5/19/2012 - KSC02 wrote:

Absolutely beautiful showing. The wine was carefully decanted for sediment. Evident bricking on the pour but the sum of the wine in decanter was medium-dark red. A bit of funk needed to blow off but this wine continuously transformed over the following 2 1/2 hours. 30 minutes in glass and it began unfolding like a flower, continuing to expend a increasingly ripe bouquet. At 2 1/2 hours it began to softly descend and take on a bit of pepper aromatically and the tannin began to predominate. The show was over. But until then it was a silky, balanced wine with a 60s + finish. Very, very nice. A very feminine, elegant wine this one.

1/30/2011 - KSC02 wrote:

Stringent aromas of cherries and tar. Thin on the palate and disjointed followed by a clipped finish. Was recommended to me my an importer as a great QPR. There's much better available for just a few extra dollars. PASS

1/23/2011 - KSC02 wrote:

Popped and poured. Smoky aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, raspberry and black liquorice. Aromas follow through to the palate with a full-bodied, silky mouth feel. Balanced and still young but the tannins are in check. Based upon this particular bottle's showing still years ahead of it. This bottle showed very well indeed.

1/16/2011 - KSC02 wrote:

Splash decanted for approx. 2 hrs. Deep ruby red in color. Huge, luscious and layered aromas of dark red fruits, vanilla, fig and a supporting layer of tobacco. Gorgeous, succulent full-bodied mouth feel with the dark fruit and vanilla carrying through with excellent balance and structure. Long finish. A wow wine and better than average showing for the consistently excellent LLC. Classic. In its' very early window, this has a long life ahead and a few more years should benefit the complexity of the wine. Superb! Paired beautifully with a salad of duck and prochetta.

1/16/2011 - KSC02 wrote:

Opened and allowed to air for an hour or so. Aromas of cherry and cedar. Big on the nose which didn't entirely carry through to the palate. The cherry and cedar carry through to the palate however within a slightly thin structure. Finish was mid-short in length. Noteworthy: The wine gained a bit of weight as time progressed in glass. An excellent Bordeaux for its price-point and another couple of years in cellar should reward.

12/12/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Time in bottle is improving this wine. Rose red with just a touch of bricking, this one seems to be maturing a little earlier than the majority of BdMs of this vintage. Bright aromas of raspberries and cherry with a secondary of chocolate. Time in glass allowed darker fruits to become evident with a bit earthier profile.Blackberry and dark cherries. The acidity of the wine paired well with wild boar ragu. Silky mouth feel and a mid-length finish. Entering its' drinking window now, a few more years of cellaring should prove beneficial to this wine's showing.

12/12/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

A superb showing of this already legendary wine. The color showed no signs of bricking. Amazingly fresh red in color. Aromas: Young and lively at first, settled with time into a classic, textbook, Bordeaux nose. Beautifully balanced and absolutely seamless on the palate. Looooong finish. A superb showing from this bottle, we followed it for hours in glass. Solidly in its drinking window, it has years of life ahead of it. Stunning

7/18/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

(from magnum) Similar to my earlier notes, however the complexities of the aromas have matured. Excellent mouth feel and medium finish. I emphasize that this wine consistently shows better from a magnum format. Excellent.

7/4/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Originally opening with a very, very subtle grassy aroma, with 15-20 minutes in glass it really began to blossom and continuously evolve itself over the next hour. Stones, lychee, lanolin, honey-soaked bees wax and white blossoms. An excellent acidity, balanced and round. Very long finish. It just kept getting better. This wine will continue to show well for 5-10 years. Past that, I'm unsure. Superb now.

6/17/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Splash decanted about 1 1/2 hrs. Quite young and a bit tight still. Enveloping aromas of plum and rich dark dark, tobacco, earth and spice. A bit warm to the nose. The lush berries and plum come through to the palate with a lively, slightly acidic, mouth feel underpinned by tannins. Medium finish. Didn't wow me, but very enjoyable. No question of its quality. A solid wine.

