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Philadelphia Wine Festival
Marriott, Philadelphia PA
Tasted May 2, 2009 by ews3 with 2,467 views
Introduction
An overwhelming number of wines -- I hit most of what I wanted to try, but missed some... still, quite a lot of wines, and the comparisons were sometimes tough to draw, especially going back and forth between different regions.
Flight 1 - Cream of the Crop (94+ points) (12 notes)
My vote for WOTN goes to...... Baumard Quarts de Chaume...
Red
2004 Château Margaux
96 points
possibly my favorite wine of the tasting -- this had an outstanding nose, with mint notes dancing on top of the red and black fruit. nice, long finish.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2002 Château d'Yquem
95 points
Yum... sweet, but with balanced acidity. The special thing about Yquem is that even as it has the "regular" botrytis that I love, it adds a second layer of complexity... cinnamon, nuttiness, and some sweet spice. long, long finish.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2006 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
96 points
God I love Quarts de Chaume! Tropical fruit, quince, apricot, and honey, with some nuttiness. Finish could go forever. Very sweet, but with well balanced acidity that keeps it fresh and not even a hint of being cloying.
Red
2006 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts
95 points
I didn't know how expensive this was, but I figured it was well over $100... darn... fantastic wine! raspberry and root beer notes with a beautiful underlying earthiness. nicely balanced acid and soft tannins prelude a long finish. One of the best of the night.
Red
2004 Château Haut-Brion
94 points
very nice, one of the top 5 or so wines I had at the tasting. red cherry and berry fruit, earth, and meaty notes with a long finish.
Red
2005 Joseph Phelps Insignia
94 points
one of the top 5ish wines of the night, this was extremely young and I don't think had any air when we had it. Tight, but nice fruit still showing through, and firm tannic structure. long finish. Very nice wine.
Red
2004 Viña Cobos Malbec
94 points
viscous chocolate syrup. tannins. This is clearly related to -- and the big brother of -- the Bramare that I have enjoyed... really great wine!
Red - Fortified
1991 Graham Porto Vintage
94 points
sweet plum, coffee beans and chocolate. great port, but in an adolescent stage between youth and where I really love VP...
Red
2005 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
94 points
great wine -- might be a bit conservative on the score. firm tannins and a long long finish. black fruit and tobacco notes
Red
2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard
94 points
Delightful -- nice mix of earthy notes and red fruit. Dusty notes and firm tannins make me think this will evolve nicely. med(+) finish. yum!
Red
2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
94 points
really nice... dark fruits and a clear contrast to the impressive Coudoulet. Exceptional finish.
Red
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul
94 points
really nice. blackberry, black fruit, great, heavy mouthfeel. great long finish, though it develops some heat.
Flight 2 - Excellent (90-93 points) (44 notes)
Red
2007 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Elizabeth's Reserve
92 points
darker than the regular willamette, in color and in flavor profile. really enjoyed this. a little bit of sourness that added to the complexity of the flavors. med+ finish.
Red
2006 Cakebread Cellars Merlot
92 points
nice example. plum and dark berry flavors, with some brooding nature. seems to have development potential, with medium smooth tannins and a medium length finish.
Red
2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
91 points
very sweet cherry and berry profile. vanilla and oak behind it. nice tannic structure -- not at the level of other similarly priced cabs at the tasting, but an excellent wine.
Red
2006 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor
92 points
chocolate notes most prominent, but this had some greenness on the palate that I didn't enjoy as much as prior times I've had Don Melchor
Red
2006 Concha y Toro Carménère Terrunyo Peumo Vineyard Block 27
92 points
Enjoyed this quite a bit. Complex with fruit, tobacco, and earth all there. Probably not a wine with a tremendously long life, but really nice now.
Red
2005 Dominus Napanook Red
92 points
really nice -- they either did a poor job of selection or I'm not appreciating the potential, because I liked this (same vintage) quite a bit more than the Dominus Estate. Red fruit, soft tannins, and a medium(+) finish.
White - Sparkling
2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
93 points
nice nose, even better palate. great complexity for such a young Champagne -- nuttiness and earthiness that is rare to find.
Red
2004 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis
91 points
charcoal and meatiness -- smells and tastes like brisket! yummy!
Red
2005 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
92 points
Nice, but not sure if it was quite up to the price. Had the requisite meaty and blood notes, with some sweet spice (clove?) on top.
Red
2007 Georges Dubœuf Moulin-à-Vent Domaine de la Tour du Bief
90 points
perhaps the first time I've given a Beaujolais a +90 score... black fruit and black currant -- darker than most Gamay based wines.
Red
Red
2006 Halleck Pinot Noir Three Sons Cuvée
93 points
very nice balance. earth and rootbeer on top of the cherry notes. nice tannic structure suggests a few years of development ahead.
