just lost myself in the experience of this wine. Could it have been the blue moon the night before that set me up for this? Even if none of my remaining 4 bottles reach this level, it was worth the price of them all to hear the angels singing from a glass of wine.
This is the second recent bottle from 2003 (an unheralded year in Tuscany) that has surprised me. The other was the 2003 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello I found on a closeout for $22. It is really a treat to find exceptional wines drifting in the detritus of "poor" vintages. I would conservatively rate this particular bottle as 95 points while reserving an overall score for the wine until I try another bottle.
UPDATE: 11/02/2014
This was decanted for 60 minutes leaving a fairly substantial sediment. It was a wonderful bottle but seemed to fall a little short of the last one which was absolutely magnificent. 93 points
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Red
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2000 Gaja Barbaresco
Nebbiolo more
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From 750 ml held in our cellar since release. Dbl decanted and kept in open btl at cellar temp for 3.5 hr before serving at home with friends in Riedel Pinot/Nebbiolo glasses with cheese course. This followed a 2000 Produttori Riserva Montestefano with braciole. 14 ABV
Brilliant, brickish color that seemed to light up the table.
Beautiful ethereal effusive aromas of of dried cherries, roses, leather, tar, exotic spices, and earth carrying into a layered medley of flavors.
Med body, Great balance and length with moderately tannic finish. Everything you could hope for in a great Barbaresco. It made music in my mouth.
Drinking very nicely now with a good airing but will improve with 5 years of cellar time and hold for an additional decade or more.
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Red
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1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses
Cabernet Franc more
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The first of two bottles purchased online last year. It was decanted off a medium amount of sediment then poured back into the clean bottle and allowed to aerate slowly for 1 hour before serving with chicken provencale.
An extrordinary example of well made Chinon at maturity. The color was a strikingly clear medium brick with suggestions of old leather, baking spices, forest floor, dried roses, and an herbal edge. The tannins were silky smooth and everything was in total harmony. The palate impression was pure, precise, refined, and elegant and it just lasted and lasted. We finished the bottle with a cheese selection and there was another dimension that emerged which I can only describe as ethereal. I hope the 2002 and 2005 I have cellared will some day reach this level.
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Rosé
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2000 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
Grenache Blend, Grenache more
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Lovely light copper-pink color. Served at cellar temp. On first pour, enchanting aromas and flavors of strawberry, melon, cranberry, mineral, with a hint of sherry like nuttiness and a bone dry finish. Fairly light bodied with a racy frame. It opened up even more as it came to room temp.
Unusual for a rose and delightful as an accompaniment to our salmon with a ginger-garlic-soy-sesame oil sauce, oven roasted asparagus, and a baked potato. It also paired nicely with a course of VT cheeses that followed. Best with food, I don't think that this would do well solo.
I think this has a good 8-10 years of prime drinking in it but the likelihood of my leaving it alone for that long is slim.
9/6/2016 Update
This was taken from the refrigerator, opened, and allowed to air and warm up to ~52F then served with chicken thighs in a smother of fresh tomato, shallot, and garlic. It has been over 4 years since we last opened a bottle of this and it was stunning. I find it hard to believe that it could have gotten even better, but it has. This wine is in a league of it’s own. Just a magnificent bottle. 94 points
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Red
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2001 Fratelli Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa
Nebbiolo more
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This was the first of four bottles purchased on release. It was decanted for 3 hours leaving a substantial solid deposit in the bottle. The color was as expected; medium density, garnet hue, and noticeable bricking at the edge.
The aromatics were surprisingly strong with the earth notes more prominent than the restrained red fruits. Surprisingly, the roses and tar that I thought would be in the forefront were barely detectable on first pour but emerged during the next 90 minutes. Despite the 14.5 ABV, the alcohol was not obtrusive in the finish or on the nose.
In the mouth, this comes off very solid and muscular. Sour cherry was prominent with strawberry, licorice, orange rind, tobacco leaf, earth notes, and a hint of creosote in the background. Quite enjoyable now, there is nice complexity that should continue to add definition with time.
