Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Bottled 2010. Heavier, grittier mouthfeel than the "I Think" had alongside. Complex citrus and apple, spice, saline, with great depth and a long finish. ++
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Very pretty, seductive floral and red fruit nose, especially after a few hours of air. Silky mouthfeel. Good acidity, integrated tannins; sour cherry. No shame opening these now, as the nose with a few hours of air is worth the price of admission. A Village wine? Nice! ++
Mineral, lime citrus, lots of brioche; delineated. Very interesting champagne. For some unknown reason, I thought that this is what a well-crafted Cremant de Muscadet Sur Lie would taste like, if such a thing existed.
Keith's prose inspired me to try this and see if it would change my view of Vermentino as a serviceable Wednesday-night fish wine. So it was great irony that another taster commented that this is a "fine Tuesday night wine." Whether Tuesday or Wednesday, it is nice (and indeed has lifting acidity), but not memorable. =
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium ruby; pretty nose of red fruit, savory, touch of spice, touch of soy. Feels lighter than its medium body; medium acid and fully integrated tannin. +
Excellent acidity balances the (only Spatlese?) sweetness; fruit, flowers, minerality, everything is rolled into a gritty texture. Yum, and so excellent young. ++
Youthful medium ruby suggests a wine 20 years younger. Medium intensity nose; Pencil lead, leather, sour cherry, and more pencil lead. The nose is still so very fresh and young. Light, classic body. Very long sweet cherry finish. Very fine soft tannins. Excellent. +++
Very reserved nose upon opening, and it took an hour to coax something out of it; eventually, revealed pencil lead, earth, and darker fruit than either of the other two Diamond Creeks tonight. Somehow came off as both brooding and shy.
Deep color; very nice expressive nose of blackberry, plum, tobacco; everything about it seemed "right" but I didn't feel much draw to keep reaching for it.
What a treat! It would be easier to list the aromas that are *not* in this wine. Earthy, savory, woody, nutty, sweet, raisiny; an old, wise Madeira with a youthful, sweet, boisterous side. Amazing lift and balance. A depth and complexity that would take days to unpack. +++
NV Equipo Navazos Manzanilla en Rama
Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
light, fresh; saline, lemon, mineral; lively, delineated, and fun. +
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NV Equipo Navazos La Bota de Manzanilla 22 "Navazos"
Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Bottled 2010. Heavier, grittier mouthfeel than the "I Think" had alongside. Complex citrus and apple, spice, saline, with great depth and a long finish. ++
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2010 Henri Jouan Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Very pretty, seductive floral and red fruit nose, especially after a few hours of air. Silky mouthfeel. Good acidity, integrated tannins; sour cherry. No shame opening these now, as the nose with a few hours of air is worth the price of admission. A Village wine? Nice! ++
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1996 Joseph Drouhin Charmes-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Very restrained; medium intensity berry nose; light frame, medium acid, light tannin, short finish. Over several hours, never quite delivered. =
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2010 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Großes Gewächs
Germany, Nahe
Peach, apricot, citrus; Juicy fruit-forward attack; dry but not at all austere; long mineral and lime finish. Not a subtle wine. Good. +
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NV Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Cumières
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Mineral, lime citrus, lots of brioche; delineated. Very interesting champagne. For some unknown reason, I thought that this is what a well-crafted Cremant de Muscadet Sur Lie would taste like, if such a thing existed.
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2009 Ottaviano Lambruschi Vermentino Colli di Luni Sarticola
Italy, Tuscany / Liguria, Colli di Luni
Keith's prose inspired me to try this and see if it would change my view of Vermentino as a serviceable Wednesday-night fish wine. So it was great irony that another taster commented that this is a "fine Tuesday night wine." Whether Tuesday or Wednesday, it is nice (and indeed has lifting acidity), but not memorable. =
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1996 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium ruby; pretty nose of red fruit, savory, touch of spice, touch of soy. Feels lighter than its medium body; medium acid and fully integrated tannin. +
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2010 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese
Germany, Nahe
Excellent acidity balances the (only Spatlese?) sweetness; fruit, flowers, minerality, everything is rolled into a gritty texture. Yum, and so excellent young. ++
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1970 Château Giscours
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Youthful medium ruby suggests a wine 20 years younger. Medium intensity nose; Pencil lead, leather, sour cherry, and more pencil lead. The nose is still so very fresh and young. Light, classic body. Very long sweet cherry finish. Very fine soft tannins. Excellent. +++
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1987 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Most fruit-forward of the three Diamond Creek wines tonight; Lush, rich; currants and sweet sour cherry; quite nice.
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1987 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Very reserved nose upon opening, and it took an hour to coax something out of it; eventually, revealed pencil lead, earth, and darker fruit than either of the other two Diamond Creeks tonight. Somehow came off as both brooding and shy.
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1987 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Most tannic and structured of the three Diamond Creek wines tonight; savory and leathery atop bitter cherry; silky mouthfeel;
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1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
Deep color; very nice expressive nose of blackberry, plum, tobacco; everything about it seemed "right" but I didn't feel much draw to keep reaching for it.
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1987 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Still very youthful; berries and sweet oak on the nose; soft; good acidity, sweet tannins; yummy! ++
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1987 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley
Oxidized
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1970 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Oxidized. Dammit.
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1967 Fratelli Dellavalle
Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara
Perfectly serviceable and still somewhat alive, though completely unremarkable and unexciting.
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1980 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve
USA, California, Napa Valley
On its way down; okay, but completely unexciting
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1992 Müller-Catoir Haardter Herrenletten Gewürztraminer Eiswein
Germany, Pfalz
medium orange-gold; dried apricot, pineapple; very high acidity; impressive stuff. +
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NV Equipo Navazos La Bota de Amontillado 31 "Bota NO"
Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Rich, incredibly complex; toasted hazelnuts, blood oranges, simple syrup; zippy and very aromatic.
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1880 Whitwham Porto Millennium
Portugal, Douro, Porto
What a treat! It would be easier to list the aromas that are *not* in this wine. Earthy, savory, woody, nutty, sweet, raisiny; an old, wise Madeira with a youthful, sweet, boisterous side. Amazing lift and balance. A depth and complexity that would take days to unpack. +++
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