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Comments on my notes

(262 comments on 227 notes)

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White - Sparkling
N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Grande Réserve Champagne Blend
6/19/2023 - pmarlo Likes this wine:
90 points
Golden yellow and vigorous bubbles. Citrus but restrained. This may be orange or lemon, but also the slightest tinge of grapefruit. Not saline at all. Slightly bitter and all notes are within first half hour. Ben Christensen says quickness across the palate and I agree, yet there is an aftertaste that lingers. Nice dryness. Acid is just right and doesn't make me pucker. Other reviewers say apple, pear, and nectarines and I don't see to see this but I also don't rule it out. The real taste is elusive and seems to be a mix of several fruits. Seems like a good champagne but not complex.
Next day the wine was just as good and flavors seemed a little more intense. There was more grapefruit present. Bubbles still but not like the first day and my sealing method works decent for carbonated wines. Think this is a worthy go to. I am evaluating the large houses Gosset, Charles Heidsieck, Pol Roget, Bollinger and a few others to see which may be the best go to.
  • Goldstone commented:

    6/23/23, 4:24 AM - I like the Gosset a lot....but I love Pol Roger NV.

Red
1959 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
6/9/2023 - Papies wrote:
96 points
A pre-50 pre Birthday Celebration; 6/9/2023-6/11/2023 (Around Zurich Area): Sourced pristine from the impeccable cellar of Sonne Seuzach , Switzerland . In neck level and solid cork albeit fully wet.
Impressively young and would have guessed 1990 Pauillac if we did not know. Firm wine , soft austerity that draws you in and this is not a wine that advertises and screams but a wine one need to search beauty as if behind a veil. Soft dark fruit, light liquorice kiss, very little earthy touch . Impressive and an experience to say the least . 95-96
  • Goldstone commented:

    6/10/23, 3:00 AM - Hi there,

    I bought a case from Sotherby's seventeen years ago and have drank 5 so far. It is a sublime wine but is so young even with a 6-8 hour decant. It will likely outlive me despite me having 40-ish years to go :)

    Cheers,

    Mike

Red
2005 Bodega Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata Mendoza Red Bordeaux Blend
10/3/2022 - glassofhans wrote:
92 points
I went into this wine not knowing what to expect - I've never had a 15+ YO Argentinian Malbec before. And truth to be told, I cannot say this is my style at all. It is made with great finesse, and hits all the right notes one would expect from a professionally made wine - good acidity, great length, complexity etc. But I cannot detect much "tertiary" developments - it tastes as young as it probably did when it was first bottled - does it mean it should age even further, or this is how it is? The wine is also made in a heavy, chocolate style - which of course is what folks go for when drinking Argentinian Malbec, but for someone who's trained on Cahors, it doesn't quite do it for me.

All in, I prefer the (slightly) lighter more elegant styles that achaval ferrer produces over Zapata.
  • Goldstone commented:

    10/3/22, 9:07 PM - Hi 'Glass',actually this Catena Zapata is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon-based, not Malbec. Maybe this is not the wine you drank.

    On another subject, I fell in love with the Lot Valley, Cahors and the 'black wine' in my very early adult years. So I'm with you on that!

Red
1996 Château Montrose St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
9/19/2022 - Stefan75 wrote:
91 points
From Mag, not really convincing fror me this time, good nose but over 2h did not really open-up, a bit tight and dry, lots of sediment despite having stored the bottle vertically for 2 weeks prior drinking.
  • Goldstone commented:

    9/20/22, 9:03 AM - I think that the 1996 Bordeaux vintage just requires a heap of patience and the top wines are just not open yet. Check out recent tasting notes on Ch. Talbot, which is a league or two down from the top tier (and a wine I love) and that is only starting to show its true colours now.

Red
1998 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
8/19/2022 - Juliansi Does not like this wine:
85 points
Sometimes one just had great expectations for a wine.. and can't help but feel dissapointed. After all Unico is Vega Sicilia's flagship, its meant to be a super age worthy wine for the ages.. and this 1998 is supposedly a RP98 pointer!

Not to mention we paid USD 500 for the privilege of popping this at the restaurant.. so we had the right to expect so much more from what is one of my grail wines!!

Instead, we found the wine closed, tight, and slightly diluted and disjointed. Suspect provenance or some poor storage over the 24 years since it left Ribera del Duero 🇪🇸? Sold and served at ATAS in RuMa KL.

Nose indistinct, black fruits and cherry palate and long finish!

Unico goes through what is probably the world's longest ageing of a red wine, almost 10 years between wood and bottle. How unique is that!

This 1998 Unico is made from 92% Tempranillo and an untypically high 8% Cab Sauv.

Even though its already 24 years old, experts describe this as a wine you could enjoy for over 50 years!

The muted palate was one thing, but what frustrated me the most was not getting those intoxicating aromas associated with an aged Unico.

@Mika Tyson Teau, @Joe Yee Wong, @Eddie Cheah and I shared this bottle on the occasion of Joe's birthday celebration in the heart of Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾

We looked so hard for the violet flowers and magical mouthfeel but it was not to be found.. the hunt for a moment when Unico mesmerises and excites is still on!

We tried to decant this for over 3 hours but it only evolved marginally better, and we never got the unique coconut nose or notes, nor the sexy mouthfeel or luscious fruits... Definitely did not get the depth and complexity expected of such a spectacular Wine and strong vintage too.

Dissapointed tremendously.. all of us were!

