Hart Davis Hart BYOB Dinner

An exceptionally enjoyable event and fine company, as usual. This two hour dinner could have easily been stretched to five. While the food wasn't too exciting, the quality of the wines was generally excellent, some just didn't receive the time and attention they deserved (not to mention a few others that never made it to our end of the table, and a few more that never even got opened).

• NV Val de Mer Crémant de Bourgogne Rose (No Dosage) 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne

  Very pale copper-pink. Generous and interesting nose of red pinot fruit, sweet melon, lychee and honey. A faint bit of an odd sourness on the palate, just a bit flat, otherwise clean. Short finish.

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• 2010 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Rosé Erratica 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Really lovely once again. Very light, easy drinking, with pure and delicate pinot noir character coming through.

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• 2008 Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embazées 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Unusual nose of tart orange juice concentrate, honey and white flowers. More interesting chardonnay character comes through on the palate, with faint sulfur, light structure and some heat. White flowers emerge again through the finish.

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• 2010 Remoissenet Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Faint, toasty nose. Simple and just a bit harsh on the palate, a bit of melon late. Just not giving a lot right now, a little age may help this soften and open up.

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• 2010 Stags' Leap Winery Chardonnay 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very faint but pleasantly perfumed and floral nose. Light oak allowing the chardonnay to speak. Somewhat light and simple, but pleasing and easy to drink.

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• 2008 Sturino Trotta Cellars Chardonnay Carneros 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Charred wood and faint sulfur actually make for an inviting nose. Very fine balance of oak and fruit throughout, with just a touch of passing heat to clip the midpalate.

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• 1979 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Similar to the previous bottle, very appealing tobacco, earth, and red fruit. Still very lively, this was fine drinking and would have been classic if it weren't for the massive and lingering tannins that really called for a solid food pairing.

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• 1980 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Green and yeasty nose. So clean and pleasingly balanced on the palate. Firm tannins emerged late, along with an almost candied, youthful sweetness that mingled very nicely with the lingering green note.

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• 1971 Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvée Rousseau Deslandes Morin Père & Fils

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Pale rose-garnet color, quite cloudy. Cork smelled of pure old gym socks. Almost completely fungal, clinging to just a bit of a faint moldy strawberry note. Somehow this was still vinous and sippable, with a hint of structure, but generally just an interesting novelty, well past prime. Not scored. From magnum.

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• 2009 Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Grèves 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Pale, generic hot, thin. Drinkable, with no outright flaws.

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• 2009 Remoissenet Père et Fils Corton-Renardes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Intersting nose of melon, orange peel, torrefaction and pinot berry. More tart on the palate, still showing some complexity. Moderate tannins, mild acidity, turning hot through the shortish finish. To be consumed relatively young.

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• 1993 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  No detailed notes, but this showed a remarkably fresh and sweet nose, candied fruit, tea leaf and rose petals.

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• 1989 Château Lynch-Bages 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Classic leathery, earthy Lynch Bages nose. Lots of sweet fruit and earth on the palate. A generally beautiful bottle, with a slight green streak that detracted.

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• 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  This came across as harsh, hot, and tannic. I don't know when it was opened, a longer decant would possibly have helped. Not scored.

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• 2001 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Rich primary fruit, dusty tannins, simple and generic but very clean save for excessive heat. Not scored, as this almost certainly would have benefitted from a longer decant. Still, the balance here seems unlikely to improve with age.

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• 2005 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  My first sip was warm and simple, but I just didn't have time to give this the attention it deserved. Not scored.

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• 2009 Peter Michael Les Pavots

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Beautiful sweet, primary nose, with fine roasty oak treatment. After that, this came across as hot, simple, linear, and a rich style that just wasn't in my sweet spot this late in the evening. Not scored.

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• 1997 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  Pleasant fruit and generally appealing balance, save for a touch of the heat of the vintage. From magnum, tasted quickly on the way out the door, not scored.

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• 1963 Sandeman Porto Vintage 93 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Bright, fresh color. This was shockingly primary and youthful, showing a touch of spirit but still smooth enough. Almost a slightly thinner version of the 1977 Taylor. Decanted 8 hours and could have used 12. Bottles like this won't see maturity for another two decades, a really fine showing this time. Neck fill, very clean, BB&R UK bottled.

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