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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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Rosé - Sparkling
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NV Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé Brut
Pinot Noir more
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-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 40 minutes --
Thought this was very good. Very expressive, spice-laden Nose. Strong and interesting-in-a-good-way flavors on the palate. Flavors were heavy. Not incredibly lively, but quite focused considering its substantial heft. Attendees more knowledgeable than I surmised that this bottle probably had at least 5 years of age on it (no disgorgement date was on the bottle anywhere). Low end of excellent.
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White
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2009 Beck-Hartweg Riesling Cuvée Prestige
Alsace
more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over two days --
NOSE: lime; moderate petrol; somewhat simple; moderate+ expressiveness.
BODY: pale green-tinged pale yellow color; light to medium-light bodied.
TASTE: lime; some petrol; moderate mineral; a touch creamy as it warms towards room temperature; good acidity; 13% alc. not noticeable; most of the action is on the front palate; not complex, but nonetheless quite good in its simplicity --- better than boring, but not quite intriguing. Good QPR, though.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 7 = 88
Nearly went with a “6” for an 87 (rather than the “7” for an 88).
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White
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2010 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
Melon de Bourgogne more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: “green” aromas reminiscent of a very dry Sauv. Blanc from Sancerre; moderately intense minerality; quite ashy; hints of smoke, petrol, and apple.
BODY: attractive, luminescent pale yellow color; light to medium-light bodied.
TASTE: lots of mineral; steely; lime; hints of pear and powder; fresh and clean; no oak flavor; acid is very noticeable, but is not tart; long finish of medium to medium-strong intensity; 12% alc. not noticeable; very dry --- this wine *begs* for sushi; perhaps a bit more thin than I’d prefer, but that’s a mere nit; this wine is more about its acid/mineral/freshness than it is the fruit. Excellent wine; ridiculous QPR.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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Red
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2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
more
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-- tasted from a half-full bottle that was uncorked approx. one hour before my taste --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 5 minutes --
To the extent others characterize this as a very fruity CA Pinot, and nothing more, I couldn't disagree more. Sure, there is ample fruit flavors and aromas present, but I thought this wine's presentation was more about the leather, earth, and spices than it was the fruit. Very happy to have some of this in the cellar. Drink now - 2020.
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Beer
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2011 Gueuzerie Tilquin Oude Gueuze À l'Ancienne
Rebecq
Malt, Grain more
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-- tasted non-blind from a chilled 375mL bottle --
My first time with this beer; very good; very clean; lots of orange oil on the Nose; less musty/funky than many other gueuzes. I think this will handle age well.
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White
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2009 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard
Santa Cruz Mountains
more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
Oaky on the Nose, with bright fruit aromas. Bright fruit on the palate; surprisingly rich and creamy; some minerality lurking behind, but, imo, comparisons to Burgundy are way off base. Nice focus; alc. not noticeable. Seems like it would be a good mid-term ager. Low end of excellent. Poor QPR.
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Red
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2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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-- double decanted for approx. 1.5 hours before tasting --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
This wine is very good. Very deep and brooding right now, but not closed-off either. Lots of pleasure to be had in tasting this wine's latent potential. Needs at least another 8 years before it *might* be in its prime drink window. Drink or hold. Stunning wine.
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Red
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2009 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes
Red Rhone Blend more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
-- Grenache and Mourvedre --
NOSE: expressive; ripe red berries – almost has a cotton candy aspect to it; raspberry bubblegum and raspberry jam; moderate spice; not funky; slight hint of matchstick; deep and discreet notes of potting soil and flowers; at times, this had a darker fruit profile (red grapes and plums), but for the most part it was in the red fruit end of the spectrum. Nose showed “darker” on Day 2 than it did on Day 1.
BODY: clear; magenta-ruby color of medium-deep depth; medium-full to full bodied.
TASTE: ripe; sweet; red/black/purple berry mélange, with raspberry sticking out more than anything else; plush; tannins are fine and smooth --- not much grip; front/mid palate bitter herbal note; 15.5% alc. on the label, and it is noticeable – a little warmth in the throat and belly; would really like to see the alc. turned down; don’t see how this is going to get any better in the cellar. Showed the same on Day 2 as it did on Day 1. I really hope this wine isn’t typical of ’09 CdP. This wine’s fantastic Nose saves it from a very average score; to be clear, I don’t think this wine is bad, but I do think one can do a lot better in CdP. Tough to say if this should be cellared. I feel most comfortable giving a recommendation to simply skip buying it.
B: 50, 5, 13, 14, 6 = 88-
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Red - Fortified
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NV Graham Porto 20 Year Old Tawny
Port Blend more
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-- from freshly-opened bottle that was bottled in 2011 --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over a couple hours --
NOSE: expressive; typical tawny Port Nose, with a lifted note reminiscent of a Madeira; raisins and golden raisins; fruitcake; hint of black licorice; complex and rich; really enjoyed the aromatics on this.