ATAS at RuMa hotel in KL, Malaysia - 19 Aug 2022
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/30/22, 5:30 AM - Hi Julian, the problem is that Unico of this age (which is very young in Unico terms) needs an 8-12 decant in advance of serving. I recently opened my first of a case of 1989 and, all things considered including that length of long decant, it was only just starting to show its true beauty. Cheers, Mike (from Hong Kong)

  • Goldstone commented:

    8/30/22, 6:48 AM - Thanks, I've been at it a while! I visit Malaysia fairly often and have a house in Thailand, so I know the difficulty of sourcing good bottle of expensive stuff that can prove reliable to drink. It always helps to havea wealthy friend who brings the stuff in directly from France/Spain/Ital/US :)

Red
1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
8/25/2022 - fcxj wrote:
92 points
Not quite the refinement of 1994 Unico, but interesting contrast with more overt American oak vanilla flavors imparted. Similarly open and accessible.
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/25/22, 10:26 PM - Dude, comparing it to Unico is a high bar!

White
2013 DuMOL Chardonnay Isobel Sonoma Coast
8/1/2022 - RAD Likes this wine:
92 points
PnP. Clear pale gold. Nose shows subtle pineapple and more pronounced banana chips (my first use of that descriptor for a wine, if memory serves, but accurate). Pleasant, lightly weighted mouthfeel, reminiscent of lemon custard, with nice acidity on the finish. Perhaps past its prime, but drinking very well, and continues to improve with air. $60 from the DuMol list in Fall of 2015.
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/2/22, 7:40 AM - Hi RAD, thanks for reminding me I'd forgotten to post my note from 7/24/2022 :) Cheers, Mike

Red
2003 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
8/1/2022 - WDK wrote:
98 points
Didn't know what to think based on mixed reviews I've seen about 2003 Bdx"s, but this exceeded everyone's expectations. Color was opaque purple with bricking on the edges. Full body with ripe fruit and a firm structure. Flavors of cassis, plum, and forest floor. Long delicious finish with firm tannins and perfect level of acidity. This wine was outstanding and one of the best I've ever had. Sorry that I have no more bottles of the '03's but hope that the more recent vintages turn out this good.
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/2/22, 7:33 AM - Hey WDK, having drank this on 9 occasions since buying a couple of cases on release I can tell you that I'm definitely in your camp :) I'd also recommend the 2008 for drinking next at a similar level of pleasure. Cheers, Mike

Red
1982 Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
7/20/2022 - drdan322 Likes this wine:
99 points
This Léoville Las Cases is simply exceptional.

One can see why Parker gave it a rare “100” early on and now it is stunning, compelling and profound.

We bought two cases in 1985 (for ~$49 per bottle!), since well-cellared. Las Cases is often slow-to-mature but the 1982 has been truly obdurate – a tasting five years ago seemed almost youthfully unevolved.

Yet now? Perfection!

The cork broke transversely but the damp lower part was extracted cleanly. The wine decanted nicely with little sediment. The first pour was transparent cherry-ruby red yet with no tawny brickish edges. The initial nose was whiffs of pleasant barny loamy forest and black cherry.

Even the first taste raced a super silk textural opulence carrying abundant lead pencil, spice box and claro elements with no rough angles at all as tendrils of well toned tannins wove a wonderful vinous brocade.

Within half an hour the rich raciness remained as the bouquet orchestrated a medley of ripe black fruit, saddle leather layered under kirsch, hints of cedar and dried rose. Polished mineral earth acidity drove silky seamlessly concentrated flavors to a lingering finish dappled with flakes of old tobacco and grains of ash.

The robust unevolved tannins of years past are now fully resolved in a magnificent harmony – this is an archetype of what a truly superb vintage of well-aged Saint Julien and, especially, Léoville Las Cases can and should be.

Again, just a nigh-perfect wine finally entering a long peak era, likely to 2050 and beyond.
  • Goldstone commented:

    7/28/22, 9:55 PM - Hi Dr Dan, I have to compliment you on your note....I felt I was there!

    I love 'obdurate' as a descriptor....I sometimes use 'sullen' or 'a bear that has just awoken from hibernation' but I'll use 'obdurate' more often in the future.

    Thanks!

    Mike

Red
1986 Penfolds Grange South Australia Shiraz Blend, Syrah
11/27/2021 - Paul S wrote:
92 points
Grange Vertical with Peter Gago (Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore): Good but not great - this bottle was not in the best of shapes. Clearly the oldest, most developed of the flight - this had a savoury, earthy meatiness underlying notes of cassis, plums and earth, tossed together with some green herb and spice and a hint of eucalyptus that spoke to the high 13% Cabernet in the blend. A compelling bouquet. The palate was quite singular - a wine of real character, with a rasp of slightly powdery tannins and still fresh acidity wrapped around a softly charming mouthful of plums and blueberries, seasoned with notes of spice and eucalyptus, all this just traced by a bit of alcohol heat. I liked the nose rather more than the palate though. There was a lovely quiet authority and elegance to the wine, but something was missing on the midpalate. Perhaps it travelled badly, or it was not so good a bottle. A nice Grange at this age, but not quite mind blowing.
  • Goldstone commented:

    7/5/22, 3:04 AM - Paul - as a big Grange fan, I loved this and all your Tasting Story notes. Personally, I would never drink a Grange younger than 1986 at this time but I can imagine it is difficult when the opportunity presents itself! In general, I agree with your Grange vs HOG comments....I tend to categorise the older comparable vintages as 'masculine' (Grange) and 'feminine (HOG). Over time, my appreciation has grown towards the 'feminine'...but both are a real treat if you get the chance to enjoy the '80s or '70s vintages. Cheers, Mike from Hong Kong

White - Sparkling
2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Champagne Blend
6/8/2022 - JordVW Likes this wine:
100 points
Drank this side by side with the 2008 Dom Perignon, which was an incredible privilege.

