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My Tasting Notes from "Lloyd Cellars"

(5,000+ notes on 4,849 wines)

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White - Off-dry
3/29/2024 - sh197 wrote:
Floral, marmalade, honey, gorgeous
Red
3/20/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine:
93 points
A&B winemaker dinner @ Murphy's in Atlanta. From Mag. PNP. Paired with dessert (camembert mousse). Great pairing and great BDX left bank inspired wine! This is A&B's entry level wine. Brad - heavypourwine.com
White - Sparkling
3/29/2024 - Madi Likes this wine:
94 points
I‘ve tasted it on two consecutive days. First a wonderful almost sweet nose of yeast and fruits. I thought this might be the best bottle of bubbles ever. But in the mouth the taste is more complicated and I was wondering if I found it really pleasing or not. In the middle bitter notes pop up and cannot be ignored and the finish is dry with a bit of petroleum and other rather difficult tastes. On the second day I had it with food and it matches nicely with the saffron rice I’ve had. It is less edgy and really put a smile on my lips. It is probably not a crowd pleaser, less fruity or sweet than scented. Yet if you like to explore your sense of taste, you will love it.
Red
3/29/2024 - FjordogFjell wrote:
Påskelam med Hombstabakk’s. Forsmak i sola, etter skitur. Åpen og tilgjengelig. blodappelsin. Skarp smak med rognebær, jern og tobakk. God syre og tanniner som sitter lenge.
Red
3/20/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine:
92 points
A&B winemaker dinner @ Murphy's in Atlanta. From 750. PNP. Paired with grilled wagyu shortrib and served alongside the '17 A&B Dr. Crane. Red fruit. Great pairing and really good wine although it was my least favorite of the reds (tough competition with some of the library stuff that they served!) It was interesting that almost everyone else at the dinner though this wine was the WOTN and my WOTN was the '17 Dr. Crane. I also noticed I scored the VHR a few points lower this time than when I originally tasted it at the estate last year. Perhaps my lower score was because of the lack of air? Brad - heavypourwine.com
Red
3/29/2024 - Scottwhipp Likes this wine:
94 points
Pours dark purple, almost black. Full bodied, big and bold and plush on the palate with flavors of blackberry, cassis, mocha and cedar. Nicely integrated tannins on a moderately long finish. Drinking in its prime now, but clearly has plenty of life left.
Red
3/29/2024 - Winance Tom Likes this wine:
94 points
Superb after 29 years. Powerful mature red fruits!
Red
3/29/2024 - StefanAkiko Does not like this wine:
70 points
Här har vi ett vin som jag nog hoppades mer på än vad det ville leverera. Ingen qwevri, men fortfarande ett vin från en stor tillverkare. Borde väl kunna leverera lite spänning?

Första glaset: trist fruktdrivet vin helt utan personlighet, komplexitet eller längd. Balanserat på sitt josiga vis. Ej intellektuellt stimulerande. Gott!

Andra glaset (3 tim senare): Doftar av rått kött, slakteri, gamla tarmar och levergryta. WTF??? Det här är en stor omsvängning! Från mittfåra till niche?!? Från lättdrucket till perverst med liten luftning över några timmar. Tanninerna svängde också - från mjuka till grova... Tanninerna smakar faktiskt lever... Inte min kopp te, varken före eller efter...

Förfärligt!

Hade satt upp detta som mitt kvalitetsvin från årets vinland nummer 21, men det kvalificerar inte. Så, jag står och stampar på 20 vinländer av målsättnignens 52... Skall skynda mig ploppa en riktigt bra Georgier efter nästa veckas vistelse i Venedig.

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Ah, here we find ourselves venturing into the depths of the Georgian wine landscape, expectations high, only to be met with a vintage that redefines the very concept of disappointment. A wine that, in its lack of qvevri tradition, still held promise from a notable producer. One might have anticipated a spark of excitement, a dash of intrigue, but alas, what was served fell catastrophically short of such hopes.

The initial encounter: a drearily fruit-driven concoction, utterly devoid of character, complexity, or length. It achieves a sort of balance, if one generously describes an insipid, juice-like equilibrium as such. Not intellectually stimulating in the slightest, yet, curiously, not entirely unpalatable.

The situation deteriorates dramatically with the second glass, some three hours later. The bouquet has morphed into a ghastly array of scents reminiscent of raw meat, a butchery, aged entrails, and liver stew. What sorcery is this? A jarring transformation from the mundane to the bizarrely niche, from easily quaffable to disturbingly perverse, with just a bit of aeration over a few hours. The tannins, too, have turned—a shift from soft to coarsely abrasive... tasting, quite frankly, of liver. Not at all my cup of tea, either before or after this bewildering metamorphosis.