The balance is superb and the length was impressive. The tannins were quite evident at the end but not harsh or coarse. This wine is well structured and should benefit from another year or two of cellar time. In retrospect, I would have given this more air time in the decanter.
AeR Seghesio Barolo is generally considered to be more modern but this 2001 is a very solid and impressive effort………..definitely not for the “faint of heart”.
Served with fusilli and a red Porcini sauce followed by a selection of Vermont cheeses. A Sicilian salad of orange slices, fennel, oil cured olives, and red onion with a drizzle of olive oil and Balsamic was the end cap for the meal.
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Red
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2009 Lauren Ashton Cellars Cuvée Arlette
Red Mountain
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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The first of four bottles purchased from FP. This was decanted for 90 minutes with no appreciable sediment.
This is a very vibrant and seductive wine. It is as smooth as a baby’s butt showing exceptional balance, concentration, and length without being overdone. Despite being a merlot dominant blend, this comes off for me as clearly a WA style with no right bank pretense.
I don’t get the feeling that it will change significantly, either for the better or worse although I do think it can gain in flavor delineation and definition in the coming 2-3 years and last easily through this decade. This is quite well made for near and mid term drinking and should provide a great deal of enjoyment.
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Red
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2002 Calabretta Etna Rosso
Etna DOC
Nerello Mascalese more
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The first of 12 purchased at retail and allowed to rest 6 weeks before opening. Decanted off a minimal amount of sediment then poured back into the clean bottle and allowed to aerate slowly for 2 hours. This was then splashed into a decanter just before serving. The color was much lighter than I had expected resembling a mature Volnay.
On first pour, it was rather tight with subtle hints of earth, ripe cherries, anise, and stir fried orange rind with an absence of primary fruit. Medium weight in the mouth with acidity and tannins dominating, this was not very pleasant until a few bites of the mousse truffee it was paired with. The high fat content of the pate served to crack open the hard shell of acidity and drying tannin allowing the subtle mature flavor aspects to come through. This reminded me of an Alpine Nebbiolo in some ways but with a smokiness and minerality from the iron laden volcanic soils of Etna. After finishing half of my glass, I put it aside to try later.
On returning to this after almost an hour, it was transformed. The intensity of the aromas and flavors was much more pronounced and nuanced than on first pour. It had a very solid mid palate and a modulating finish that was intriguing. I would anticipate another year of cellaring will bring noticeable improvement and take this into prime form with a decade of pleasurable consumption after that. If you are opening this now, I would recommend double decanting then 3 hours of slo-ox in the bottle with a splash into the decanter 30 minutes before serving. 92 points
05/10/2013 Update
Decanted off a minimal amount of sediment then poured back into the clean bottle and allowed to aerate slowly for 3 hours then splashed into a decanter 30 mnutes before serving.
After having gone through several bottles of this, there does seem to be some bottle variation. This is not a surprise given the traditional method of winemaking employed. The slight levels of VA and brett on opening have always blown off with a good airing and I have not encountered any corked bottles.
This was another excellent bottle. It kept getting stronger during the meal even with all the air it had before serving. It is not for someone who likes big "in your face" fruit. If you are an "acid head", you will be enthralled.
07/22/2013 Update
This bottle followed the same opening procedure as the last time. Even with 3 hours of slo-ox and a 30 minute splash decant, this improved noticeably during our meal. It is a travesty to PnP this wine.
Caution-this is not a sipping wine. It begs for food and would be most appreciated by someone whose tastes lean toward a more elegant style with plenty of acidity, nuanced aromatics, and mature flavors. And, at almost 12 years old, I think it still has the potential to improve.
10/22/2013 Update
Eight bottles consumed now and each one was stellar. I continue to be very impressed with this wine; enough so that I ordered 4 magnums.
11/11/2013 Update
Served with a mid week meal of pasta and Arriabbata eggplant sauce then finished with a selection of cheeses; this just gets better with every bottle I open. Stunning in its complex play of aromas and flavors. 94 points this time.
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Red
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2004 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M.
McLaren Vale
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The first of six held since release. Decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial heavy sediment. Half the bottle was poured off to a 375 and refrigerated.