The Dom Perignon was grand, but the Cristal was perfect. Very likely the best champagne that I've ever had.

On the nose clear notes of smoke, yeast and wet stone, alongside apple and citrus fruit. Chardonnay is very recognisable here, giving off blanc de blancs vibes. Incredibly structured, powerful yet clean, supple and perfectly balanced on the palate. Extremely long finish. What a treat this was.
  • Goldstone commented:

    6/8/22, 12:22 AM - Jord - great note. However, if you have not drank it, personally I'd reserve a perfect Champagne score for Dom Perignon Oenoteque 1971 (which is still being released, I think). As is all things, taste is a very personal thing, but I can speak from also having 3 cases of Crystal 2008, so my bets are hedged :)

Red
2016 Amisfield Pinot Noir Central Otago
5/27/2022 - PIntag wrote:
Another good bottle. Oak influence a little too prominent at this stage for my palate - perhaps more time will integrate it better. Plenty of fruit to help cover it pretty well.
  • Goldstone commented:

    5/28/22, 6:59 AM - Hi Pintag, having visited Amisfield many times since it first opened I think all their wines are screw cap, no? I have screw cap Central Otago Pinot Noirs going back to c.2001 and they are all still going strong if they are from top wineries so my advice is to hold onto a few of these for the long term.

  • Goldstone commented:

    5/28/22, 8:34 AM - Earlier this week we opened a Peter Lehman Barossa Valley Riesling Reserve 2001 and it was still as unevolved as any recent vintage comparable German or Austrian equivalent....which would now be showing considerable secondary ageing. I just posted a note. Whatever....Amisfield produce great Pinots!

White - Sparkling
N.V. Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Champagne Blend
4/23/2022 - Goldstone wrote:
87 points
This is the 2017 disgorgement of mainly 2011 fruit and just about the last of a case of 12 bought on release. I have drank quite a few of these since Christmas 2021 and can now declare it 'dead as a parrot' to quote the Monty Python sketch against myself, because I really wanted it to be still alive as I'd made the mistake of keeping this too long. I still have no doubt that this is a superb QPR Champagne when drank soon after release...I just don't think it ages.
  • Goldstone commented:

    4/23/22, 10:42 AM - 😂😂😂

Red
2006 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley
12/25/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine:
95 points
Christmas Day Family Lunch at Home (Our House, Hong Kong): On opening - Really impressively high quality cork, untouched by the wine except for the underside. Reddish-purple colour. Translucent. Slight sediment. Immediate nose of blueberries and tomato vine, anthracite, cold bitchumen and green peppercorn. Palate is very bitter 95% cocoa black chocolate, cold black tea, very bitter dried black Chinese medicine ingredients, gall bladder.

Xmas lunch - After overnight double decant....jeez, this is a stunner… stops you in your tracks. Tons of mellow fruit and a lot of complexity. Everyone loved this. 95

It remains in Runny's and my top place from some 20 wines we investigated as contenders for "The Next Grange?" 13-14 years ago. Hold.
  • Goldstone commented:

    4/2/22, 12:58 AM - Hi Paul, thanks for your kind words. Actually, you are seeing a somewhat skewed stratum of my normal drinking. I stopped drinking at all for 5 months up to Christmas/CNY and then just focused on nicer bottles from my inventory. I’m working on a similar pattern of 6 weeks off/one week on going forwards, so I’m afraid that my notes yet to be posted will be skewed to high-end wines. This is a bit unusual because I have always prided myself in discovering and appreciating really ‘high quality price ratio’ wines. OK, so to address your question: in Hong Kong, Watson’s regularly sell Gosset Champagne Grande Reserve NV at big discounts (I bought a case last week at HK$275 per bottle), Park N’ Shop regularly sell Babich NZ Sauvignon Blanc on discount at around HK$90 per bottle, Watson’s sell Quartz Reef Method Traditionelle NV for around HK$350 which is a NZ sparkler but made by a lady who is 3rd generation Champagne family, Ch. Musar has been a perennial passion of mine ever since I was a penniless student and vintages even as far back as 1999 (which is brilliant) are still available in Hong Kong from FICOFI for around HK$300-ish. One of the best wines I have drank regularly over the past 10 years is Nicolas Catena ‘Zapata’ a Bourdeaux blend from Argentina that should be available in HK for around HK$350 (I have served that in blind dinners where snobby wine friends rated if higher than Ch. Latour). Anyway, I hope that gives you some QPR suggestions. As always, Mike

Red
1998 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
3/28/2022 - SimonG wrote:
flawed
Horribly crumbly cork. Away from home so no Durand and couldn’t filter the cork dust, so basically undrinkable. Dark rosé in colour, seemingly having shed a lot of its pigment. Quite lifted and volatile on the nose even by Musar standards. No. Hopefully the next one is better…
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/30/22, 6:07 AM - Owning 100s of bottles of Ch. Musar, I can only acknowledge 'the cork problem' and conclude that it is the reason the actual wine in the bottle remains so affordable, and lovely.

Red
2009 Château Capbern-Gasqueton St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
12/31/2021 - Goldstone wrote:
85 points
Black ink with a hint of red ink. Very garagiste. The oak has already disappeared leaving unbalanced acidity. One of those Jancis Robertson recommendations en primeur that she has probably hoped to get forgotten…. fair play, she can’t get everything right.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/30/22, 3:14 AM - You could be right about storage because someone brought this to the dinner and I have no idea how it had been stored. That said, there was nothing 'wrong' with it....just that it didn't live up to the apparent hype. It hadn't been decanted, and maybe a long decant would have changed things. All that said, I suspect this remains a 'garagiste' wine that is not to my personal taste....but chaqun a son gout!

