Quite mature with a strong caramel note to the fruit. Added a little spice, mushroom, and herbalness with air-- which I assume was the cab franc coming through. Long finish, seamless, really lovely. As good as it was it was it's probably past peak and not to the level of the '90
Really shy nose but explosive concentrated fruit and long finish. Had all the classic barolo descriptors. Did seem to shut down a bit over the course of the evening. Splash decanted and consumed over 6hrs.
Given a couple hours air before trying and it was hard and angular, really didn't give me much. Impossible to assess. Very curious how this is on night 2.
My blind which I thought would stump everyone-- and it did --but MikeO nailed it in ~30secs. Big slightly sweet nose with a little caramel and spice notes. Mature macerated berry fruit with a dried fruit quality. Still holding up but I thought it needs to be drunk up rather than held.
My blind, most people eventually came around to cab but leaned old world. Eucalyptus nose with slightly red fruit palate. Slightly more angular acidic backbone than many Napa wines (especially recent Napa). Great poise and focus, seemed younger than '91 to me.
Just awesome bdx right at the perfect place for my palate. Less toast and charcoal than many Lynch Bages, with a lovely nuanced mint noted mixed I with the dark fruit. Tremendous finish. At peak for me. Big thanks to Dave for bringing this.
My favorite of the barolo's. Just awesome nose of mostly tar and floral notes with the fruit taking a back seat.Palate was luch with great concentration to the fruit. Surprisingly expressive at this state. My first Rinaldo so unsure how atypical '00 was.
Wow, this was pretty awesome yet so tannic is almost hurt to drink. Fruit is much more forward and concentrated than the '96 with great complexity. Lots of everything.
Blind to me and I named almost every grape I could think of before settling on nebbiolo. I never understood how that guy in Somm could get Barolo and bdx mixed up blind and then it happened to me. Fine, with huge tannins, still had fruit and tar and floral spice all mixed in but very tight. Needed an hour of air to show well. Needs much time.
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Huge fruit and concentration for Oregon, but balanced. Only on night 2 w/o the nebbiolo did I appreciate the fine acidity. Easy drinking with good depth.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Served blind, whiffed on this too. Great meaty tobacco note mixed with dried red berries. Still quite youthful and tannic. Very good with a terrific nose.
Much more approachable than anticipated though the tannins were very prominent but polished. St Estephe character still comes through with a little herbal character mixed in with toasty dark fruit. Lots of depth here, need at least another decade.
Really great concentration, acidity in balance. Slightly more approachable than the Giacosa's but so youthful. Powerful fruit but a hair behind the '04 Giacosa on concentration.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Exceptional for '04 with great extraction and concentration but somehow still not overdone. Needs another few years to integrate the oak but the fruit is there. Quite tannic.
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Served blind. I got amarone and that was it. Slightly sweet character, deep fruit. More depth and less heat than I typically get from amarone. Very nice.
1982 Château La Conseillante 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Quite mature with a strong caramel note to the fruit. Added a little spice, mushroom, and herbalness with air-- which I assume was the cab franc coming through. Long finish, seamless, really lovely. As good as it was it was it's probably past peak and not to the level of the '90
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2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Really shy nose but explosive concentrated fruit and long finish. Had all the classic barolo descriptors. Did seem to shut down a bit over the course of the evening. Splash decanted and consumed over 6hrs.
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2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Given a couple hours air before trying and it was hard and angular, really didn't give me much. Impossible to assess. Very curious how this is on night 2.
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1995 Ridge Lytton Springs 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
My blind which I thought would stump everyone-- and it did --but MikeO nailed it in ~30secs. Big slightly sweet nose with a little caramel and spice notes. Mature macerated berry fruit with a dried fruit quality. Still holding up but I thought it needs to be drunk up rather than held.
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1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
My blind, most people eventually came around to cab but leaned old world. Eucalyptus nose with slightly red fruit palate. Slightly more angular acidic backbone than many Napa wines (especially recent Napa). Great poise and focus, seemed younger than '91 to me.
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1990 Château Lynch-Bages 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Just awesome bdx right at the perfect place for my palate. Less toast and charcoal than many Lynch Bages, with a lovely nuanced mint noted mixed I with the dark fruit. Tremendous finish. At peak for me. Big thanks to Dave for bringing this.
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2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
My favorite of the barolo's. Just awesome nose of mostly tar and floral notes with the fruit taking a back seat.Palate was luch with great concentration to the fruit. Surprisingly expressive at this state. My first Rinaldo so unsure how atypical '00 was.
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1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 95 Points
France, Champagne
Softer and more plush than expected but that made it more enjoyable on this night with tons of acidic wines. Nose was fantastic Krug brioche.
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2004 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Wow, this was pretty awesome yet so tannic is almost hurt to drink. Fruit is much more forward and concentrated than the '96 with great complexity. Lots of everything.
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1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Blind to me and I named almost every grape I could think of before settling on nebbiolo. I never understood how that guy in Somm could get Barolo and bdx mixed up blind and then it happened to me. Fine, with huge tannins, still had fruit and tar and floral spice all mixed in but very tight. Needed an hour of air to show well. Needs much time.
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2009 Cristom Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Huge fruit and concentration for Oregon, but balanced. Only on night 2 w/o the nebbiolo did I appreciate the fine acidity. Easy drinking with good depth.
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2001 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Served blind, whiffed on this too. Great meaty tobacco note mixed with dried red berries. Still quite youthful and tannic. Very good with a terrific nose.
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2005 Château Cos d'Estournel 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Much more approachable than anticipated though the tannins were very prominent but polished. St Estephe character still comes through with a little herbal character mixed in with toasty dark fruit. Lots of depth here, need at least another decade.
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1995 Château d'Yquem 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Very classy and approachable. D'Yquem always has such great balance with the sweetness and acidity. Greater depth than a recent '98.
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1965 Coreira Porto Colheita
Portugal, Douro, Porto
Didn't hit me as I got a bunch of VA and heat.
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2001 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Really great concentration, acidity in balance. Slightly more approachable than the Giacosa's but so youthful. Powerful fruit but a hair behind the '04 Giacosa on concentration.
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2011 Giuseppe Rinaldi Freisa Langhe 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
This was very interesting. Nice fruit very acidic but light on the palate. Would be a nice food wine or afternoon drink in the heat.
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2006 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Showing much better than the Conterno CF. Painfully young but lots of stuffing and easier to appreciate than the other '06's. Hold for sure.
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2003 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Strong showing as always but behind the exceptional group of bdx tonight.
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2004 Château Pavie 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Exceptional for '04 with great extraction and concentration but somehow still not overdone. Needs another few years to integrate the oak but the fruit is there. Quite tannic.
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2006 Zymé Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 92 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Served blind. I got amarone and that was it. Slightly sweet character, deep fruit. More depth and less heat than I typically get from amarone. Very nice.
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