In general, I am not a fan of big brutish Shiraz from down under as most that I have tried have been a disappointment. This wine was a stark rebuke to that generality. We had this after dinner with a selection of hard cheeses and it was ravishing. I have no way to judge how this will hold up, but it seems to be in "prime-time" now.
On the nose and in the mouth this is exuberant and flamboyant, a riot of dark fruit, earth notes, spice, and herbal references with a finish that seems to go on forever. How it manages to be that and superbly balanced and layered at the same time is amazing to me. Is it a profound wine? Nah, but who the hell cares. Just lean back and let it pleasure you.
Jan 9, 2016 Update
This was double decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a substantial deposit of thick sediment. My general impression is largely the same as previous bottles although slightly improved and showing no sign of decline. I will wait a year or two on the last bottle just to see what happens. It was effusive, opulent, and eminently enjoyable with Gaston Beef Stew.
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Red
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2001 Avignonesi Desiderio
Toscana IGT
Merlot more
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The first of 12 from our passive cellar purchased on release.
Deep ruby with no sign of edge browning.
Decanted for 1 hour before serving, minimal sediment.
Dark fruits, cedar, pipe tobacco, coffee, and a hint of earthiness on the nose. A tight finely woven fabric of flavors which broaden out in the mouth.
Very big and full with extraordinary length, great balance (13% ABV) and vitality, prominent fine grained tannins, and a clean lingering finish.
This opened up considerably at about 2.5 hours as we finished the bottle with a cheese selection. For current consumption (if you must), I would give it a minimum of 2 hours in the decanter before serving.
This is a beautifully made wine that is just beginning to emerge and will, I believe, become a wine of stunning power and elegance between 2015 and 2025.
I would be hard pressed to pick this out in a flight of the 10 best 2001 St. Emilion. 94 points now and upside potential.
2/1/2014 UPDATE
Our second bottle of this was decanted for 90 minutes leaving a modest crystalline sediment behind. It was served with chicken provencal and finished with a selection of cheeses over 90 minutes.
This bottle was imminently enjoyable but seemed a bit dialed back in comparison to the first bottle. The aroma and flavor profiles were the same and it did open noticeably as the meal progressed (as did the first bottle). This and the prominent tannins in the finish lead me to believe that this has still not entered its prime time. I now think the bottles I have will show best between 2016 and 2026 which puts me at considerable odds with the community consensus. 92 points
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Red
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2001 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia Soprana
Nebbiolo more
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The first of three bottles purchased on release. This was the first of my 2001 Baroli opened to see how they were evolving.
Decanted and allowed to air in the decanter for 5+ hours prior to serving with polenta and wild mushroom sauce. Lovely bright medium deep garnet color with noticeable bricking at the edge.
Oh my, what a charming and vivacious bottle; more elegant and sophisticated than anticipated. Prominent classic aromas followed by a medium weight, beautifully balanced display of secondary flavors that build in intensity with smooth tannins pushing through in the finish. This is at the doorstep of "prime time" and will be a joy to drink over the next 10 years.
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Red
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2000 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara
Nebbiolo more
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Decanted and allowed to breathe for 1.5 hours, leaving a moderate amount of fine sediment. This was a little lighter in color and very tight on the nose when first decanted. Half the bottle was reserved to a 375 ml after decanting, pumped and refrigerated to try again the next day.
This really started to open up and blossom at the 2 hr mark. It is an extraordinarily elegant (rather than dramatic) expression of Nebbiolo. Not an overwhelmingly powerful wine either on the nose or palette, but totally beguiling, generous, and charming. The wine is approaching its peak drinking window now but is in no danger of going over the edge anytime soon and should hold up well for a decade or more. The smooth tannins are mostly resolved and the acidity is perfectly in balance. The play of ripe plums, dried cherries, roses, orange peel, leather, a faint suggestion of creosote, truffle oil, and earthiness against a silky smooth mouth feel is sublime. Moderate length with a very clean finish that trails off softly. The wine was still gaining in depth and intensity when we finished it. 92 points tonight.
Day 2- From the half bottle reserved out the night before. Removed from the refrigerator 4 hours before serving.