White
2003 Chateau Musar Blanc Bekaa Valley White Blend
2/25/2022 - forceberry wrote:
95 points
Made with Merwah (65%) and Obaideh (35%) grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. The winter of 2003 was the rainiest in 15 years in Beqaa, but after April, no rain fell. A long heat wave in May decreased yields by 30%, concentrating the acidity and sugar levels in the remaining grapes substantially. However, July and August were cooler than normal, delaying the ripening process. Still, the harvest was carried out by normal schedule. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques, bottled in September 2004. 12% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2012-1994 vertical.

Moderately deep and wonderfully luminous burnished golden yellow color with a pale bronze core. The nose feels a bit restrained but also wonderfully nuanced with subtly sweetish aromas of zesty citrus fruits, some evolved nutty tones, a little bit of chalk dust, light woolly notes of lanolin, a bright hint of fresh nectarine and a touch of cloudberry jam. The wine feels moderately evolved but also remarkably fresh and lively on the palate with a moderately full body and complex flavors of mealy red apple and ripe, zesty citrus fruits, some developed waxy and creamy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light oxidative notes of chopped nuts, a hint of savory wood spice and a crunchy touch of quince. What always surprises me with this vintage is its high acidity that is almost at odds with the rich, ripe and developed flavors, lending the wine wonderful sense of freshness, vibrancy and precision. The finish is dry and lively with fresh and quite acid-driven flavors of ripe citrus fruits, stony minerality, some evolved nuances of sweet, wizened stone fruits, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a woolly touch of lanolin.

A delicious, wonderfully bright and beautifully evolved vintage of white Musar. Although the wine felt somewhat evolved, starting to show the first signs of oxidative nuances, the overall feel wasn't as developed as with the previous bottle I had (in February 2020). It feels this wine is slowly getting close to its plateau of maturity, but there is still some ground to cover, so there is definitely no need to hurry with this vintage; I sense there is still room for further improvement and this wine will keep just fine for many, many years more - bottle variation permitting, of course. Although not as profound as the bottle I tasted in May 2016, this is nevertheless a fantastic vintage of Musar Blanc. At just 29,70€, this has been a steal.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/29/22, 8:11 AM - Having drank a lot more then 100+ Musars over the years, I can only add two comments (1) give them an 8-hour decant, however unintuitive this may seem (2) Serge Hochar told me a long time ago "Musar tastes old when it is young, and young when it is old".

Red
2005 Nicolas Potel Chambertin Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir
3/20/2022 - tcosgriff Does not like this wine:
80 points
Burgundy color but with only a little bouquet and no flavor, with the wine left to its tannins. This has been my experience with Red Burgundy, truly a wine for the faithful and the believer. But I will quote the gospel of Mark: "Faith without works is dead."
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/22/22, 6:57 AM - I love your note. Kudos!

Red
2005 Two Hands Shiraz Zippys Block Barossa Valley
3/16/2022 - Blue Jay wrote:
93 points
Fruit forward. Tasty.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/20/22, 9:23 AM - As you may know, this is one of those infamous Aussie Shiraz' that Robert Parker gave 99 pts on a memorable visit.

Red
2001 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
3/20/2022 - JayP Likes this wine:
87 points
Rather under-whelmed by this. Didn't have the distinctive Musar 'tang' Maybe too old?
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/20/22, 9:11 AM - If you read my 7/11/2020 tasting note you'll see what it ought to have been like - I am a massive Ch. Musar collector and drinker, for what it's worth. Most likely a dodgy bottle.

White - Sparkling
1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Oenothèque Champagne Blend
3/14/2022 - Clube Likes this wine:
100 points
Young at 26 yo... luminaire, vibrant, dense
Best champagne I ever tasted... ...and I drink a lot of champagne
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/15/22, 7:15 AM - I too am a great fan of the 1996 Oenoteque....and your note captures it succinctly. But have you ever drank the 1971 Oenoteque? Personally, I would reserve 100 pts for that.....but, hey, who's counting :)

Red
2003 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
Drunk over 3 separate nights in a 2 week period with Coravin.

The best Musar for quite a while. Didn't need a long decant - checked a small tasting sample with Coravin, it only needed a minute or two to settle. The aeration probably helped.
Spice, red fruit, cedar, mint, some earthy undertones, lovely sweetness then a nice but restrained little tannic lift on a long finish. Reminded me quite a lot of Thymiopolous Xinomavro at the end.
Kept on giving, and while it got better in the glass with some air, it was only marginal.
I think this one will go on for quite few years. With Musar that's usually a safe statement. This bottle had clearly been recorked at some point as the cork was not 20 years old!
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/9/22, 7:53 PM - Hi Auld, it almost certainly is the original cork....Ch. Musar is not normally bottle for 5-7 years after the vintage, hence why the cork looks much newer.

  • Goldstone commented:

    3/10/22, 2:08 AM - Interesting….. could be, I guess. Anyway, key thing is that you enjoyed the wine 😷

Red
1999 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
You must decant this for at least 45 min.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/7/22, 10:57 PM - I would advise 4.5 hours.