Dreadful, indeed!

This was to be my quality pick from this year's 21st wine-producing country, but it fails to qualify on any level. Thus, I find myself frustratingly stalled at 20 countries in my ambitious goal to explore 52... I shall hasten to uncork a truly exemplary Georgian wine after next week's sojourn in Venice, in hopes of erasing this unfortunate experience from my palate and memory.
Red
3/29/2024 - hoops92 Likes this wine:
91 points
Smooth and silky at this point with good depth of flavor
Red
5/18/2021 - Ramberg wrote:
91 points
A very fine bottle of straight Chambolle.
Up on opening - a floral and airy nose, strawberries, some wild and gamey scents, spices, touch of smoke, and darker fruit beneath.
Palate with cranberries, lingonberries, sour cherries and some rhubarb.
Darker ripe fruits hiding in a denser layer beneath, along with some oak notes.
Rather tight and unborn at this stage, lots of dense fruit and lot's material waiting to be unleashed.
Very good and showing good potential for a bright future.
Hard to fully asses tonight, but power and material along with balance of acidity clearly present.
Needs more time.
(91 - 93?)
Red
3/20/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine:
95 points
A&B winemaker dinner @ Murphy's in Atlanta. From Magnum. PNP. Paired with grilled wagyu shortrib and served alongside the '19 A&B VHR. Blue fruit. EXCELLENT pairing and WOTN for me. I picked up several for the cellar. It was interesting that almost everyone else at the dinner though the VHR was the WOTN and some indicated they detected smoke taint in the Dr. Crane. I didn't detect even a hint of smoke taint and thought this wine was fantastic! Brad - heavypourwine.com
Red
5/14/2021 - Ramberg wrote:
94 points
No formal notes.
I just fully enjoyed this very young and brilliant bottle of Barolo.
Second bottle, and just so happy that I have a few cases since this is such as sexy Cannubi.
Best wine I ever had from this producer - the vintage is singing.
White - Sweet/Dessert
3/29/2024 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine:
94 points
Men herremjussingens så fint någonting så dissat kan smaka! Aprikoser och lådor av vita persikor slåss om utrymmet i denna halvsöta njutning från himmelriket! Fantastiskt! Helt underbart! Det här är bra skit! Långt, komplext, vackert, balanserat, fragilt men stabilt och låååångt! Ambrosia! Så outtalbart vackert! som då änglar sjunger, féer dansar och Loki dräper Baldur. Allt fint på samma gång!

Måste studera kanadensisk Vidal mer. Kostar bara spottstyvrar på auktioner här i Japan, så jag må ju skämmas lite för att inte ha engagerat mig tidigare. I fjol plumsade jag ned i min första vidal, ett sönderoxiderast äckelmonster. Men, här pratar vi magi!!!

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Discovering the sheer delight that a Vidal Late Harvest from Canada can offer is akin to uncovering a hidden gem amidst a sea of underestimated treasures. The experience is a revelation, with apricots and boxes of white peaches vying for attention in this semi-sweet indulgence from paradise. The wine is simply exquisite, a testament to the extraordinary potential of the Vidal grape when transformed into a late harvest concoction.

This wine is a symphony of contrasts: long, complex, beautiful, and balanced, it straddles the line between fragility and stability with grace, extending into a finish that seems to linger indefinitely. It is ambrosia for the senses, an indescribably beautiful experience reminiscent of angels singing, fairies dancing, and the mythic tales of Loki and Baldur. It encapsulates all that is wonderful, all at once.

The exploration of Canadian Vidal has been a long time coming, especially considering its surprising affordability at auctions here in Japan. Reflecting on this oversight brings a hint of regret for not having delved into the world of Vidal sooner. My first encounter with a Vidal was last year, with a bottle that had unfortunately succumbed to over-oxidation, a far cry from the magic found in this glass.