This picked up right where we left it the night before without missing a beat. In fact, it seemed even more open and inviting. The sensual aromas and flavors do not leap out at you, but approach quietly and wrap themselves around your senses. The only thing that keeps me from rating it even higher now is the length of the finish which is easily remedied by just taking another sip of this seductive wine. An amazing QPR at under $25. 93 points and the clear potential to move up with a few more years.
UPDATE: 11/02/2012
After 10 lovely bottles, this one had a bit of oxidation. Bummer. Not rated.
UPDATE: 04/18/2013
Bottle #15, really a beautiful wine. It is going to be tough to hold back on the remaining 11 bottles but I would like to follow this over the next 8-10 years.
UPDATE: 02/12/2014
Slo-ox for 5 hours and decanted just before serving. This was just stunning in its elegance and sophistication. Served with pasta and a wild mushroom sauce, it was Alpine Nebbiolo at its very best. Truly one of those magical bottles that would be diminished by any attempt to describe or score.
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Red
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1970 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva
Tempranillo more
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I purchased 3 of these in March of this year from CSW to celebrate our daughters PhD. We opened two and they were quite different. The first had a mid-high shoulder fill and the cork disintegrated on opening even using my Ah-So cork puller. It was very tired and showing signs of oxidation
The second bottle had a low neck fill and I was able to get the cork out in one piece. It was absolutely glorious. I will skip the details as TOOCH, BRADNYC, and PJAINES have all done an excellent job in describing the experience of this wine in peak form.
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Red
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1999 Chateau Musar
Bekaa Valley
Red Blend more
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With dinner at The Farm Table in Bernardston, MA. I have never tasted Chateau Musar so I decided to give it a try. The Som did a great job of opening and decanting the bottle which had a fractured cork and a fairly heavy sediment.
As soon as he started to decant, I could sense the fabulous aromas. He gave us a short pour and recommended waiting until the entree to pour again. In the glass, it had a brilliant medium ruby color with just a hint of edge browning. The aromas and flavor profile were wonderfully exotic and exuberant (roses, lavender, violets, baked fruits, cinnamon, garrigue, old leather, pipe tobacco, and a hint of brett), but the totality was quite unlike anything I have experienced. If it was quieter, I might have heard the angels singing.
This wine is very well balanced, vibrant, smooth, and rounded in the mouth. It had fine silky tannins and a long clean finish that did not reveal the 14% ABV. It continued to open up throughout the meal gaining in both intensity and complexity to the last sip.
If I were tasting blind, I would suspect someone was trying to stump me with a blend of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Northern Rhone. In frustration, I would probably have guessed it to be a LdH Rioja Gran Reserva Tondonia from the mid 90's. Is this the unique terroir or does Musar have some kind of secret sauce they dose this with?
This elegant wine is much to my liking and should improve for 4-5 years then hold well for another decade at the least. This is one to buy if you are in synch with its unique style.
6/10/2013 Update
From 375 ml decanted and served with a selection of cheeses. This was the first of 6 half bottles purchased online a year ago. It was in excellent condition with no sign of poor storage.
It was very similar to the full bottle a year ago but a bit toned down in comparison. It was still a delight to drink. 91 points for this bottle.
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Red
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2004 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja
more
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This was the second of six bottles purchased on release. The first was opened several years ago with no notes made. I pulled it from the cellar to stand about six hours before serving with elk cutlets as I wanted something that would hold up to the assertive marinade. It was decanted for an hour before serving leaving a significant crusty sediment.
On first pour this was a dense plum color thinning slightly at the rim. Aromatically, it was all exotic ripe fruit with a meaty smokey edge. In the mouth, it was full, plush, and weighty with considerable intensity. Flavors were a mix of ripe purple fruits, chocolate, red meat, garrigue, baking spices, and a touch of vanilla. The balance, backed by smooth tannins and good acidic spine was astonishing. At 16% abv, I was fully expecting a flaming finish, but it lasted and lasted with only a hint of heat.
