| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| White |
2008 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric EmileAlsace more |
3/16/2021 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 pointsWhat a powerhouse Riesling! Loads of lemon custard, key lime pie, fresh pears, something floral, and a whiff of kerosene. On the palate, just beaucoup dry extract, sea salt, and lime, with a lovely tension between the rich citrus fruit and intense acidity and minerality that just shellacked my palate. With so much packed in here, this has miles to go, but it’s already a compelling (if a bit aggressive) youngster that will only improve with age. |
| White |
2018 Envinate TagananTacoronte-Acentejo White Blend more |
2/9/2021 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 pointsLovely aromas of orange peel, hazelnut, and sea spray. Bracing salinity and good texture from the obvious skin contact but perhaps lacking a little weight or heft you'd expect. That said, it made a dynamite pairing with grilled fish and grilled shrimp tacos.. |
| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2001 Château SuduirautSauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
2/9/2021 - Billigan Likes this wine: 96 pointsEnjoyed it over five(!) nights with my wife. A wine of great intensity, with all the aromas and flavors of Sauternes packed in, creating a feeling of density and complexity with every sniff or sip. Heady smells of ripe apricot, orange marmalade, toffee, vanilla, and a bit of Xmas cake spice. Incredible weight on the palate, just coating every nook and cranny with marmalade sweetness but undergirded with an equally powerful acidity that stands up ably to the mass of ripe fruit. An absolute knockout with the stuffing to last another several decades and still probably the best value from this justifiably legendary vintage. 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2005 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er CruPinot Noir more |
2/8/2021 - Billigan Likes this wine: 92 pointsA marked contrast to my bottle of six years ago and a sign that the 2005s are at least becoming open enough to drink, if not yet mature. Shows all the richness and depth of the vintage on the nose, with loads of warm soil, blackberry jam, cinnamon, iron filings, and pine needle. Dense and rich berry fruit on the palate but with plenty of underlying acidity for freshness and suave tannins for structure. This will no doubt continue to improve, but it's no crime to take a peek now, as it's delicious and in fine form. |
| Red |
2008 Produttori del Barbaresco BarbarescoNebbiolo more |
1/9/2021 - Billigan wrote: flawedCorked! |
| White - Off-dry |
2008 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le MontChenin Blanc more |
9/17/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 pointsEight years since my last bottle, but it feels like it hasn't aged a bit. Still the same purity and clarity of orchard fruit in the nose, like smelling a freshly sliced, ripe pear with lovely tones of wool, wax, and honey. Fresh and energetic on the palate, balancing rich fruit with nervy, mineral tension and topped off with a lip-smacking finish. A delicious complement to Thai food, and a reminder of how good (and seemingly ageless) Huet can be. |
| White |
1994 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos WindsbuhlAlsace more |
6/28/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 pointsLovely aromas of apples and wet stone, but the palate is where this wine really shines. Beautifully ripe golden delicious apples balanced perfectly by zippy acidity and a bracing, almost grippy minerality on the finish. In a great spot, but you get the sense this wine could stay on this nice plateau almost indefinitely! |
| Red |
2014 Château Thivin Côte de BrouillyGamay more |
6/23/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 pointsConsistent with my previous note, as this shows all the same cool, red-fruited character with just a beautiful stoniness that's almost tactile. Like the perfect marriage of grape and granite. A true terroir-lover's wine. |
| Red |
2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco AsiliNebbiolo more |
6/5/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 97 pointsI'm a real sucker for aromatic intensity in wines, so I was practically weak in the knees upon my first whiff of this beauty. All the archetypal nebbiolo qualities are there: roses, licorice, mushrooms, and rich black soil, but with depth and intensity of those smells at a level that no one can match. Absolutely mesmerizing such that it took me a few minutes to pull my nose out of the glass and take a sip. Gorgeously ripe red fruit with just the right balancing acid and fine, powdery tannins giving structure and proportion to it all. Just a stunning showing here but with plenty of upside potential for the next decade or three. |