The enchantment encapsulated in this late harvest wine compels a deeper investigation into Canadian Vidal. Its ability to surprise and delight, coupled with its accessibility, underscores the hidden potential waiting to be explored. This Vidal Late Harvest is not just a drink; it's a magical journey, a celebration of the extraordinary flavors that the world of wine has to offer.
Red
3/9/2024 - Metalhorns Likes this wine:
93 points
A very dark showcase of cabernet franc. Plum, tobacco, violet, vanilla, blackberry and mild oak come together for a deep exploration of aroma and flavour married in stupendous balance. It's almost completely barren of the varietal's pyrazine flare, yet still full-bodied and wonderfully structured with tannins that grip the sides while keeping it smooth down the middle. Complex, nicely acidic and with a long finish that brings the floral notes upwards, this Mendoza gem is a treat.
Red
3/20/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine:
93 points
A&B winemaker dinner @ Murphy's in Atlanta. From Magnum. PNP. Paired with Fazzolerri pasta (lamb). Drinking very well. This is A&B's blend that's inspired by Cheval Blanc. My second favorite wine of the night. I picked some of this up for my cellar. Brad - heavypourwine.com
Red
3/29/2024 - Nick72wine wrote:
92 points
Lovely Gevrey spiciness, still too young to fully appreciate, took 4 hours to open and then still felt there was more to come from this one, stemmy quality with lovely lifted cherry mixed with sous bois and mushroom.
Tannins still a bit rough, will leave the other ones untouched until at least 2028.
White
3/29/2024 - jpp10780 Likes this wine:
93 points
One of the finest Domaine Ganevat bottles I've had recently. Golden color, golden apples...less acidity than I prefer but the depth of flavor more than compensated. I just love these bottles.
Red
2009 Château Gloria St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
3/19/2024 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine:
95 points
Fourth of twelve from an OWC purchased at retail. This is on an upward swing, showing lots of softening but still primary blackberries and cassis and very ripe, dusty tannins. The whole thing had a very silky mouthfeel despite the medium-plus acidity. Excellent balance. I’m with Jane Anson on the score on this one. This is a great wine that is getting to be a lot of fun now. Next stop tertiary land. But not too fast. Let’s enjoy this phase for a bit. 13.5% ABV (great/****/17.5/95)
Red
3/29/2024 - empire80 Likes this wine:
90 points
Slightly subdued blackcurrant fruit, blackberry, some savoury and herby notes. A nice blend for now and next few years, and good value.
Red
2021 La Kiuva Rouge de Vallée Vino da Tavola Nebbiolo Blend, Nebbiolo (view label images)
3/29/2024 - umazz Likes this wine:
88 points
Again, I find this wine to be a very good buy. For 15 bucks you won't find many medium bodied wines that are as nicely balanced and nuanced as this one.
White
3/20/2024 - HeavyPourWine Likes this wine:
92 points
A&B winemaker dinner @ Murphy's in Atlanta. PNP. Paired with salad. Melon. Very nice start to the evening! Brad - heavypourwine.com
Red
3/28/2024 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine:
94 points
From a lot of bottles purchased at retail with like-new fills. A small glass was previously removed from this bottle via Coravin (on 3/16/24).

This bottle showed very well after uncorking and a decant of about an hour. Whereas it was previously thin and uneven, today it was quite concentrated, pure, even, and very well balanced. There were lots of dusty tannins and just a perfect amount of acidity. It was rather undeveloped, though, and there was nothing tertiary going on yet.

This is clearly a great wine with a ton of substance, but a lack of development is holding it back. It was a bit simple and slab sided at this point. I won’t touch another of these for maybe five years. 13% ABV (great/****/17/94)
Red
3/29/2024 - Richard123 Likes this wine:
91 points
Excellent Morgon at a very compelling price under $25. Just a perfect balance of tart fruit, dark fruit and minerality.
White - Sparkling
3/29/2024 - Richard123 Likes this wine:
92 points
Previous review describes well. There is a lot of dosage in this cuvee which comes through as a very appealing smoothness almost sweetness (although not sweet). Other champs have a lot of tart acidity, which has its place but can be too much.

Great sipping champagne but as usual good with most foods too.
Red
3/29/2024 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine:
92 points
Hade förväntat mig ett sugigt vin som åldrats minst 25 år för mycket.

Men... Det är perfekt balanserat, helt klart på sin platå med en liten andel murriga toner av "advanced" bland allt det vackra. Ingen oxdation öht i ett 34-årigt medelvin med korkbarkskork.

Mina kompisar i Australien dricker samtidigt samma label från 2020, 21, 22, som uppfattas som alla uppfattas som fruktkompott som tyvärr faller samman med mat (långkokta lamb shanks, fish'n'chips och BBQ).

I mitt glas har jag ett vin med vacker robe - som en mogen Bdx med kaliber.

I nosen något återhållen med röda bär, olivspad och en gnutta brett.

I gommen lever detta vin sannerligen upp!