BODY: tan color with a vibrant ruby glint throughout; color is fairly dark for a 20 yr. Tawny; full bodied.
TASTE: very smooth presentation of pecan and toasted almonds flavors, dotted with spiced fruitcake notes; sweet, but not cloying; a gently confident finish advances from the rear middle palate and gently unfurls across the palate’s width; very long finish of moderate intensity; 20% alc. pokes through a little; very nice freshness. For my preferences, a very nice 20 yr. Tawny.
B: 50, 5, 13, 16, 8 = 92
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2007 Château de Myrat
Sauternes
Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours –
-- 375 mL bottle --
NOSE: very intense, and expressive; lots of botrytis; toasty; botrytis-laden marmalade; not complex; what’s happening to this wine???
BODY: intense orange-golden yellow color; full bodied; looks dark for its age (which has always been true of this wine).
TASTE: sweet; smoky – matchsticks; candied pineapple; dried apricot; moderate oak; 13.5% alc. not noticeable; less apparent acidity than previous bottles; this bottle worries me as to how fast this wine may be aging. Might have to change course and drink my stash of this wine quicker than previously predicted. Massive reduction in score from previous bottles. Eeek!!
B: 50, 4, 11, 15, 7 = 87
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Red - Fortified
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2007 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Vintage
Port Blend more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours on Day 1; again on Day 3 --
-- 375mL bottle; bottled in 2009 --
NOSE: Day 1: very ripe, dark, and deep fruits; black licorice; menthol; deep; brooding; serious; moderately expressive; seems to be holding back somewhat. Day 3: still dark-fruited; still brooding; hint of some kind of spice --- black pepper?; oak?; charred BBQ? Still deep, and shy.
BODY: lots of find sediment present (little dab of sludge stuck to the cork, too); dark ruby-purple color of great depth; full bodied.
TASTE: Day 1: blackberry and boysenberry; a bit earthy; moderate French oak presence(?); strong tannin; sweet, but quite drying; 19.5% alc. well-hidden, although it eventually did poke through a very little bit on the finish; nice acidity is deeply embedded; seems quite stacked, and in need of lots of cellar time to fan out; paired very well with homemade Buffalo chicken mac-n-cheese. Significantly better (completely different) than a taste I had of the same at the Tasting Room a couple months ago. Day 3: sweet; fine tannins are quite drying; alc. poking through more today than on Day 1; moderate oak; concentrated dark purple fruits; was better on Day 1, but this is still better today than the sample I tasted in the Tasting Room.
B: 50, 5, 13, 16, 8 = 92+
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White
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2010 Symington Douro Altano Branco
White Blend more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over two days --
-- blend of Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, and Moscatel Galego --
NOSE: intense tropical aromas (papaya and mango jelly candies); bit of grassiness or bell pepper – some kind of green note; smells like it will be a bit artificially sweet.
BODY: green-yellow color of moderate intensity; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: simple presentation; light fruit flavors; good minerality; hint of spearmint on the finish, which is light to medium-light in intensity, and short to medium-short in length; seems somewhat stripped down; no perceptible oak; could use more acidity; a good cheap wine – good for the price – but this is no diamond in the rough; could use more amplitude; definitely drinks best with a good chill on it. This actually did improve a bit on Day 2: very minerally; light orange flavor; a bit fruitier on Day 2 than Day 1.
B: 50, 5, 11, 13, 6 = 85
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Red
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1978 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial
Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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-- cork pulled and small pour (1/2 oz.) taken out approx. 1 hour before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over approx. 2 hours; used a Pinot glass --
-- 75% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 12% Mazuelo, 3% Graciano --
-- T/A: 6.30; pH: 3.25; r.s.: 2.0 g/L --
NOSE: gentle red cherry and strawberry Twizzlers aromas; moderate oak; wood furniture polish; savory/faint herbal tones. Overall, very smooth, complex, and engaging.
BODY: clear; garnet core with moderate bricking throughout; color is of moderate depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: very smooth; cherry fruit; smooth leather furniture; improves with air; very smooth; excellent acidity; smooth anise tone; 13% alc. not noticeable; not funky; not drying out; fruit is somewhat sweet-tasting (but not r.s. sweet); no noticeable tannin; this particular bottle seems to be firmly in its prime drinking window, and is more advanced than two other bottles I’ve had of the same wine during the past year. This bottle suggests a strong Drink Now recommendation, whereas previous bottles strongly suggested a Drink/Hold recommendation. Interesting little fact: this wine spent an astonishing 216 months in barrel (225 L American oak). Thankfully, this did not come across as overly-oaked. Discreetly amazing wine.