White
2018 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series Margaret River
2/3/2022 - bayareadodgerfan Likes this wine:
92 points
Really lovely wine. First time having a Margaret River wine. Pale lemon color. Pronounced aroma intensity - lemon, lime, apple, apricot and baking spices and hint of vanilla and oak. On palate med+ acidity and medium body. Beautiful citrus and stone fruit and vibrant baking spice on palate. Nice oak notes of vanilla and cream. This is really a very good wine - can’t wait to pop more bottles.
  • Goldstone commented:

    2/3/22, 10:09 PM - Having done the Margaret River trip several times, I can assertively recommend Pierro as the best Chardonnay (especially if you can get your hands on a bottle of the VR/Vintage Reserve). However, both LEAS and Vasse Felix are right up there too.

    https://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Notes&Wine=Pierro+Chardonnay+VR#selected%3DW2884163_1_K44de5db341023bf5cca5246d6871a4eb

Red
1970 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection Napa Valley
12/26/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine:
95 points
Boxing Day Lunch at Home with Friends (Our Place, Hong Kong): What a beautiful wine! For those who don't know the story, the Mondavi family led by Cesare Mondavi , the family scion and lead winemaker, bought this property in the 1950s but his son Robert left in 1965 to set up his eponymous winery (at the age of 53). So this is a late vintage made by his dad.

Distinct semi-opaque unalluring brown colour, remniscent of English 'Worcester Sauce'. Nose is surprisingly alive and vibrant - lots of savoury notes ( including Worcester Sauce), old brown shoes. Palate is unexpectedly fresh, good acidity, alive, lots of Chinese Medicine black herbs, Worscester Sauce, another more common English bottled Brown Sauce and all finished at the back end by semi-rotted plantation wood, still distinct tannin, lambs' blood...then slowly some lovely blackberry fruit emerges out of the loamy mists of an autumnal forest. Oh 'GOSH!'...this has suddenly totally changed into a gorgeous and seductive blackberry fruit and younger oak. Best after 3 hours from pouring...gets very heady and reverberant on the finish...a Lazarus-like experience. It ended up as one of my favourite experiences of 2020, although slightly beaten by the 1961 Giuseppe Contratto Barolo we drank alongside it. Merry Christmas!
  • Goldstone commented:

    1/23/22, 3:07 AM - @BellvuePhil - thanks for the compliment!

White - Sparkling
N.V. Delamotte Champagne Brut Champagne Blend
12/19/2021 - La Cave d'Argent wrote:
89 points
From a bottle with the identifier of "L63DF131616," a side cork code of C81KY and a top cork code of "Y10" (assumed to be the predominant vintage in the bottle), this light golden sparkler is a very enjoyable nonvintage Brut. A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier, it is a light-to-medium-bodied wine with a brisk small bead and aromas of quince, white peaches, jasmine and cardamom. Crisply acidic and flavorful, it delivers a gustatory payload that is congruent with the aromas, adding additional citrus and pear elements. Solid in the middle and medium length on the back end, this particular bottling can be used for holiday toasting over the next three years. Drink now-2024.
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/19/21, 6:52 PM - Not sure if you are aware but this is the entry level wine from Selosse, which gives it extra conversation piece status :) It is commonly the NV champagne in Michelin*** restaurants at least here in Asia.

Red
1998 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
12/4/2021 - J_H Likes this wine:
89 points
Weinkongress 2021 (Restaurant Sonne Leuggern): - Tasted blind
- Nose: Somewhat reductive nose, medium intense aromas of popcorn. In addition, the red fruit with strawberries and plums is subliminally recognisable. The reductive aromas are too strong, especially at the beginning, they dissipate a little with time.
- Palate: Is simply sexy, has a sweet touch of again candied plums and strawberries. Velvety tannins that are well integrated. Unfortunately a little too little acidity (medium) and also not extremely long on the finish.
- An exciting bordeaux blend from Lebanon but cannot keep up with the medium/high class bordeaux in terms of ageing potential (it doesn't have to for this price). Should be drunk now.
- 89-90 points
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/11/21, 11:37 AM - Totally agree with Paul852's comment.

Red
2003 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
8/9/2021 - gsomers Likes this wine:
93 points
Had this a few weeks ago and reading through other notes, now realize we did not allow a long enough decant. An hour was not enough to bring out the big bang others here found. Our experience could be best described as excellent, but not outstanding. Will try it again in the future using the knowledge gleaned here. 93
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/9/21, 6:48 AM - I have drank a lot of this wine - I am a big fan - and I have always found that it needs a minimum decant of 3 hours to really show its best. Enjoy!

  • Goldstone commented:

    8/10/21, 3:12 AM - 18-19C is somewhat warm for long-term storage......I store my wines at 13-14C. Personally, I wouldn't recommend putting fine red wines in ice.....much better is to put a bottle in your ordinary fridge for an hour or so before decanting but not longer.

Red
2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
7/8/2021 - Topper wrote:
86 points
My second underwhelming bottle of this. Worried that I may have to dump the rest.
  • Goldstone commented:

    7/9/21, 4:09 AM - I recommend that you put it away and forget it for 10 years. I drank an underwhelming bottle of 1994 '904' recently.....these are just 'old school' wines which need more patience than our current generation has time for.

Red
1964 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
6/9/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine:
94 points
'Farewell Alexandria' Lunch (Table, 8th Floor, The Pemberton, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong): Decanted for an hour and then re-bottled before taking to the lunch. Fully opaque, almost black cherry in colour. Nose is lovely spice box of dried powdered spices. Sandalwood. Palate is beautifully fresh and jewelled with super refreshing acidity. Very elegant. Deceptively massive resonance and reverberance that sneaks up on you gradually. Endless length. Perfect bottle I bought at a charity auction and donated by a friend who had sourced it directly from the Bodega.
  • Goldstone commented:

    6/22/21, 10:17 AM - Hi Harley, thanks for the compliment. ‘Char Siu’ is a Chinese traditional method of preparing and cooking pork, as you may know. Obviously it normally involves local Chinese pork. This restaurant has simply raised it a level by substituting Spanish Iberico pork as the base material.

