Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting

City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA
Tasted Tuesday, October 21, 2014 by aagrawal with 824 views

Flight 1 - Riesling (5 Notes)

Always an enjoyable category. The eroica was an entry level wine, not worth searching out. The others were all excellent with the Dr. Loosen auslese showing the most complexity out of all of them, though the Donnhoff kabinett more enjoyable than the Loosen Grosses Gewachs.

Flight 2 - Lighter Reds (5 Notes)

The burgundies were interesting but not memorable. The young Morics were also interesting but not memorable, but seemed to have more density than pinot in general (yes, I know it is a different grape). But the 2007 Moric was superb and would have been a dead-ringer for burgundy in a blind tasting showing great complexity, light body, spice, excellent flavor, and earthiness. Hard to believe that only 4 years makes that much of a difference.

Flight 3 - Full bodied reds (10 Notes)

This was the strongest category here tonight. Some lessons:
1) Ridge Monte Bello is absolutely a world-class wine and also an excellent value. I just got on this list starting with 2013, and I think I'll have some excellent wines in a decade or two. Just superb and classic, wonderful.
2) The Dominus was exceptional as well. The 2011 was more modern, but the 2006 was absolutely bordeaux-like and superbly balanced. I don't know if the 2011 will get to the level of the 2006 with some age or if the wine itself is a bit riper, but each have their unique strengths and both are enjoyable. This is another exceptional world-class wine that is worth buying every year if you can find it ~$130.
3) Sassicaia- I had never tried it before. It is excellent and I would love to try it many, many times, though out of my price range at high $100s-200s and not quite as good as Monte Bello or Dominus above.
4) The Paul Jaboulet is excellent, maybe some day exceptional, but needs at least a decade, maybe longer, to properly integrate and develop complexity.
5) Baudry is a fantastic value. For $30, can't be beat.

  • 2010 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Aromatic, spicy, red fruit; full bodies, medium complexity, spicy; med finish. Overall good value for ~$50 for cote rotie. 89-90+

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2004 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Pagos de Viña Real 83 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Subtle nose, slight spice; medium bodied, slightly bitter, average flavor. Mediocre. 83

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2011 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

    More traditional fruit, black fruit, spicy palate, great balance. 91

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

    Wonderful youthful funk, great color, dense black fruit; palate is full bodied, balanced tannin, fabulous fruit, wonderful medium finish. Exceptional value. 91-92

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2010 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 93 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

    Medium ruby color; youthful aromatic nose, red fruit with some spice and smoke; balanced medium bodied palate, surprisingly elegant, cranberry; approachable medium length finish. Overall very nice and clearly an exceptional wine, though still obviously expensive. 92-93.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2010 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Youthful berry fruit, spicy, a denser meaty but also minerally component; full body, dense, young, but not overly tannic, great acidity. This showed great potential but wasn't one of those wines that is hedonistic now, so give it a lot of time to develop. Lots of potential; will wait ideally >10 years before opening my only bottle. 91-95

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2010 Ridge Monte Bello 96 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Deep purple color; classic Cali cab nose with huge perfect black fruit, slight mint, dense; full bodied, exquisitely balanced tannins, velvety texture; long finish. Very young but absolutely superb. For the price, this is a silly value. 96-98

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2011 Dominus Estate 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Deeper ruby color; intense nose with black currant jam, spicy black pepper; palate is full bodied, good acidity, nice density; medium finish. The nose is superb. The palate needs to integrate but will get there. More of a riper california styled cabernet. 93++ (nose is 95+)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2006 Dominus Estate 97 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Old school nose with eucalyptus, slight vegetal, but great fruit; palate is full bodied, dense blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, still young but excellent. Long finish. This is everything I look for in a california cabernet. 97-98

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2009 Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Superiore 88 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

    Lighter red fruits with slight spiciness. Kind of moderate flavor. This is disappointing for the price. 88

    Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 4 - Sweets (6 Notes)

1) As before, Kracher's strength are his more dense wines (#7) due to their complexity, though they always come across as a little cloying for me, but not too bad.
2) Taylor Fladgate's 2011 is fantastic. Would love to try it in 50 years.

×
×