Första smutten ca 80-81p någonstans med skarpa syror och obalans utan complexitet, men tar sig efter några timmar av god dialog! Snopet, men fram träder en snygg tanninstruktur, balanserade syror, mogna aromer (svarta oliver, bambukol-baserat tusch, tobak i flera nyanser, läderbälte, gnutta brett) samman med andra aromer som säkerligen bättre tilltalar både kreti och pleti: röda bär och frukter, kryddiga buskar och snygg mynta/eucalyptus samsas om utrymmet med vackra blomster, blygsam fathantering (kan vara andra dofter, men jag tolkar det så) och helt enkelt ett komplext, moget vin på sin platå med något uttalade syror, men full balans, tillräcklig komplexitet och inspirerande längd. Me like!

För dig som har flaskor: finns ingen anledning att känna sig stressad. Kommer inte ramla ned för ett stup inom den närmaste tiden.

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Plopping this wine with an anticipation of encountering a wine that had overstayed its welcome by at least a quarter of a century, one is delightfully corrected. Here lies a wine that strikes a perfect balance, unmistakably at its plateau, yet with an endearing hint of matured, earthy notes amidst its splendour, showing no signs of oxidation despite its 34 years under a horrid, natural cork.

I find myself cradling a glass that tells a story of a different time and place.

This wine presents itself with an elegant robe reminiscent of a mature Bordeaux of distinction. On the nose, it is slightly reserved, whispering of red berries, olive brine, and a touch of brett. Yet, on the palate, this wine truly comes to life.

Initially, it's modest, rating perhaps around 80-81 points, with sharp acidity and a total lack of complexity. However, given time to breathe and engage in a bit of dialogue, it transforms. Surprisingly, a sophisticated tannin structure emerges(!), along with balanced ++ acidity and mature aromas such as black olives, bamboo charcoal ink, tobacco in various shades, a leather belt, and hint of brett. These are beautifully accompanied by more universally appealing notes of red berries and fruits, spicy shrubs, and elegant mint/eucalyptus, alongside delicate floral nuances and a subtle oak influence – resulting in a complex, mature wine at its peak. This wine showcases pronounced acidity yet achieves full balance, sufficient complexity, and an inspiring finish.

For those fortunate enough to possess bottles of this vintage, there is no cause for urgency. This wine is not falling off a cliff anytime soon. It stands as a proof to the time-honored craft of winemaking, helping us all to savor the history and complexity of great things ... without haste.
Red
3/29/2024 - empire80 Likes this wine:
91 points
Fully developed but no rush. Stewed plum and sweet cherry fruit, some earthy herbs and hint of spice. A good example of what the new world can do with pinot.
White - Off-dry
3/28/2024 - kfrench150 Likes this wine:
93 points
Under cork. Pure, late afternoon, summer sun yellow. Coats the glass with a uniform layer of robing. Fleshy yellow plums, crystallized honey and light petrol on the nose. Perhaps a hint of pine as well. Very ripe and fresh smelling! Round, rich, full and sweet on the palate with just enough acidity to keep it fresh. Flavours of yellow stone fruit, clover honey, tinned pineapple and lanoline. Finishes long, sweet and uplifting. The perfect balance of sweetness, weight and acidity elevates this to a deceptively light finish that is quite long. I really like this! A totally different wine than from 4 years ago. This is now mellow, fully knit and bordering on sublime. Easy 93 points!
White
2020 Louis Jadot Montrachet Montrachet Grand Cru Chardonnay (view label images)
3/17/2024 - isbjoern wrote:
97 points
Compared to all the other excellent white Burgundies we had tonight this bottle was clearly on a different quality level. Still a baby of course but this already shows amazing balance, elegance and complexities. 2020 is clearly a great vintage for white Burgundy. This will develop into a great wine for sure - 97 points
Red
Really lovely — very good to outstanding. Medium nose, tertiary. Lots of red plum, Davison’s plum, cranberry, juniper berry, maybe strawberry. Fruit leather. Leather, earth, some barnyard funk. Fresh, but with some savoury tertiary character. Unoaked. Dry, medium(+) tannins, medium acidity, high alcohol (14%). By the glass at a restaurant
White
3/29/2024 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine:
95 points
Super fresh, aromatic and full of tension, this is showing notes of citrus, some nashi pear, also some minerality, white flowers, honeysuckle, lindenblossom, candied ginger, some marine minerality. It's medium-full bodied, with medium-high acidity. Super long finish. A superb Puligny that is in a beautiful place already. Wow.
White
3/17/2024 - isbjoern wrote:
94 points
Rich and complex, great classy apple fruit and hints of brioche, very mineral, still young. - 94 points
White
3/29/2024 - pbaek wrote:
I’ve experience a lot of bottle variation with this wine and this particular bottle was sort of in between the good and not so good ones. Golden color. Mature Chablis-like bouquet, brine, toffee caramel, apples. Advanced, compared to the 2014 Chery, but there are no tropical fruit notes, rather baked apple notes, pear, toffee caramel. There’s good acidity, this is not heavy at all, but I’m also not sure this is the best example of what this wine can show. Have a few more in the cellar to try.
Red
3/29/2024 - SA_Wine wrote:
Still fruit but no finish. Marinade for butterflied leg o lamb with dijon. 48 hour marinade.
Red
3/29/2024 - manny651 Likes this wine:
92 points
aging very nicely, nice plush fruit with good mellow tannins
White
3/29/2024 - EMAZurich Likes this wine:
96 points
Whow! Mittleres Goldgelb, eher dichte Farbe.
Grossartige Nase, Aromen weisser Blüten, Popcorn, Zitrusfrüchte, leichte Gewürznote, ganz, ganz toll!
Am Gaumen eine Wucht. Wieder Zitrus, auch Apfel, etwas Ananas, Popcorn, deutliche Vanillenote, ein Feuerwerk!
Perfekte Balance, grossartige Länge, ein Weltklasse-Weisswein!
White
3/17/2024 - isbjoern wrote:
91 points
Yellow apples, melon, hint of age, fine acidity, lovely, but not very compkex or long. Good now. - 91 points
White
3/12/2024 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:
94 points
Retail $42. Responsible Bottle (595g; 1lb 5oz). Agglomerated stopper. This is the 14th vintage of this wine but the first that I have "officially" reviewed. I certainly hope it is not the last. The website proclaims that this "reminds us of what great white Burgundy tastes like!" While such statements about American Chardonnay are usually met with more than a modicum of disdain (particularly by the French, which vintner and francophile Jeff Morgan no doubt knows better than most), I have to admit that it is pretty apt here. While I struggle a bit to place it (is it more Chassagne or Puligny? Probably the latter as it is not Meursault), this wine, a light straw with lemon rind, hazelnut, and distinct salinity in the glass, is indeed fantastic and worthy of being in the conversation with its more renowned French cousins. Having spent 11 months in French oak (50% new), I would have thought the oak presence would have been heavier, more dominant. But clearly this Sonoma Mountain fruit can handle it; sure, the wood is there, but it is at it should be, a part of the whole. On the palate, this wine continues that theme as the fruit, the tartness, the weight, depth, and yes, oak all play roles, all in concert with one another. And for me, that is the key to Chardonnay; no facet should outshine (or worse, overpower) another. And that is what we have here. Wonderful. Outstanding. 94 Points.