White
2010 Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé Chardonnay
4/5/2021 - SimonG wrote:
84 points
This bottle is ok, but a long way below previous ones as it’s just starting to show that slightly sickly sweetly poxy profile (though one can argue whether at ten years this is ox rather than pox). Ok for a glass, but the rest went in to the cooking. **
  • Goldstone commented:

    4/6/21, 12:29 AM - Hi Simon, I had 2 cases, which I enjoyed a lot but concluded a year or two ago that it had reached the 'past prime' state you have described so well....they are now all gone.

Red
2001 Ridge Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red Bordeaux Blend
2/18/2020 - Goldstone wrote:
96 points
'No Masks' Hong Kong Dinner (Table, 8th Floor, The Pemberton, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong): Decanted for 3 hours before serving than drank slowly over the next 2+ hours. Black-purple totally opaque. Nose is perfect graphite purity. Black fruit taken to a modern art painting level...impossible to put into words. Palate is oh wow.... purity and linear attack of ‘black slab’ fruit and stern but somehow tactile tannin. The resonance and reverberance is a deep, low toned hum that is almost ‘ohm’. Wow, this is so young but so beautiful. The purity of the fruit and its slightly confit aspect is stunning. Silence creating....which is my greatest compliment of a wine. Can only improve with age. My first of a case and I think I have timed this right. Almost everyone's WOTN against some similar drop-dead competition that I scored almost as highly. 96+
  • Goldstone commented:

    4/1/21, 4:00 PM - Hi Lord, I think 3 hours is about right. In my view, people generally don't decant their wines long enough and so only experience 60-70% of their potential,

  • Goldstone commented:

    4/1/21, 4:00 PM - Hi Lord, I think 3 hours is about right. In my view, people generally don't decant their wines long enough and so only experience 60-70% of their potential,

White
2018 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series Margaret River
This is a wonderful wine of intensity, richness and focus. It has explosive white peach and green melon fruits tinged with spice. There's great shape in the mouth, with a concentrated core. It has a suggestion of smoky mineral and whip of lemon-like acidity carrying the long finish.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/31/21, 12:57 AM - Hi Jeremy, I have been a massive fan of this wine for many years and friends at the winery tell me they think this is the best one they have ever produced. I get delivery in a couple of weeks so I much appreciated your encouraging note :).

Red
2003 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
3/17/2021 - robertek wrote:
flawed
Corked...🙁
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/18/21, 7:41 AM - Robert, I have never had luck with this vintage in Lynch Bages (6 poor or at least unmemorable bottles)....I think they must have got the winemaking wrong in a tricky year because the 2003 Pontet Canet is a thing of beauty.

White - Sparkling
2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne Champagne Blend
3/10/2021 - mclanew Likes this wine:
96 points
Terrific showing for this. Complex, sophisticated nose of orchard fruit, seashells, saline and minerals. The wine is starting to really show layers of complexity while retaining some of its youthful vigor. Really in a terrific place but I suspect the best is yet to come.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/11/21, 8:12 AM - If you are lucky enough to have the 2000 or the 2004 and 2005, I would encourage you to drink those and keep the 2002 in the back of the cellar. Personally, I think the 2002 will reach the heights of the 19996 if you can keep your hands off it.

Red
2006 Thicker Than Water Shiraz Squid Ink McLaren Vale
3/3/2021 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - regional Oz shiraz (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [Stephen] Aging garnet. Fumey nose of blackcurrant essence. The palate has super-ripe, extracted, but aging blue fruit flavours; not baked or raisined, but still heavy and extracted. A sybaritic wine, like slumping back into a velvet sofa; low/medium acidity, low chalky tannins, medium weight – would be more but it seems just a little patchy on the palate before the medium length but plush, and slightly warm finish. I’ll bet the alcohol is higher than labelled. A mellow wine ready to drink now.
  • Goldstone commented:

    3/11/21, 3:17 AM - Graeme - not sure many of us have this wine :)

Red
2001 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
2/5/2021 - JayP Likes this wine:
90 points
I am confused - can you help. I really enjoyed this bottle and especially after i had given it an hour or so in glass (I didn't decant). Its colour and taste profile (tannins) suggest it has plenty of drinking window left although v pleasant right now. Indeed many comments on CT say just that and collectively we have 69% of our purchases still un-consumed. BUT many observers/critics - incl Jancis - are saying drink up your 2001's. What do people think?
  • Goldstone commented:

    2/5/21, 4:18 AM - I drank around 50 2001s en primeur at a big release tasting in Hong Kong and concluded that the more 'traditional' Bordeaux makers, such as Leoville Barton, will have a long life even if they will always be more 'lean' in comparison to 2000. But in my book 'lean' Bordeaux is 'classic' Bordeaux and a lot have years ahead of them to sustain a plateau or even improve somewhat, especially in St Julien (Gruaud Larose needs another 5+ years) and St. Estephe (the Cos D'Estournel 2001 is still a baby but absolutely gorgeous). Even the relatively modest Moulin St. Georges 2001 from St. Emilion needs another 3-5 years, I think.

  • Goldstone commented:

    2/5/21, 8:05 AM - At a minimum, the cost of 2001 Bordeaux is low enough to to be able to afford to drink them through their future maturity journey. As an aside, I would also point out that 2001 was a stellar year for Sauternes and even 2nd or 3rd tier producers made great wines that have long lives ahead of them.

  • Goldstone commented:

    3/9/21, 5:45 AM - Totally agree.....