4/15/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Deep dark in glass. Allowed to air in glass over one hour and slowly consumed throughout the meal. This is a real food wine and shows well when paired with. Dark berry and cherry aromas opened up and continued to mature and gain lushness throughout the time in glass. Excellent, silky mouth-feel with the freshness up front but balanced and in check with the tannins. An enjoyable spiciness shows on the palate but stays in proportion. Drinks surprisingly well for such a young wine. Another year in cellar should reward well. I picked up a couple of bottles to try. Wish I'd picked up more. Very nice and a solid purchase Crozes in its price-point. A buy.

3/10/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Light gold in color. Quite floral when initially opened, it soon settled into vanilla and green apple. Very lightly oak in the palate, with the apple and vanilla coming through on a sharp but structured bed of acidity. This should tone down with time in the bottle and begin really coming together.Bright, full-bodied, viscous mouth feel with a mid-length finish. Very nice wine that surely shows best with a food pairing. Paired well this time with a salad of romaine lettuce, black olives, apple and grilled turkey breast.

2/28/2010 - KSC02 Likes this wine:

Popped, poured and paired with Salmon grilled with black pepper, salt, EVOO and a splash of lemon. Deep Ruby red in color. Aromas of Red Currant, Black Cherry and Chocolate. The red fruit comes through plushly upon the palate within a full bodied structure. During the first hour the fruit was quite forward and fresh. After about 1 hour in glass the tannins began to rise up and take prominence, with the fruit subsiding. Long finish. Seems to be entering an awkward phase now, not as impressive as this wine showed a year ago.

2/13/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Medium red in color. Almost Pinot Noir-like in color and display. Splash decanted for 2 1/2 hours prior to re-corking and taking to dinner. Initial plush and elegant floral aromas later developed into rich, complex aromas of grilled meat, ripe plums, raspberry and coffee. Rich and silky, medium-full bodied mouth feel. Elegant yet powerful at the same time. Tannins where beautifully integrated and balanced with the fruit. Big, long finish that lingered for a couple of minutes. Gorgeous. After 2 hrs in glass, however, the tannins did begin taking on more dominance and the fruit began to step aside, leading me to believe that this bottle required little decanting. A rich, complex and superb CdP on all levels.

2/13/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Light gold in color. Upon opening a very aggressive, fine, beading and acidity burst forth. Once allowed to settle, the acidity was to the forefront and dominated aromas of citrus, apple and baked bread. Concentrated and crisp in the mouth with a stony minerality with bread, lemon curd and almond on the palate. With time in glass however, this bottle settled right down. The aromas, while still those displayed in the beginning matured, gained complexity and flourished. All the young aggressivness melded into a superb showing with a very enjoyable long finish. Still quite young, this vintage has a long life ahead yet while showing very well now. Paired beautifully with Salmon Tartare.

1/31/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Popped and poured. Aired in glass over a period of 2 hours. Deep, dark and viscous. Aromas of Blackberry, dark chocolate and raspberry with a smoky secondary. Luscious and full mouth feel with the dark fruit and chocolate coming through. Silky smooth and a pure joy to consume. Typical Dofi elegance displayed. Paired beautifully with marinated rabbit. This bottle was absolutely singing.

1/30/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Deep red in color. No bricking whatsoever. Aromas were plush and deep the moment the bottle was opened. Dark berry, spice and plum with a secondary of eucalyptus. Beautiful,full and silky mouth feel with the plum, spice and dark berry. Very alive throughout. Long, balanced finish. The finest bottle showing I've had yet with this wine, and now my last. It was a truly a pleasure to drink the past couple of years.

1/22/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Bright and crisp, both with its aromas and on the palate. Green apple and lemon with a mild cookie dough secondary. Noticed a bit of pear on the palate. Drinks well now with a mid-long finish. Very pleasant and paired well with Salmon tartar. A fine showing from this bottle.