B: 50, 5, 14, 18, 9 = 96
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White - Sparkling
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NV Champagne Lallier Champagne Grand Cru Grande Réserve
Champagne Blend more
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Impromptu Lallier tasting: -- tasted a single glass non-blind, over approx. 5 minutes, from a bottle that had been opened and stoppered approx. 6 hours previous --
-- 2/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay --
-- 2008 base, with some 2007 and 2006 blended in –
Lots of apple and hint of toast. Nice acidity, with moderate cut and precision. Has really nice verve to it, and is offered at what I consider a ridiculously good price. 100% stainless steel. Dosage at 9g/L, but came across quite dry. Very good. Taking price into account (approx. 26 quid (approx. $40)), this gets an upgrade from very good to excellent.
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Rosé - Sparkling
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NV Champagne Lallier Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé
Pinot Noir more
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Impromptu Lallier tasting: -- tasted a single glass non-blind, over approx. 5 minutes, from a bottle that had been opened and stoppered approx. 6 hours previous --
-- 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay --
Orange-salmon color. Frothy mousse. The Nose is somewhat inexpressive, and is reminiscent of fermenting grape must with a slight hint of grassiness. Moderately intense flavor. Palate presence lacks precision or focus. This wine saw a brief maceration on skins, and is a red wine/white wine blend. Comprised of 80% Premier Cru grapes, and 20% Grand Cru grapes. Low dosage (10 g/L). Not bad, but my least favorite of the lineup; in fact, it’s the only one of the lineup that I’m not interested in buying. Good.
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White - Sparkling
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NV Champagne Lallier Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
Chardonnay more
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Impromptu Lallier tasting: -- tasted a single glass non-blind, over approx. 5 minutes, from a bottle that had been opened and stoppered approx. 6 hours previous --
Assertive apple aroma and green leaf scent on the Nose. Moderately complex on the palate; strong mineral and apple notes, and a hint of tangelo citrus fruit; good precision, but lacks cut. Pleasantly dry (8 g/L). These Chardonnay grapes come entirely from Ay. Good to very good.
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White - Sparkling
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NV Champagne Lallier Champagne Grand Cru Zero Dosage
Champagne Blend more
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Impromptu Lallier tasting: -- tasted a single glass non-blind, over approx. 5 minutes, from a bottle that had been opened and stoppered approx. 6 hours previous; tasted an additional full glass, non-blind, from the same bottle approx. 1 hour later --
-- 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay --
NOSE: intense green apple aromas; yeasty; smells like a winery during crush; wonderful Nose.
BODY: light golden yellow color; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: mineral city! apple fruit flavors are there, so this isn’t all about the mineral, but goodness --- this is not a wine for oenological nihilists! Incredibly dry and austere (zero dosage); pointed precision; good acidity; a wine that will put your palate through its paces. Mineral freaks take note: you want this wine. Excellent.
B: 50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = 92
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White - Sparkling
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2005 Champagne Lallier Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
Champagne Blend more
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Impromptu Lallier tasting: -- tasted a single glass non-blind, over approx. 5 minutes, from a bottle that had been opened and stoppered approx. 6 hours previous --
-- 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay --
Nose is richer, and more broad than the non-vintage offerings; nose also has a pleasantly intriguing umami/savory element to it, too. On the palate, this shows moderately intense apple and pear fruit flavors with a “winey” center; nice little mushroom note, too; less obvious acidity than the N.V. Grande Reserve, but it’s sufficient nonetheless; very long finish of medium-strong intensity. Low dosage (7 g/L). Very good to Excellent. I can’t remember the exact price point on this, but I do recall thinking its price point is very attractive --- a theme running throughout the entire Lallier range.
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Red
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2007 Charles Melton Nine Popes
Barossa Valley
Red Rhone Blend more
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-- cracked and poured --
-- tasted a couple glasses non-blind over approx. one hour --
NOSE: ripe purple fruits; slight oak; not complex; no pepper, funk, herbs, or menthol.
BODY: medium-full to full bodied. Dark, cloudy purple color.
TASTE: Lots of sweet oak --- this wine was aged for 18 months in 60% French oak and 40% American oak – from the taste of the wine, I’d bet those barrels were new; rather simple; lush mouthfeel; low acid; no tannin; 14.5% alc. is well-hidden for the time being, as there is lots of sweet, ripe and concentrated fruit acting as a big soft blanket laying over a rather structureless framework of a wine; I can’t imagine this wine will be in a very good place a few years down the road, as the lush fruit fades away; therefore, I would drink these now if you have ‘em. Nothing wrong with this wine, per se, but the lack of structure and the heavy-handedness of its presentation prevent it from escaping Boring Land. Those who like very fruity wines and/or oaky wines will almost certainly like this more than I did.