White - Sparkling
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut Champagne Blend
2/5/2021 - BenBlu Likes this wine:
92 points
From standard bottle from a perfectly stored case. In a nice early maturity stage, quite firm this comes across as a "statemen like" vintage grand marque champagne, developing some mocha notes. Will hold forever if perfectly stored as this cuvee does.
  • Goldstone commented:

    2/8/21, 6:35 AM - To my taste, this could easily be mistaken for the 'Winston Churchill' cuvee in this vintage - rich, masculine and easy drinking.

Red
1999 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Red Blend
Bordeaux blend's double blind: Double blind. Cloudy and evolved color in the glass. Slightly oxidative nose. Fairly complex but not exactly pleasant on the palate, with some remaining dry fruit mixing with oxidative notes and some stewed vegetables.
I thought a poorly stored bottle of a 70s or early 80s Bordeaux off vintage. Then somebody said Musar, and it made sense.
I recall seeing this recently offered by Cru, and was wondering if I should take a case back then. Very glad I did not. NR
Group's # 7, My #7
  • Goldstone commented:

    1/18/21, 12:05 AM - Hi Pavel, one issue is that Ch. Musar is not a great restaurant wine because it requires a 6-8 hour prior decant (....including the whites). The characteristics you note on the nose and the palate tend to blow off with a long decant. The 1999 is still something of a young adolescent in Ch. Musar terms. That said, Ch. Musar is the opposite of 'pasteurised' so it is not to everyone's taste.

Red
1978 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate Napa Valley
12/25/2020 - cortoncharlie wrote:
corked
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/26/20, 8:44 AM - Hi Charlie,

    Are you drinking less these days or just posting less?

    Seasons Greetings!

    Mike Goldstone, Hong Kong (we have met but can't remember that connection lineage)

  • Goldstone commented:

    12/26/20, 12:47 PM - Thanks for filling in my memory blank. We have a great group of sommeliers etc. who get together once per month to share great and 'interesting' bottles and will welcome you to the next one.

Red
1961 Giuseppe Contratto Barolo Nebbiolo
8/30/2017 - sharonandroland wrote:
flawed
corked
  • Goldstone commented:

    8/30/17, 11:04 PM - Guys, sorry to hear that.... I bought a few bottles recently and they are a bit hit and miss.

  • Goldstone commented:

    12/26/20, 8:21 AM - I opened a bottle today over Roast Leg of Lamb and it was one of the best wines I have drank in 2020....silence-creating, which is my highest accolade I can give to a wine. Merry Christmas!

Red
1995 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
12/24/2020 - Papies wrote:
94 points
From a beautiful magnum double decanted for a good 2.5 hours and frankly needs some decanting albeit not that much.
A class act of a wine, a classic French style Bordeaux but with an extra dollop of ripeness of Napa valley. Still very energetic, evolved yes but also very much on the fruit and this easily will live another 20 yrs . Round and silky but with a firm and juicy feel and frankly this is now a 94 but once this pushes to well secondary stage will be even better and with a higher score. Superb still. 94-95
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/25/20, 8:36 AM - Merry Christmas! I always enjoy your notes. I suspect that the '95 may challenge the '85 over the coming 10 years.

Red
2003 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
12/25/2020 - djs wrote:
flawed
Corked
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/25/20, 8:32 AM - I'm surprised because their winemaking standards are right up there with the best. Did you buy it 2nd or 3rd hand? Whatever, Merry Christmas!

Red
1971 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Riserva Nebbiolo
9/22/2016 - sharonandroland Likes this wine:
92 points
Very masculine, ferral, still lots of grip
  • Goldstone commented:

    9/23/16, 6:28 AM - I just bought a bottle of this from Sabrina at CRU...... pleased that it gets the Sharon and Roland endorsement.

  • Goldstone commented:

    12/25/20, 6:02 AM - Merry Christmas to both of you. I am opening this for Boxing Day lunch at home tomorrow. Wish me luck :)

Red
1982 Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
12/20/2020 - kr522 wrote:
96 points
I read some of the TNs here and they raise the question I’ve been wondering for close to 20 years...will LLC which has a history of carrying a hard edge ever round out? This is the ONLY Bordeaux property I know where the 86 showed more charm than the 82, such has been the state of the 82....this has been a hold and pray bottling for me. My last tasting was almost 8 years ago, and I’m happy to say this has finally achieved escape velocity. The beautiful bouquet remains, the depth of fruit remains (plums, dark chocolate, coffee, and spice), the tannins have completely melted, and a bright acidity balances the whole affair. Michel Delon, merci beaucoup
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/21/20, 7:00 AM - That is a super note - informative and emotive! Merry Christmas!

Red
1986 Penfolds Grange South Australia Shiraz Blend, Syrah
11/28/2020 - sirpat00 Likes this wine:
99 points
Tasted blind. Red currant, blueberries, cassis fruit – surprisingly red in character although clearly with darker nuances as well. Aging notes of wet earth, leather, a bit of barnyard and mushroom. Beyond that, savoury and herbal with spearmint and dried tobacco leaves. An incredibly wide variety of flavours. Even more so when taking into account the evolution in the glass which expanded the aroma profile with full-blown eucalyptus, pepper and a melee of spices and herbs. A soft palate yet with tension, very fresh and fruity. Despite a 5h decant this was getting better and better in the glass, also here spreading out spicy notes along the lines of salad herbs and soup spices with increasing intensity, developing more push and a crystallizing bright fruit core. I am lost for words how to best capture the soul of this monumental landmark. This combines the spicy sexiness and sweet and fresh fruit of an Aussie Shiraz with all the majestic posture of an aged first growth Bordeaux - and I'm a sucker for both! The only thing missing was tears in my eyes – probably a glandular malfunction on the day, should get that checked…
  • Goldstone commented:

    12/1/20, 6:51 AM - As a Grange collector, that's a super note on a vintage I love. Chapeau!

