Apple, peach, orange and grapefruit - quite expressive. Creamy and with a good dose of fruit sweetness alongside a weave of minerality and lovely length. Probably a Comtes for mid-term consumption given the fruit sweetness stands out a little more than usual.
Lime, floral, orange peel, musk, mandarin and some smoky elements form the complex nose. Light honey to the palate with quite an intense spice element. Acidity is really quite lovely with that sea spray note behind it. Excellent texture here. Drink now but good bottles like this should give a lot of pleasure.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Touch of an oxidative butterscotch note, orange peel, ginger, menthol and spice. Quite nice texture, good length with good carry. It fades a little in the glass but it happened slowly and there is still goodness to be found. Drink now.
Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
Honey, nutty, light kerosene and straw. Nice agreed character on the palate, it has fine flow and there is still acid to give it a bit of spark. Does fall away a touch on the finish but it is in really fine condition overall.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Lemon, strong pear, toast and oak with musk, mineral notes and maple waffles - quite complex! Powerful palate, really full and long but doesn't feel overwhelming or out of place. Excellent fruit and the acid flow provides balance across its core elements.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Herb, lemon, floral laundry powder, watermelon, apricot and peach on the nose. Sweet up front on the palate but there is an excellent savoury finish to it. Lip-smacking acidity continues throughout. Good flow and length, with the sweetness there and aiding in giving an extra dimension nicely. Delicious.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru
Autumn leaves, smoke, cherry, spice and subtle sappiness laid throughout. Definitely shows both the fruit weight and the structure of the better 2005 Burgundy reds, it is full and long and it all works well together. Extremely enjoyable even now in its youth.
Iron and blood, a light green edge, cherry and wood/cedar. The palate doesn't quite have as much interest but there is a nice core of red fruit and a little animale kick to it. Pleasantly medium bodied and holding very well.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Coffee, graphite, violet, musk and spices form a lovely nose with plenty of aromatic intensity - much improved from when audozed about 8 hours prior and it was reticent. The texture on the palate is fantastic, there is still both tannic grip and a pure sweet red fruit element that works well with the lifting acid line. Great length and style, this bottle must be close to its fully aged peak though it continued to open in the glass. Amazing stuff.
Tobacco, plum, smoke/ash and floral notes with a light touch of Cabernet Franc greenness - I found the nose quite lovely, lifted but also complex and aged. Palate leans towards being a bit more plush, there is certainly grip from the tannins but the fruit handles them well. Long finish and a really excellent experience from start to finish.
This burst out of the glass from the minute it was poured, with tobacco, mint, pencil, musk, cherry initially, then emerging over time were additional scents of chocolate, licorice and tea leaves - it is layered and elusive, a wine that keeps you coming back with a new thrilling discovery at every twist and turn. The palate is of unbelievable quality and class - it seems almost impossible that it could compete with the nose but despite my disbelief, it did. There is a stunning poise and ethereality to it but also power and presence with the fruit weight and a superb structural element from the fine tannins - I can't help but feel like the balance between the components is perfection. Every time I tasted this glass I decided to give it a higher score, until I eventually ran out of points. A legend of wine that delivered beyond my expectations, a complete privilege to experience.
Cherry, char, plum, redcurrant and a light herbal undertone which I liked. Nice red fruit character on the palate, there is a light grip that plays well against the sweetness of the fruit. Drinking well now.
Licorice and ash, violet and blueberries. The palate shows off a flaboyance to the fruit that is countered by a wicked tannic streak. There is a savoury element in the background that should emerge nicely with time as the fruit becomes less prominent over the next 10-15 years.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Fresh on the nose, with rhubarb, redcurrant, a herbal lift and licorice. The palate shows a similar lifted red fruit profile, with good acidity playing off against the suppleness of the fruit. Has plenty of fruit but it isn't full throttle in style.
A closed nose - there is some tar and raspberry that comes through as the nose improved with time in the glass. The tannins are still full but the fruit does come in nicely over the top of them. Good balance and acidity. Doesn't feel like it is quite complete just yet, another 5 years may help it get there.
Lime, passion fruit, apricot and orange peel on the nose. The palate has well balanced medium sweetness, with a nice acid kick to bring a lift to it. Still very youthful, I'd like to see it again in 6-8 years out of half bottle.
2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 92 Points
France, Champagne
Apple, peach, orange and grapefruit - quite expressive. Creamy and with a good dose of fruit sweetness alongside a weave of minerality and lovely length. Probably a Comtes for mid-term consumption given the fruit sweetness stands out a little more than usual.