B: 50, 5, 10, 13, 6 = 84
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Red
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1998 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvée
Syrah more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 days; TN is (for the most part) from Day 1 --
NOSE: expressive mélange of intense plum and purple berries, as well as leather; hints of raspberry jam and habanero/scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce; moderately horsey.
BODY: violet-tinged garnet color with a hint of ageing at the eges; color is of medium-deep depth. Medium-full bodied.
TASTE: medium-coarse tannins are quite grippy; decent-to-good acidity; strong mineral aspect, along with strong notes of horsey leather; fruit flavors are in the purple end of the spectrum, and are ripe without being roasted, over-extracted, or over-concentrated; the finish is long and of medium+ intensity; alcohol is not noticeable; this wine is at a nice primary/tertiary midpoint of its evolution; very nice.
Overall, this was not as good on Day 2 as it was on Day 1: simply put, it came across as a “flatter” wine on Day 2 than it did on Day 1. My score is representative of its Day 1 showing.
B: 50, 5, 13, 17, 8 = 93
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Red
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2007 Quinta do Tedo Douro Grande Reserva Savedra
Red Blend more
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-- decanted for 45 minutes before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 5 hours --
NOSE: primary purple/red berry aromas with notes of spice and moderate oak; a bit smoky – hickory BBQ sauce; has appealing high-toned mango note; a bit meaty, as well; expressive, and very complex. Delightful, often-changing, and very engaging.
BODY: black-magenta-violet color of great depth; medium-full to full bodied.
TASTE: ripe/fresh/tart red/purple berries; slightest hint of leather in the background; medium oak (not too much); hints of stems(?), hickory, sage, and slightly bitter florals; fruit is concentrated, but not overly so; medium-fine tannins offer plenty of grip, and are off-set by ample tart acidity; finish is of medium length and moderate intensity --- seems to be holding back; totally primary and somewhat reserved right now: this will absolutely benefit from more cellar time; very well-balanced. Drink now through 2022.
B: 50, 5, 13, 17, 8 = 93+
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White - Fortified
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2000 Niepoort Douro Moscatel do Douro
more
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-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind from a 375 mL bottle over a few hours --
NOSE: expressive: golden raisins; brown sugar; hint of prunes; tawny aspect (sugared roasted pecans); botrytis (I believe).
BODY: amber color of medium-deep depth; full bodied.
TASTE: sweet; golden raisins and a hint of dried pineapple; oak; sugared pecans (tawny) at the edge; low acidity; 20% alc. is well-hidden, but for a touch of retronasal fuminesss and a hint of warmth in the belly. Quite delicious. This is part of Niepoort's "Projectos" series. Finally, I'm still awaiting confirmation from Niepoort on this point, but I believe this was bottled in 2008 or 2009.
B: 50, 5, 12, 15, 7 = 89
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Red
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2004 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine
Red Rhone Blend more
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-- decanted for approx. 30 minutes before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over two days --
NOSE: initially: black cherry; Elmer’s white glue; moderately expressive; more red-fruited than purple-fruited. About one hour after opening: Elmer’s note went away; sandy mineral note; spiced fruit cake; peppery raspberry reduction sauce; smoked pepperoni stick. Day 2: tight; bitter cool cherry aroma; hint of florals.
BODY: crimson black cherry color of medium to medium-deep depth; sediment present; medium-full to full bodied.
TASTE: sweet boysenberry and loganberry; hints of background leather and garrigue; a touch bitter; clipped finish; still completely primary; 14% alc. is not noticeable; tannins are soft; decent acidity. After 2.5 hours: still tight; hint of spice on the finish, which is short and of medium-light intensity; seems tightly wound right now. Needs time. Day 2: very tight – even moreso than Day 1. Lots of potential for future improvement. Hold.
B: 50, 5, 12, 15, 8 = 90+
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Red
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2009 Poggiotondo Chianti Riserva
Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more
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-- bottle was opened approx. 1 hour before first glass --
-- tasted a couple glasses non-blind over approx. 45 minutes --
On the Nose, light red fruits, background hint of leather, and spices. On the palate, moderate oak and red fruit. Gives an overall light impression; moderate tannin; O.K. Gut impression score: 85.
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Red
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2009 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir
Marlborough
more
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-- popped and poured immediately before tasting --
-- tasted a couple glasses non-blind over approx. 45 minutes --
Nose showed cool blue and purple berry aromas, with a nice herbal backdrop. Medium-light to medium bodied. Nice acidity on the palate. Fresh, red fruits; nice spice; 14% alc. not noticeable. Reminds me of a nice RRV Pinot. I thought this was pretty good. Gut impression score: 90 - 91
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