www.thedrunkencyclist.com
White
3/17/2024 - isbjoern wrote:
93 points
This was quite a surprise tonight. Could easily compete with the Premier and Grand crus in our blind tasting. Quite rich and perfectly balanced with excellent fruit and acidity. We we all surprised when the bottle was revealed. Great qpr. - 93 points
White
3/29/2024 - sh197 wrote:
Tasted at the domaine but didn't take notes at the time. I recall thinking that the acidity was very smooth and that there was a long long finish.
White - Off-dry
3/29/2024 - sh197 wrote:
Tasted at the domaine but didn't take notes at the time. Helios is picked 2-3 weeks later than the main harvest so not as sweet as vendanges tardive. Has a lovely acidity, I recall thinking it would cut nicely through a tarte tatin or a vanilla ice cream.
White
3/29/2024 - pbaek wrote:
Light golden color. Floral, buttery bouquet, tropical fruits. Fat, oily texture, but surprisingly airy and elegant palate with a display of honeyed fruits, butter, pear, peach. Next to the 2014 Coteau de Vernon this appears young and vibrant with many years left. There’s pepper and curry notes. Grand vin and one of the best wine buys, still, for my money.
White
3/29/2024 - sh197 wrote:
Tasted at the domaine but didn't take notes at the time. Off-dry and I recall a long finish.
White
3/17/2024 - isbjoern wrote:
90 points
A lovely Saint-Aubain with citrus, stone fruit and apple flavors. Lovely acidity, freshness and purity of flavors. Well-done for the appelation and good value. - 90 points
White
3/29/2024 - sh197 wrote:
Tasted at the domaine. Mineral, dry, surprisingly complex and interesting for the price.
White
3/29/2024 - asgerG wrote:
87 points
PnP
On it’s was down…..
Drink now
Rosé - Sparkling
3/28/2024 - peternelson wrote:
89 points
A little disjointed, a little rustic, especially after the Doquet BdB GC. At Wine Bar Musee Kyoto. W.Teru
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