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4th Annual Best of Bordeaux vs Kings of Kalifornia
Yan's China Bistro
Tasted December 14, 2012 by soyhead with 557 views
Introduction
Large crowd At Yan's in Walnut Creek. Alex did a great job putting together a wicked menu.
Flight 1 (1 note)
Red
1995 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red
95 points
Tasted blind, from Magnum (thanks Brian, and Cindy!)
nose - smoky, savory berry
mouth - concentrated, rich toasty, delicious dark berry, long tannic finish. I guessed this to be Bordeaux.
group WOTN
nose - smoky, savory berry
mouth - concentrated, rich toasty, delicious dark berry, long tannic finish. I guessed this to be Bordeaux.
group WOTN
Flight 2 (1 note)
Red
1995 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace
89 points
per doug, white pepper, dances on the tongue, tannic, licorice
Flight 3 (1 note)
Red
1998 Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
91 points
tasted blind
nose - earthy
mouth - well integrated, mature, delicious, good fruit, soy sauce, good structural tannins. drink now.
Several tasters picked this as their WOTN
nose - earthy
mouth - well integrated, mature, delicious, good fruit, soy sauce, good structural tannins. drink now.
Several tasters picked this as their WOTN
Flight 4 (1 note)
Red
2000 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)
87 points
tasted blind
nose - crushed vitamin C tablets, cranberry, sour
mouth - unbalanced, acids whop the tannins and fruit. for food. not bad but a few of my compadres were quite unimpressed.
nose - crushed vitamin C tablets, cranberry, sour
mouth - unbalanced, acids whop the tannins and fruit. for food. not bad but a few of my compadres were quite unimpressed.
Flight 5 (1 note)
Red
1998 Château Quinault L'Enclos
93 points
tasted blind
nose- savory
mouth - delicious and tannic, full bodied, lively red fruit
nose- savory
mouth - delicious and tannic, full bodied, lively red fruit
Flight 6 (1 note)
Red
2000 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
89 points
tasted blind
caramel infused fruit. too candied for me to really like. per Alex, 'chocolate'
caramel infused fruit. too candied for me to really like. per Alex, 'chocolate'
Flight 7 (1 note)
Red
1982 Château Léoville Poyferré
93 points
tasted blind
nose - tobacco, oak
mouth - complex, roasty fruit, but delicious
nose - tobacco, oak
mouth - complex, roasty fruit, but delicious
Flight 8 (1 note)
Flight 9 (1 note)
Red
2003 Ridge Monte Bello
90 points
tasted blind, from magnum (thanks doug!)
nmouth - per cindy lipstick. minty, very nice, a fakey candied style but with some complexity. one of the more enigmatic wines of the tasting. unclear to me where this is in the aging process.
nmouth - per cindy lipstick. minty, very nice, a fakey candied style but with some complexity. one of the more enigmatic wines of the tasting. unclear to me where this is in the aging process.
Flight 10 (1 note)
Red
2000 Château Gruaud Larose
89 points
tasted blind
nose - mushrooms, wet leaves
mouth - earthy dark fruit, very tannic, mushrooms, not for everyone. This wine had a nearly 12 hour decant.
Showed better when i last had it in 09/2010.
nose - mushrooms, wet leaves
mouth - earthy dark fruit, very tannic, mushrooms, not for everyone. This wine had a nearly 12 hour decant.
Showed better when i last had it in 09/2010.
Flight 11 (1 note)
Red
1999 Harlan Estate
95 points
tasted blind.
a huge concentrated wine that tastes more like grape skin juice than grape juice. almost grappaesque while still being a wine. The concentration absolutely flored me. I commented to Duane that it reminds me of the 2002 Harlan Estate that we had together. It seems i wasn't that far off the mark. My WOTN.
a huge concentrated wine that tastes more like grape skin juice than grape juice. almost grappaesque while still being a wine. The concentration absolutely flored me. I commented to Duane that it reminds me of the 2002 Harlan Estate that we had together. It seems i wasn't that far off the mark. My WOTN.
Flight 12 (1 note)
Red
2007 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis
84 points
tasted blind
nose - heat / alcohol. an off nose
mouth - chocolate. ugh!
nose - heat / alcohol. an off nose
mouth - chocolate. ugh!
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Comments (1)
Flight 13 (1 note)
Red
2002 Château Malescot St. Exupéry
85 points
tasted blind
mouth of charcoal and tar - lots of creosote flavors that need to die down before this will be approachable.
mouth of charcoal and tar - lots of creosote flavors that need to die down before this will be approachable.
Flight 14 (1 note)
Red
2005 Harlan Estate The Maiden
86 points
tasted blind
syrupy but good fruit, big fruit bomb, needs time, withhold judgement
syrupy but good fruit, big fruit bomb, needs time, withhold judgement
Flight 15 (1 note)
Red
1994 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
90 points
Tasted blind from 3.0L (thanks Steve and Loretta)
nose - earthy, bordeaux, tobacco, complex and lovely
mouth - dark cherry, toasty red fruit, still drinking young. Nice but a tad simple
nose - earthy, bordeaux, tobacco, complex and lovely
mouth - dark cherry, toasty red fruit, still drinking young. Nice but a tad simple
Closing
Also tried were the 2002 Marquet Champagne (91), 2003 Dom Vougeraie Les Marconnets 1er Cru (82), and Cavus 2006 Stag's Leap Cab (75)