The wine was deceptively youthful, extremely well made, and a delicious match to the elk. If Romano Dal Forno were to make a Grenache based Amarone this is what it might be. While it does not fit into the picture of what I consider my “preferred style”, it was imminently pleasurable tonight. I have to keep reminding myself not to be so damned pedantic about what constitutes a well made wine.
The community consensus drink dates peg this as being near the close of its drinking window. I have no idea how long my other four bottles will last, but this bottle was nowhere near its last gasp.
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Red
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2001 Tormaresca Castel del Monte Bocca Di Lupo
Aglianico more
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Purchased on release, the second of 12 bottles. Decanted for 2.5 hours leaving a considerable amount of fine residue.
The first bottle of this was opened several years ago and I did not make notes. But, I do remember that it was years away from being ready to drink. Well, it is finally approaching a reasonable drinking window although it is still youthful in appearance and restrained on first pour.
It was served with spaghetti topped with a hearty tomato and grilled asparagus sauce then we finished the bottle with a selection of cheeses and olives.
The color was a deep plum right to the edge with no browning at all. The aromatics were still a primary mix of dark fruits with herbal overtones and hints of wet earth, tar, and tobacco leaf. In the mouth, it has a very solid feel with nice firmness, grip, and prominent fine tannins in the finish. After another hour, it began to open noticeably showing the potential to be an outstanding wine with a few more years of cellaring.
This is a wine that is still dominated by structure even as it starts to show some signs of evolution. It is certainly enjoyable now with at least 3 hours in the decanter and an accompaniment to food. This is well balanced with considerable depth and is made for the long haul. I will wait a year or two to open the next one.
UPDATE: 09/28/2014
This was the third bottle and was opened about 16 months after the last one. It was double decanted back to the bottle and left to air for 3 hours. Half the bottle was poured back after airing into a clean 375ml and refrigerated to try tomorrow night.
Looking back at my note on the last bottle, this doesn’t seem to have changed much (if at all) since the last bottle. I will wait at least two years before opening the next. This is really made for the long haul.
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Red
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2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial
Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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This has been an extremely polarizing wine based on the TN history on CT and WB posts. Bottle variation is the obvious thing to latch onto, but that is an effect, not the cause.
I won't speculate on a cause for it and will comment only on what I have tasted as it has been filtered through my own biased preferences, 40 years of enthusiastic tasting, and personal palate sensitivity at this stage of my life.
We purchased 2+ cases of this from three different east coast merchants over a five month period in 2011. The wines are now racked in our cellar with no way to determine which bottles came from any particular seller. They are part of a 12+ case section of 2001 Rioja in our cellar. Needless to say, I am a big fan of this vintage.
With that preamble, we have opened two of these bottles this year both of which were excellent and evidenced none of the dill pickle, overly acidic, rubber tire character described by many who have given this wine poor marks.
The bottle we opened last night was decanted for 3 hours before serving. It offered nuanced aromatics with a flavor profile and mouth feel that is close to my original tasting note of 7/16/2011. Yes there is still a significant presence of American Oak evidenced by prominent vanilla and coconut but this has integrated noticeably and the tannins have softened since the first bottle 18 months ago. It has rounded out developing a more moderated and refined presentment. Hopefully we will not encounter any of the ugly bottles that some of the others have.
Based on my experience, this is a beautifully balanced wine with exceptional potential and a distinctive personality that some will like and others may detest.
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Red
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2001 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
more
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I bought a few of these on release and most were consumed prior to joining CT in 2009 so I don't have a tasting history on it. With 2 bottles remaining, I decided to pop it mid week to see if it had anything left.
I was not expecting the treasure that greeted me. I decanted it for 30 minutes before serving and from the get-go it was stunning. My tasting impressions closely match the well done note of La Cave D'Argent on 5/11/2012 so I will dispense with the replay.
I plan to hold on to my last bottle of this until 2015 for a retrospective with my 7 other 2001 Cabs.
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White
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2003 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia
Viura, Macabeo more
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This was taken from storage at 48F and opened for a light airing while allowing it to come up to ~57F. It was served with chicken provencal, porcini saffron risotto, oven roasted asparagus, and finished with a selection of Spanish and Vermont cheeses.