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1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bourgogne Blanc 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Lime, floral, orange peel, musk, mandarin and some smoky elements form the complex nose. Light honey to the palate with quite an intense spice element. Acidity is really quite lovely with that sea spray note behind it. Excellent texture here. Drink now but good bottles like this should give a lot of pleasure.
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1995 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Touch of an oxidative butterscotch note, orange peel, ginger, menthol and spice. Quite nice texture, good length with good carry. It fades a little in the glass but it happened slowly and there is still goodness to be found. Drink now.
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1975 Best's Great Western Chasselas Hock No 0 89 Points
Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Great Western
Honey, nutty, light kerosene and straw. Nice agreed character on the palate, it has fine flow and there is still acid to give it a bit of spark. Does fall away a touch on the finish but it is in really fine condition overall.
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2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Lemon, strong pear, toast and oak with musk, mineral notes and maple waffles - quite complex! Powerful palate, really full and long but doesn't feel overwhelming or out of place. Excellent fruit and the acid flow provides balance across its core elements.
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1985 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 93 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Herb, lemon, floral laundry powder, watermelon, apricot and peach on the nose. Sweet up front on the palate but there is an excellent savoury finish to it. Lip-smacking acidity continues throughout. Good flow and length, with the sweetness there and aiding in giving an extra dimension nicely. Delicious.
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2005 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru
Autumn leaves, smoke, cherry, spice and subtle sappiness laid throughout. Definitely shows both the fruit weight and the structure of the better 2005 Burgundy reds, it is full and long and it all works well together. Extremely enjoyable even now in its youth.
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1955 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Iron and blood, a light green edge, cherry and wood/cedar. The palate doesn't quite have as much interest but there is a nice core of red fruit and a little animale kick to it. Pleasantly medium bodied and holding very well.
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1955 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 95 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Coffee, graphite, violet, musk and spices form a lovely nose with plenty of aromatic intensity - much improved from when audozed about 8 hours prior and it was reticent. The texture on the palate is fantastic, there is still both tannic grip and a pure sweet red fruit element that works well with the lifting acid line. Great length and style, this bottle must be close to its fully aged peak though it continued to open in the glass. Amazing stuff.
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1975 Château L'Evangile 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Tobacco, plum, smoke/ash and floral notes with a light touch of Cabernet Franc greenness - I found the nose quite lovely, lifted but also complex and aged. Palate leans towards being a bit more plush, there is certainly grip from the tannins but the fruit handles them well. Long finish and a really excellent experience from start to finish.
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1985 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 100 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
This burst out of the glass from the minute it was poured, with tobacco, mint, pencil, musk, cherry initially, then emerging over time were additional scents of chocolate, licorice and tea leaves - it is layered and elusive, a wine that keeps you coming back with a new thrilling discovery at every twist and turn. The palate is of unbelievable quality and class - it seems almost impossible that it could compete with the nose but despite my disbelief, it did. There is a stunning poise and ethereality to it but also power and presence with the fruit weight and a superb structural element from the fine tannins - I can't help but feel like the balance between the components is perfection. Every time I tasted this glass I decided to give it a higher score, until I eventually ran out of points. A legend of wine that delivered beyond my expectations, a complete privilege to experience.
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1995 Gaja Langhe Darmagi 91 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Cherry, char, plum, redcurrant and a light herbal undertone which I liked. Nice red fruit character on the palate, there is a light grip that plays well against the sweetness of the fruit. Drinking well now.
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2005 Clos Mogador Priorat 92 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
Licorice and ash, violet and blueberries. The palate shows off a flaboyance to the fruit that is countered by a wicked tannic streak. There is a savoury element in the background that should emerge nicely with time as the fruit becomes less prominent over the next 10-15 years.
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1995 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Fresh on the nose, with rhubarb, redcurrant, a herbal lift and licorice. The palate shows a similar lifted red fruit profile, with good acidity playing off against the suppleness of the fruit. Has plenty of fruit but it isn't full throttle in style.
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1995 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
A closed nose - there is some tar and raspberry that comes through as the nose improved with time in the glass. The tannins are still full but the fruit does come in nicely over the top of them. Good balance and acidity. Doesn't feel like it is quite complete just yet, another 5 years may help it get there.
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1995 Gaja Barolo Sperss Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Very flat.
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2005 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Josephshöfer Riesling Auslese Lange Goldkapsel #6 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Lime, passion fruit, apricot and orange peel on the nose. The palate has well balanced medium sweetness, with a nice acid kick to bring a lift to it. Still very youthful, I'd like to see it again in 6-8 years out of half bottle.
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