Red
2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
91 points
the best of the basic napa cabs I had, this had good fruit, but also the tannic structure to develop and a very nice finish.
Red
2005 Long Shadows Wineries Pirouette
90 points
did not like this as much as the last time i tasted, but still a very nice wine. tannins were a bit harsh on this -- may need time to round out, but it distracted fromt he fruit somewhat.
White
2005 Louis Latour Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru Château de Blagny
91 points
oatmeal and petroleum notes... odd... but I liked it!
Red
2002 Louis Latour Corton-Grancey
93 points
darker than the other latour offerings, this was more up my alley. nice firm tannins show future development
White - Sparkling
2000 Dom Pérignon Champagne
92 points
Typical Dom flavor profile, with already impressive yeast and biscuit notes. crisp acidity. nice effort, and towards the middle of the vintages of Dom I've had young.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial Rosé
90 points
enjoyed this. sweet strawberry, but enough acid not to be tiring. this would be a crowd pleaser for sure.
White
2007 Montes Sauvignon Blanc Classic Series
90 points
not 100% sure on the vintage. Enjoyed this quite a bit, and was surprised by the freshness present in this SB. Grapefruit notes most prominent, but this was likely the best Chilean SB I've had.
Red
2005 Montes Alpha M
92 points
dark, sweet, black fruit. very nice, i liked the depth of the fruit on this.
Red
2005 Montes Syrah Folly La Finca de Apalta
90 points
sweet pepper notes. nice wine, but outclassed by the "M" at this table based on the finish and tannic structure. This is drinking well right now.
White
2007 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Russian River Valley
91 points
attack is somewhat simple, but it builds into a well balanced, flavor profile with an excellent finish. not over-oaked.
Red
2006 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Lindsay Estate Vineyard
90 points
nice flavor profile of cherry and root beer.
Red
2004 Penfolds Grange
93 points
first time trying grange. very tight, but an interesting mix of youthful black fruit, secondary notes of tobacco and leather showing through already, and tightness. definitely one to lay down for a decade or more.
Red - Fortified
1995 Smith Woodhouse Porto Late Bottled Vintage
92 points
I love LBV! Smith Woodhouse always does a good job, but this was really nice -- chocolate cherry, with the sweetness lingering on the finish. The Symington's rep was a bit smug (and wrong about what he told me!), but we can't let that affect the quality of the wines, can we?
Red - Fortified
N.V. Dow Porto 10 Year Old Tawny
90 points
basic tawny -- I prefer the 20 as the sweet spot, but they were only pouring this.
Red
2006 Ramey Syrah Shanel Vineyard
91 points
very nice! meat, chocolate, coffee grounds. well integrated with a med(+) length finish
Red
2006 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
90 points
this was one of the better basic appelation Cabs at the tasting -- subtle tannins and a nice medium length finish.
Red
2005 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles
90 points
I enjoyed this -- chocolate and black pepper notes with a nice sweet spice / clove underlying it. medium length finish is pleasant and alcohol is balanced.
Red
Red
2006 Tenuta Sette Ponti Maremma Toscana Poggio Al Lupo
90 points
nice dark fruit profile with sweet spice
Red
2005 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT
93 points
coffee grounds and black fruit. this made a real statement on the palate -- firm tannins gripped the mouth
Red
Red
2007 Siduri Pinot Noir Sonatera Vineyard
90 points
My least favorite of the three Siduri Pinots -- this had a touch of heat on the palate and sour cherry notes. Still a nice wine, but not the Siduri I will seek out
Red
2006 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel
90 points
black fruit, berries, and black pepper. nice finish.
Red
2006 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel
91 points
exceptional value. I will have to seek out the 07 given the CdR reputation. Harvested across the st. from Beaucastel according to the rep. a much shorter finish than the CdP, but the palate is quite nice.
White
2006 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Häuserer
92 points
very nice -- roux notes, as well as floral and lychee aromas and flavors. med (+) finish
Red
2006 Dujac Fils et Père Chambolle-Musigny
90 points
cherry, sarsaparilla, and an impressive dark character
Flight 3 - Good (85 - 89 points) (56 notes)
White
2007 Adelsheim Pinot Gris Willamette Valley
88 points
subtle roux notes. enjoyable and tastes somewhat developed. medium body
Red
2007 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
89 points
I enjoyed this -- cherry coke and blackberry notes.
White
2007 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
88 points
weightier than many SBs with some oak behind the melon and citrus flavors
White
2007 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley
87 points
oaky californai chardonnay, but this wasn't too overoaked that it seemed to be hiding anything. there was still some red apple and pear showing through.