| Red |
2008 Fattoria Galardi Terra di LavoroRoccamonfina IGT Aglianico more |
5/17/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 92 pointsDeep, dark, and a little reserved, this wine took two night to really open up. Bold, powerful scents of ripe blackberries, ash, asphalt, and leather. The volcanic quality really does shine through. Brooding and tannic on the palate, but more refined than rustic, maintaining a certain drinkability through the sheer presence of its perfectly ripe fruit, in spite of its obvious structure. Drink now with a long decant or hold 5+ years to see additional dimensions here. |
| Red |
2015 Ridge GeyservilleAlexander Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more |
5/12/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 92 pointsHaving just checked in on the 2013 and it found it surprisingly open, I figured it was worth peeking at the 2015, and it was a really interesting contrast. Whereas the '13 was much softer and approachable, the '15 was much firmer and reserved. Nice nose of course, with plenty of coffee bean, blackberry jam, and cracked pepper. The usual balance and restraint on the palate, but with a nice bit of grip to show you that some more time is needed. Certainly not a crime to open one now, but there's really good upside potential if you let it rest a few more years. 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| White |
2015 Goodfellow Family Cellars Chardonnay Richard's Cuvee Whistling Ridge VineyardRibbon Ridge more |
5/10/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 pointsReally nice Old World-New World contrast between the nose and palate. Very cool, stony aromas with some Burgundian matchstick and lemon cream. Similarly strong mineral profile on the palate but with ripe yellow apple and even a bit of pineapple sweetness, balanced nicely by a clean acid and more minerals on the lengthy finish. I didn't find the same measure of complexity as other CT tasters, but this is a very well-made chardonnay and a notable step-up for me from their (already good) Willamette Valley bottling. |
| Red |
1990 Château Lagrange (St. Julien)Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/10/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 pointsCT says it's been seven years since I last cracked open a 1990 Lagrange, and while my experience this time around wasn't as rhapsodic as in 2013, this is still outstanding. Plenty of the same deep aromas of tobacco smoke, turned earth, cassis, and old cedar chest that I loved from before. On the palate, it still has that strong, rich fruit and savory, earthy persona, but it's turned just a shade plummier and stewier with more time in the bottle, signaling that one should open them sooner rather than later. |
| Red |
2017 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Star of Bethlehem Flower BlockDundee Hills more |
5/9/2020 - Billigan wrote: NRLarge cluster of tartrate crystals in the neck. Very pale red and a strong contrast to the richer, darker 2017 Oregon pinots I've tried. Aromatic nose of cranberry, strawberry, violets, and wet stone. Lightweight, clean, pure, and mineral on the palate with Burgundian finesse but lacking a bit oomph and a bit of a clipped, lightly tart finish. Between the geologic formation in the neck and the sour cherry tartness, I felt something might be amiss. Will hold and try again in a couple years to see if things smooth out. |
| Red |
2018 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du PyGamay more |
5/7/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 95 pointsAnother year, another stellar Foillard CdP. Ebullient nose full of violets, roses, sweet cherry, and strawberry. Just an unmistakable, textbook Foillard perfume. Bursting with ripe, sweet berry fruit on the palate, but not at all overripe; just silky and juicy with enough acidic and mineral tang on the finish for balance. Reminiscent of the 2015 in its fruit-forward character, but with a little more restraint, structure, and vitality. Another Beaujolais masterclass from the region's best producer and my favorite since the 2014 vintage. 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2011 Pierre Gonon St. JosephSyrah more |
5/6/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 93 pointsMy last bottle of this gem (bought for $45 retail on release....sigh), and I'm glad I closed out at its peak. The nose is at full exuberance, just brimming with olive brine, crispy bacon, and floral goodness. Dark-fruited, briny, and savory on the palate with soft tannins and a sweet/savory finish. Perfect with smoked ribs. Only demerit is that it basically fell apart on night #2, turning from briny to just sour. Another reminder not to hold this vintage too long, but the first night reminded me of why this wine has brought me so much pleasure over the years. |