This was exquisite with our dinner. It is a distinctive style of white wine that you will love or detest, but never feel indefinite about. It is a wine that needs food and will find few friends as a solo sipper.
The angular, lightly oxidative, oaky, saline aspects provided a fascinating counterpoint to the green apple, lemon rind, beeswax, vanilla, honey, marcona almond group. With a solid weighty mouthfeel, it seemed very precise, energetic, and well balanced with a finish that slowly trailed off. This was my second bottle of this and I am smitten. Priced ~ $25, it is an outstanding value………if you like this stye.
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White
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2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett
Mosel Saar Ruwer
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Opened at a Thai BYOB with Tamarind Duck.
Yowzah……stunningly good.
Riccardo Malocchio, IssacJamesBaker, and Rieslingfan dialed this in very well.
Bought 2 cases @ $20/btl.
My “ytd” value, don’t miss it.
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Red
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1989 Château Grand Mayne
St. Émilion Grand Cru
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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The fourth of six bottles from our passive cellar held since release.
Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium-dark garnet with just a hint of browning at the edge. Mature secondary aromas of cedar, leather, tobacco, chocolate, toasted pecans, and dried red fruits. Surprisingly youthful palette impression even with the mature character of the nose. Very solid feel in the mouth and a firm backbone of acid and fine tannins showing through in the finish. This seemed to gain in intensity as we consumed the bottle with a selection of Vermont cheeses. This is in a very good place now and our two remaining bottles should have several years left in them. Score 92
UPDATE: 11/03/2013
This was the next to last bottle of this and it was stunning. Very hard to determine if it was better than the 10/18/2011 bottle but I just have to give it a higher score this time. I will hold my last one for another two years. Score 94
UPDATE: 02/14/2015
I was able to source three more bottles of this about a year ago and this was the first of that set. It was decanted and served immediately to accompany chicken provencal. It initially seemed a little tired and fell short of the previous bottles even hough it was quite enjoyable. But after about 30 minutes, it started to really unfold and gaining presence. The takeaway from this is that it is still a wonderful wine and should have at least a half hour in the decanter before serving. Score 92
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2006 Jorge Ordoñez & Co. Málaga #2 Victoria
Moscatel, Muscat more
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Restaurant setting with good stemware. From 375ml, rich gold color, effusive aroma and flavor of orange peel, apricot, and peaches with excellent acidity that balanced the luscious sweetness. A long lingering finish that was really delightful after our main course.
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Red
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1997 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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The first bottle opened from six purchased at release and properly stored. It was decanted for an hour with a modest fine sediment remaining. The color was a medium brick with excellent clarity.
It offered delicate aromas and tastes of cherry, red plum, moist earth, sweet spices (nutmeg-cloves-cinnamon), cranberry, a hint of orange rind, and a subtle vein of oak all anchored with a firm core of acidity that held everything in place.
The mouth feel was silky smooth and medium-light in body. With additional time in the decanter and glass, it seemed to grow in definition and presence through to a crisp finish. At 16 years, it is structured for a long future and should improve over the next few years. This was exquisite with our dinner and it aligns perfectly with my preferred style.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1999 Domaine Philippe Delesvaux Coteaux du Layon Sélection de Grains Nobles
Chenin Blanc more
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The last of three 500ml bottles purchased in 2005 at retail. Served lightly chilled as a mid afternoon refresher. Medium amber color, delicate botrytis aromas and flavor notes of apricot, honey, pineapple, brown sugar, and a hint of oranges.
This seemed a little less intense than I remember the prior bottles being but it had a delicate, crisp feel that I found delightful on this occasion. Perfectly balanced with a lingering finish, really a delicious drink.
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White
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2002 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
Chardonnay more
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The last of 4 purchased on release and properly stored. Served at 45-50F with salmon. The other bottles were all consumed several years ago and I did not make notes. This was one I held on to just to see where it would go.
It was a gorgeous bottle that was in perfect condition and at its apogee. Bright golden in color. Lovely elegant blend of citrus, vanilla, floral, and minerality with medium body, perfect balance, and a long enchanting finish. When you catch a bottle at a point like this it is a thrilling experience.
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