Red
2006 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
88 points
nice, fairly simple cab. black currant and cherry flavors. lacking a little structure, this seems like it will drink well now, but not develop too much in the bottle.
White
2007 Conundrum Wines White Table Wine
88 points
enjoyed this -- peach and honey notes, with some lychee on the palate.
Red
White
2007 Chateau Montelena Riesling
86 points
nothing special. the rep said good things, but not enough acidity on this. I want to enjoy this, but I'll stick to NYS, WA and German Riesling for more character.
White
2002 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile
88 points
enjoyable, but i expected more from this. green and red apple, but a little sour on the palate.
White
2001 Trimbach Pinot Gris Réserve Personnelle
86 points
I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to. Dry and dusty, with a harsh acidity showing.
White
2001 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre
88 points
nice example. lychee nose and some floral notes.
Red
2005 Dominus Estate
88 points
I was disappointed by this -- it was overoaked, as if it was trying to hide something. fruit was reserved, and the finish had a little heat. still, the tannins were very nice and this will develop. and what fruit was there was pleasant.
Red
2006 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône Parallèle “45”
87 points
bland and meaty with saline notes. cow's blood.
White
2007 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Le Château du Nozay
89 points
lots of grapefruit. more complex than most sancerre.
Red
2007 Georges Dubœuf Juliénas La Trinquée
89 points
quite a surprise! secondary notes on a young beaujolais? dust and leather. enjoyable!
Red
2004 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon
89 points
a touch more dilute than the other cabs tasted, but this had good fruit flavors -- black cherry most prominent.
Red
2006 Halleck Pinot Noir The Farm Vineyards
88 points
a little too bright for my palate. strawberry and a juiciness.
Red
2005 Long Shadows Wineries Saggi
88 points
light sour cherry flavors -- i could have been convinced this was a chianti, so the winemaking does show through... shorter finish than the other long shadows wines that were shown.
Red
2005 Louis Latour Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Chaillots
89 points
really bright fruit -- raspberry most prominent
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé
88 points
simple strawberry notes. pleasant and refreshing, but no complexity.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Veuve Clicquot Champagne Demi-Sec
88 points
sweet, but again, lacking in complexity. nothing offensive here, and would be well liked by people who claim to dislike wine.
Red
2005 Montes Purple Angel
89 points
spice and green pepper. very 'chinon-esque' flavor profile. nice.
Red
2007 Pio Cesare Dolcetto d'Alba
88 points
enjoyable -- light and youthful, but drinking well. drink now.
White
2007 Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley
87 points
not sure what jrobs7777 was drinking (we were side by side), but I thought this was more oaky than the other Chardonnays we had that night.
Red
2007 Ridge Three Valleys
87 points
simple black pepper and plum. shortish finish. definitely worth stepping up to lytton or geyserville to get more complexity and a better finish.
Red
2006 Ridge Lytton Springs
89 points
not up to what i expect from lytton springs, one of my favorite wines and always a great value. the finish saves this, but I prefer the 04 and 05 (and hear the 07 is outstanding!)
Red
2005 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
88 points
a disappointment, albeit at a fast paced tasting. didn't hold its own compared to others at lower price points.
Red
Red
Red
2004 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
85 points
odd soapy notes on the midpalate...fruit was a bit dilute. but nice tannins were evident, so this may be in a funk stage right now
Red
2004 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
86 points
I thought this showed more development than the Napa -- but still a disappointment
Red
2006 Quinta do Crasto Douro Crasto
88 points
nice, pleasant -- not much complexity here, but plum and blackberry notes. finish is a touch dilute
Red - Fortified
2004 Quinta do Crasto Porto Vintage
88 points
extremely young and fruity. jammy plum and black fruit notes. some fig character.
Red
2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape
88 points
may not have been fair to taste this right after the mon aieul... but c'est la vie... black fruit, tasted a touch light....
White
2006 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Turckheim
88 points
I must say, I am somewhat shocked to see this is a $100+ wine -- it was nice, but... not special... it had some interesting yeasty notes on the nose.
Red
2006 Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Clos de Rochegrès Château des Jacques
88 points
a pretty nice Beaujolais -- darker flavor profile than most
Flight 4 - Acceptable, but probably wouldn't buy (80-84 points) (9 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Moët & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial
84 points
overly sweet for my tastes, this was candied. did not have the acidity to taste fresh.
Red
2001 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 128
84 points
I thought this was more basic Aussie Shiraz than anything else. Much better available at the $20 price point. Less fruit, maybe due to the age, but no complexity or secondary notes have appeared.
Red
2006 Dow Douro Vale do Bomfim
84 points
weak and a bit dilute -- i have come to expect more from even low end douros
White
2006 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault Les Narvaux
83 points
light apple and oatmeal notes. acid was too high and a bit harsh.