  • Goldstone commented:

    12/3/20, 7:00 PM - Hi Sirpat, my absolute favourite Grange for current drinking is the 1971 which is still a baby (rather like the 1959 Ch. Latour, which another all-time favourite wine of mine). On the Grange '71 I wrote on one note "Everyone should experience this wine before they die"....or something like that.

    Other Grange vintages that are drinking really well now are 1980 ('81 is much too young), 1983, 1989 (atypically,needs drinking up),1991, 1993 (really fabulous and just entered its open drinking window) and maybe 1997 (with a 6-8 hour decant but will only get better in the next decade).

    If you haven't tried it, Henschke Hill of Grace from the '80s is in the same league...or some would say, higher. i sit on the fence on that one.

    Lastly - in a similar vein and you probably know it already, I am a huge fan of Ch. Musar and have almost every vintage going back to 1959. Anything from 1999 backwards is gorgeous if you give it a 6-hour decant (even the 1980s wines need it). It's also a lot more affordable than Grange or HoG.

White - Sparkling
2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Champagne Blend
11/12/2020 - Ivan Strouchki wrote:
93 points
Translucid but intense golden robe. Expressive albeit restrained nose of pear, white peach, green apple, fresh almonds, white flowers (esp. jasmine), some savory notes such as toasted brioche, old parmesan, or mild truffle, and an occasional sea breeze. On the palate, the key is the tension between the ethereal drive of the fine bubbles and overarching minerality vs. the creamy, (borderline heavy) lemon curd, baked apricots and red apples body of the wine. Warming up, occasional meaty notes (esp. foie gras). Great length, with enduring notes of grapefruits, crème brûlée, and hints of white pepper. On a side note, the food pairing capacities of this champagne with fine Chinese cuisine (e.g., Cantonese soup, braised pork feet, etc.) are remarkable.
  • Goldstone commented:

    11/12/20, 7:19 PM - Hi Ivan, super note and I totally agree about pairing this wine with fine Cantonese cuisine. The same is true, I find, for Dom Perignon and Krug (in particular).

Red
2005 Château Pedesclaux Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
11/9/2020 - Tony N wrote:
92 points
Beautiful and mature wine. Stored in my cellar undisturbed since purchase in 2011. Mature yet full of life, the merlot makes it smooth yet medium bodied and fruit forward. Quite complex and highly drinkable. Drank with a pure beef burger and roasted vegetables. Could not get enough and gutted as the bottle diminished. Very nice indeed.
  • Goldstone commented:

    11/9/20, 10:14 AM - Mate, in sympathy, looking forwards to some cracking 'lockdown' notes from Liverpool (my soccer team since childhood, as an aside).

Red
2006 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley
11/1/2020 - Derek Darth Taster wrote:
93 points
J&C wedding at OneFarrer. Tasted blind. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of chocolate, cassis, cedarwood, blueberry, black plum, black licorice, earth. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of savoury earth, chocolate, cassis, creosote, black licorice, blueberry, black plum, black pepper. Big long finish.
Very good quality. Very well-made, and nicely aged Barossa Shiraz. Prime drinking. Not for further cellaring (for my palate).
  • Goldstone commented:

    11/3/20, 12:30 AM - Hi Derek, I'm surprised you think this is not for further cellaring...... I think it has 10-20 years ahead of it to improve, based on the 6-hour decant it needed when I last opened a bottle in 2017. It came in the top 3 of 20-25 Aussie wines a friend and I researched about 10 years ago to try and identify 'the next Grange'....younger winemakers who have accessed 100 year old vines, simply put. Whatever, I enjoy your notes and what you are drinking.

  • Goldstone commented:

    11/3/20, 1:21 AM - Fair enough.....but if you ever have a chance to drink a Grange 1971 or a Hill of Grace 1985 I will ask you to challenge your paradigm :)

    The acidity issue is an interesting one, because Australian wines are notoriously short of natural acidity and so it has been generally allowed to add 'foreign' acidity in the winemaking process. In my experience, wines in the 1990s now show a 'sour' acidity because the 'foreign' element never really integrated and then pokes up intrusively once the fruit and oak fades.......but I am being very nerdy and there is no need to reply to this part of my comment :)

  • Goldstone commented:

    11/3/20, 1:50 AM - Mate, if you ever have the opportunity to drink a bottle of Hill of Grace from the 1980s then do everything to experience it. HoG is more feminine than Grange but the '85s and '86s I have drank stand up to anything I have ever drank....including perfect bottles of Ch. Latour '59, for example.

Red
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba Nebbiolo
9/24/2020 - Derek Darth Taster wrote:
93 points
Piedmont gang lunch at Solo Ristorante. Tasted semi-blind. Drank in Grassl Cru. Aired about 1.5-2 hours in bottle already.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of stony earth minerality, and then clammed up ripe red fruits. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (145), fine high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe red plum, sour red cherries, dark red cherries, polished leather, black tea leaves, dark tar/tobacco, crunchy stones minerality. Medium+ finish that gets sneakily longer with more air.
Very good quality. Just somehow not showing as fully as it should have on this day I think. Maybe not enough air time? I give this the benefit of doubt.
  • Goldstone commented:

    9/26/20, 3:42 AM - Hi Derek,

    You may not have been in control of serving this wine but it really needs a minimum 4-hour decant at this stage of its life, in my experience. Then it sings!

    Mike

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