1/22/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Top shoulder fill. Upon cutting the capsule the cork showed dusty white mold on top, as it should. The cork came out without much gentle coaxing. Deep red staining half-way up the cork with blood red, fresh wetness on the cork bottom. Pouring into glass the color was deep red with just the very slightest evidence of a thin brown-orange ring around the edge. Viscous and lush in color. Absolutely amazing for the age of this wine. After a very brief period of subdued funk blowing off, lush aromas of currant, dark berries and cedar, with mild aromas of leather and mushroom in the background, began wafting from the glass. The first sip gave evidence of a fresh, yet subtle, underpinning of tannin supporting the deep, dark berry, mushroom and cedar in the mouth. Lush, soft and silky. A gorgeous, mid-full body mouth feel. The tannin continuously subsided and integrated over the next 3 hours. Each sip was slightly better than the previous. Mid-long finish. Nice complexity. Not as complex as some other Bordeaux wines of this vintage but very classy and enjoyable nonetheless. If you are cellaring this wine, there is no rush to open. This beauty has a handful of years left in it without any fear of degradation.

1/1/2010 - KSC02 wrote:

Splash decanted for 14 hours prior to pouring. Deep, viscous purple in glass. Huge plush aromas of licorice, smoke and cassis and spices. The plushness follows through to a huge mouth feel yet so balanced with the tannins present but not predominant. Absolutely incredibly well balanced for its age. Only lacking the complex layering, due to its youth, to allow this wine to be a true classic. Long finish that continues to evolve continuously. Excellent! Several years of cellaring will serve this gorgeous wine well. But oh so good now.

12/25/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Aromas are fresh, clean and clear of apricot, nectarine and field flowers in Summer. All on a background of starched linen. Full mouth feel while remaining crisp and lush. A nice streak of mineral running through but not over powering. Well balanced and a long finish. A very elegant Rhone white.

12/25/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

An active amount of fine beading. Initial aromas of apricot, peach & honey. Very Sauternes(ish) indeed. With a few minutes to air it began to transform and open into a much more typical nose of this wine with aromas of toast, bread dough and honey. A beautiful acidic underpinning though balanced per its present age and a pleasant long finish. A beautiful showing from this bottle.

12/13/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

(from Magnum) Surprisingly balanced and elegant for its young age. Consistent fine beading. Aromas of yeast, citrus and a hint of honey. Smooth and balanced on the palate with a firm, but not biting, acidity. Gorgeous, mid-length finish. A solid showing.

11/29/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

From Magnum: Served at just below room temperature. Straw gold in color with a very active beading. Green apple and yeast with a sharp and structured mineral foundation and acidity. Not complex but very enjoyable. Medium finish. The overall balance and integration of this wine showed noticeably better with the larger format than I've tasted of this wine from .750ml.

11/29/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Color was deep, dark red. Aromas were stingy and ungiving. A bit of raspberry and earth with a hint of spice. Palate showed these traits but the mouth-feel just did not give the characteristic Caymus structure. No elegance. In fact it was almost a shade Port-ish in body and finish, with a mild iodine at the very end. Thus, I marked this wine as defective and not scoring. Provenance possibly with this bottle as it was purchased at auction and thus unknown. A mildly disappointing experience.

11/15/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Complex aromas of mushroom, black currants, coffee, earth and spice. These carry to the palate in layers, all wrapped within an excellent, mid/full-bodied structure and offering a beautiful mouth feel. Tannins are present but in balance. A very high quality Priorat that truly displays a sense of place. A superb value and well worth seeking out.

11/15/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Gorgeous color and viscosity. A monster of a wine upon initial opening, with gripping tannins. Splash decanted 3 hours and the beast settled into a beautiful bottle. Deep, opulent aromas of dark berries, menthol and spice. A big. fresh, viscous, full-bodied mouth feel with the big berry taste and menthol coming through to the palate. Tannins became nicely integrated at this point (especially for for such a baby) and everything was quite balanced. It's all there. Medium-long finish. It was remarkably noticeable that, at the four hour + mark, the tannins rose up and completely devoured any remaining fruit. This bottle showed well and continuously evolved in glass the entire time (as one would expect at this point). Time will surely reward those who cellar. A blockbuster of a wine indeed.