| Red |
2010 Lisini Brunello di MontalcinoSangiovese more |
5/4/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 pointsInviting Brunello, with an expressive nose of dark berries and cherries, old leather, tobacco, and spices. It has some very fine, lightly gripping tannins that recede with airtime and along with the healthy dose of acidity, makes this wine a delicious food companion. Love the traditional, old-school stylings on display here. |
| Red |
2013 Ridge GeyservilleSonoma County Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more |
5/2/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 92 pointsReally surprising how open and inviting this was, given that the Geyserville, while never really unapproachable, is usually much more structured and firm at this age. Maybe the high proportion of Carignane is at play here? |
| White |
2008 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña GravoniaViura, Macabeo more |
4/29/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 pointsI've loved this wine for so long, and the 2008 delivers that same salty, savory richness that makes it such a brilliant companion to so many dishes. What's remarkable is in fact its consistency year over year. I realized in drinking this that I couldn't really distinguish it from any other vintage of Gravonia; they all share a very similar aroma and flavor profile, with comparable levels of depth and freshness. I suppose it's a credit to the good people at LdH for making such a superb wine, regardless of vintage conditions, or is my palate just getting less adept as marking those distinctions?! Ha! |
| Red |
2016 Alain Jaume Lirac Domaine du Clos de SixteRed Rhone Blend more |
4/27/2020 - Billigan wrote: 88 pointsNot going to win any awards for complexity, but this hits the mark for a polished, balanced, CdR experience that's easy on the pocketbook and that brings enough bold fruit, savory spice, and freshness to give it a sense of place. Solid QPR. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
1982 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountainmore |
4/26/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 96 pointsReading some of the notes here, I was expecting to find this wine in its decline, but instead, lucked into a bottle at its apogee. Entrancing on the nose: just brimming with old leather, pipe smoke, turned earth, and blackberry jam. Not as multi-dimensional or compelling on the palate, with a distinctly mineral profile and a nice core of still-vibrant fruit, but a little dilute on the finish. The nose alone carries this wine to great heights, and it was frankly of overall higher quality than most every 1982 Bordeaux I've had recently. A real testament to the benefits of the burlier, more structured Dunn style, and an absolute delight for a Sunday steak dinner with my family. |
| White |
2012 Buisson-Charles Meursault Vieilles VignesChardonnay more |
4/23/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 92 pointsReally gorgeous village wine. Lovely nose of lemon cream, marzipan, and a little jasmin. Good richness and depth with a strong mineral texture on the palate. Strikingly good balance and an almost-saline finish. Drank beautifully over two nights. My first spin with this producer, and I'm very impressed. |
| Red |
2006 Ridge GeyservilleSonoma County Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more |
4/11/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 pointsAt 14 years, this is about where you’d expect it to be, with the tannins having melted completely, and the wine having taken on more of a warm compote fruit profile, with traces of cracked pepper and smoke. This is a typically delicious, if not world-beating, classical aged Geyserville. Enjoy now. |
| White |
2017 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des BriordsMelon de Bourgogne more |
3/31/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 90 pointsReally enjoyed this with fish tacos. The usual blend of lemon curd, briny notes, and leesy richness that I love so much with the Briords. Maybe lacking that extra intensity and weight of some of the best vintages (e.g., 2014), this is still a fine, middleweight rendition of what is still one of the great white wine values on Earth. |
| Red |
2000 Chateau MusarBekaa Valley Red Blend more |
3/28/2020 - Billigan Likes this wine: 90 pointsA classic, if not thrilling, rendition of Serge's "recipe" as all the components are there (high-toned fruit, lifted spice aromas, VA out the wazoo), but lacking intensity or that extra bit complexity that can make these wines compelling. It's a tasty beverage, but there are better vintages of Musar to seek out instead. Fully resolved and ready to drink. |
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- Tasting notes: 930 notes on 743 wines