11/8/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Opened and allowed to air, in bottle, for one hour. Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of Cedar, leather, tobacco with a secondary of dried herbal spice. Broad-shouldered, while still very smooth and balanced in the mouth. The fruit is very much fresh and alive with the tannins underpinning everything. They are there, but very much in check. Gorgeous, mid-long finish. An excellent showing from this bottle.

10/12/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Crimson red in color. Aromas of cherries, plum with a background of cinnamon. Medium body and very balanced. The tannins and acidity are well integrated. Smooth as silk and shows its pedigree. Oddly Pinot Noir like in flavor and texture. I've never experienced that in a Barbaresco. This bottle was in its window and ready to drink. No further cellaring would benefit, IMO.

9/26/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Deep dark cherry red in color. Initial aromas of bright red fruit, plum, pomegranate and kirsch. Huge mouth feel, acidic and strong, dusty tannin structure. Let the bottle sit open for 1 1/2 days and poured again. The aromas were much more toned. Plum and deep, lush red fruit came to the fore. On the palate the wine is now much more integrated and the tannins subsided. Still a big mouth feel but in check. Much less disjointed. Mid length finish and very nice. I'll let my final bottle sit for 3-5 years before opening again.

9/26/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Complex aromas of tropical fruit, honey and smoke. With a couple of hours in glass the tropical fruit subsided, giving stage to aromas lanolin and wax and honey/fruit becoming secondary. The complexity carries through to a full bodied mouth feel and a long finish. A beautiful wine demanding a nice food pairing to show its best. Years of a very regal life ahead of it.

9/26/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Deep garnet in color. Aromas of mushroom, dark earth, cigar, plums and red fruit. Elegant and balanced structure with integrated tannins supporting a beautiful array of flavors, with the red fruit playing the lead. Long, satisfying finish. Classy wine and very typical of La Mission H-B. Paired wonderfully with Lamb.

9/12/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Ruby red in color. Initially a bit of heat which blew off with several minutes in glass. Aromas of Black cherry, currant and chocolate which carry over to the palate. Nice, silkyl mouth feel and good balance. Drinking smoothly with a long finish. Very nice indeed.

9/6/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Crisp, clear and bright. Aromas of yellow apple and mineral gave way to a very light citrus/honey profile with time in glass. Crisp and bright in the mouth with a bit of stone on the palate, which became rounder with time. Medium length finish. Not much complexity but a very pleasant white Rhone nonetheless.

9/6/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Allowed to air in bottle for one hour. Dark and brooding in color. Beautiful aromas of dark fruits, forest floor and pepper. A bit disappointing on the palate as it doesn't live up to the nuances provided to the nose. Nice mouth feel but felt a bit hollow mid-palate. Mid length finish.

9/3/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Light amber in color. Very pleasant complexity of aromas. Apricot, honey and walnuts with a touch of caramel. These carry to the palate in balanced layers that complimented each other. Everything in balanced proportion. Clearly a long life ahead of it.

9/1/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Straw yellow color with an active, fine bead. Aromas of toast, walnut, butterscotch and nectarine preceded an elegant mouth feel with a mature, stony acidity. Very elegant and plush. Long mineral finish. Gorgeous!

9/1/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Gold in color with little to no bead. Absolutely intoxicating aromas of biscuit, hazelnut and coffee which come through to the palate within a firm, full, balanced structure. Broad shouldered but elegant champagne in a class by itself. To not pair this with food would be a disservice to both the wine and the drinker. Long long finish. A true experience.

8/15/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Aromas of earth and dark fruit supported by a light floral quality. Fruity, balanced, smooth and full-bodied in the mouth with a long finish. Loved this one.

8/14/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Warm yellow color. Complex aromas of spiced pear, almond, linen and honey wax. The pear and honey come through to the palate with a very round, balanced structure. Long finish. Time has served this wine well. Lovely.

7/20/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Allowed to air in bottle for 1 hour. Very slight bricking to the edge of glass. Luscious, embracing, aromas of dark fruit, cedar, spice with a graphite and pencil shaving secondary. With time in glass, a lovely, very floral, character began to take precedense. Lush mouth feel with the dark fruit and tobacco coming through. Well integrated tannins with a still very fresh acidity level, suggesting this wine is not ready to begin declining. A very delicate, enjoyable finish. Ready to drink. A very classy wine indeed. Loved it.

7/13/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Dense Golden in color. Very perfumed and floral aromas seemed to jump from the glass. The initial intensity seemed to settled a bit with time however were ever present, along with pepper and spice notes. A strong underpinning of acidity on the palate but enjoyable. Definately a food wine and paired well with very good quality sushi. Mid length finish. One of the finer Gewurztraminer's I've tasted.

7/12/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Bright yellow in color. Absolutely intoxicating aromas of honey soaked bees wax, coconut and pineapple. This wine is incredibly delicate, even elegant, covering the palate with an unctuous, though incredibly light, coating of apricot and hazelnut with a secondary of almonds. It is completely ethereal in the mouth and never, ever, cloying. I continuously felt remorse while finely allowing each savored sip to slide down my throat, however the finish seemed never-ending. When eventually finished I could still taste it hours later. Absolutely amazing and can only think that age will increase some amount of complexity. However this will not necessarily improve the wine experienced presently. Surely one wine I feel priviledged to taste relatively young while looking forward to experiencing as it ages over the next decades. Amazing.

7/1/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Popped and poured, allowing to air in glass for 30 minutes. Fresh and clean in appearance. Brilliant Ruby red in color. Aromas of blackberry, ripened cherries and spice with a hint of eucalyptus. Surprisingly supple and fresh mouthfeel. Balanced with good structure. The acidity and tannin levels are really very good at this point and I believe should age well, becoming rounder. I would imagine that additional time in glass would have added another point. Possibly two. Very nice mid-length finish. Very enjoyable now and additional time will be very kind to this wine.

6/29/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Light yellow in color. Served cool and allowed to come to temperature while tasting along the way. Aromas of Cantalope and wax. With about 20 minutes in glass the aromas began to be a little vegetal, giving off endive, watercress and cerise de terre (ground cherry). Good acidity throughout and a very balanced, refreshing mouthfeel. Not complex but fresh and fruity. Medium length finish and very pleasurable indeed. One of the better Italian whites I've had the priviledge to enjoy. Worth seeking out.

6/28/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Deep crimson ruby in color. Aromas of dark berry, tar and wool, with a hint of black liquorice. The nose is the star here with this one as is does not impress on the palate. Fresh mouth feel with the fresh fruit coming through, but a bit thin and hollow overall followed by a short, lackluster finish.

6/22/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Popped, poured and allowed to air in glass. Rustic red in color. Surpisingly hot on the nose, it meanwhile offered up aromas of Black cherry, freshly lit campfire logs, forest floor and cedar with a little smoke. The dark cherry and smoke come to the palate filling the mouth with a lucious glycerine feel without the heat experienced on the nose. A mild underpinning of tannins, though presently integrated quite well within the structure.Nice mid-length finish.

6/21/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Opened and aired for about 1 hour prior to pouring. Dark brooding red in glass. Aromas of dark cherries and vanilla and a hint of candied maple and spice, which carry through to the palate with a very silky, full mouth feel. Round and supple in texture with a long finish.

6/18/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Allowed to air in glass for 1/2 before beginning consumption. Dark, brooding burgundy and viscous in glass. Luscious aromas of blackberry, currant and raspberry with a faint vanilla secondary. The dark berries and raspberries come through in the mouth. The tannins have begun integrating nicely and the mouth feel is rounding, full and plush. The best showing of this wine in two years for me. This one is aging very nicely indeed.

6/11/2009 - KSC02 wrote:

Dark red in color. Plum, pepper and spice with a secondary of leather. Fresh dark fruit and plums on the palate offer a good balance with a silky mouth feel.. Mildy hollow mid palate. Mid-short finish but very nice.