Pale straw-platinum in color. Slight petrol, underripe peach pit, lime, wet slate, white blossoms. On the palate, slight petillance, high acid, barely perceptible RS (maybe 5g/L?) Slightly diminished alcohol (12%). Clean and slatey. Finish of underripe lime peel. Slight white pepper floral note that reminds me of a particular element in an Alsace Muscat. Clean, lean, and correct. 8.5-9.
Medium straw with a touch of gold. Sweet and savory nose of yellow apples, wet wool, slight rotting peach, beeswax. In the mouth, medium-bodied, slightly sweet (feels like 7-10g/L RS). High+ acid and a clean finish (no bitterness). Between 8.5 and 9.
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Livermore Valley
Medium gold in the glass. Buttery, plasticky, and reductive nose (slight burning rubber) with slight honey-on-toast (a particular note that Semillon develops with age). On the palate, elevated alcohol (13.5%), high acid, buttered honey-toast, and a bit of development (sunny and savory). It tastes like there’s some French oak in addition to the oak-like notes of Semillon. Around 9
Moderate concentration straw with a hint of gold. Advanced petrol, beeswax, ripe lime, limeade. In the mouth, clean with high acid, some sweetness (feels like 15g/L RS), and low alcohol (feels like 10% but actually 8). Between 8.5 and 9
Underripe peach core with slight reduction and wet wool. In the mouth, dry with elevated acid. A bit bitter and hot (despite reading 12.8% alcohol). Tastes like partial new oak (vanilla, freshly-sanded wood, maybe about 30% new?). Score: around 8.5
Moderate color concentration straw with a bit of gold. Aromatic nose with dead-on ripe starfruit! Slight ripe papaya - tastes a bit dusty and wilted, like in an Asian market. Bruised starfruit, jackfruit. Feels like 10g/L RS, moderate alcohol (~12.5%), medium acid and slight phenolic bitterness. A bit flat on the palate - could use a bit of verve. Structured a bit like a Pinot Gris. 8.5-9
Tasted blind: Moderate straw in the glass. Medium-plus intensity aromatics, terpene-driven (rose petals, slight lychee, fresh flowers tending towards slightly white pepper). Dry, elevated alcohol (13.5%), elevated acid, high phenolic bitterness. More floral white-pepper terpenes. High terpenes, so I’m thinking Gewurz, Muscat, Torrontes. Seemed more complex than Torrontes. Dry, so I’d guess Muscat, but the acid’s a bit low and it’s really way too bitter for Muscat. Actually: Finger-Lakes Gewurz. This is not bad, aromatically, but it’s super bitter! Gewurz tends to be a bit phenolic, but this seems extreme. 7.5.
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes
Grenache blanc I think? Oxidative, nutty nose. Nail polish. Tired stewed tomato. Full bodied with high alcohol (16%) and medium acid. Sweet - feels about 80g/L. I’m not a fan. 8-8.5
2014 Weingut Keller Riesling von der Fels 88 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
Pale straw-platinum in color. Slight petrol, underripe peach pit, lime, wet slate, white blossoms.
On the palate, slight petillance, high acid, barely perceptible RS (maybe 5g/L?)
Slightly diminished alcohol (12%). Clean and slatey. Finish of underripe lime peel. Slight white pepper floral note that reminds me of a particular element in an Alsace Muscat.
Clean, lean, and correct.
8.5-9.
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2010 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu 88 Points
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Medium straw with a touch of gold. Sweet and savory nose of yellow apples, wet wool, slight rotting peach, beeswax.
In the mouth, medium-bodied, slightly sweet (feels like 7-10g/L RS). High+ acid and a clean finish (no bitterness).
Between 8.5 and 9.
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2007 The Council Pinot Noir Grande Cuvée Rosella's Vineyard 80 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Medium gold in the glass. Nose of extremely oxidative bruised apples and apple core. Slightly fishy. Bruised plum. I’m not a fan of this.
Around 8
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2000 Kalin Cellars Sémillon 90 Points
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Livermore Valley
Medium gold in the glass. Buttery, plasticky, and reductive nose (slight burning rubber) with slight honey-on-toast (a particular note that Semillon develops with age).
On the palate, elevated alcohol (13.5%), high acid, buttered honey-toast, and a bit of development (sunny and savory). It tastes like there’s some French oak in addition to the oak-like notes of Semillon.
Around 9
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2002 C. H. Berres Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese 88 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Moderate concentration straw with a hint of gold. Advanced petrol, beeswax, ripe lime, limeade. In the mouth, clean with high acid, some sweetness (feels like 15g/L RS), and low alcohol (feels like 10% but actually 8).
Between 8.5 and 9
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2012 Sandlands Chenin Blanc Amador County 85 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
Underripe peach core with slight reduction and wet wool.
In the mouth, dry with elevated acid. A bit bitter and hot (despite reading 12.8% alcohol). Tastes like partial new oak (vanilla, freshly-sanded wood, maybe about 30% new?).
Score: around 8.5
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2001 Rolly Gassmann Auxerrois Moenchreben de Rorschwihr 87 Points
France, Alsace
Moderate color concentration straw with a bit of gold. Aromatic nose with dead-on ripe starfruit! Slight ripe papaya - tastes a bit dusty and wilted, like in an Asian market. Bruised starfruit, jackfruit.
Feels like 10g/L RS, moderate alcohol (~12.5%), medium acid and slight phenolic bitterness. A bit flat on the palate - could use a bit of verve. Structured a bit like a Pinot Gris.
8.5-9
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2012 Atwater Vineyards Gewürztraminer 75 Points
USA, New York, Finger Lakes
Tasted blind:
Moderate straw in the glass. Medium-plus intensity aromatics, terpene-driven (rose petals, slight lychee, fresh flowers tending towards slightly white pepper).
Dry, elevated alcohol (13.5%), elevated acid, high phenolic bitterness. More floral white-pepper terpenes.
High terpenes, so I’m thinking Gewurz, Muscat, Torrontes. Seemed more complex than Torrontes. Dry, so I’d guess Muscat, but the acid’s a bit low and it’s really way too bitter for Muscat.
Actually: Finger-Lakes Gewurz. This is not bad, aromatically, but it’s super bitter! Gewurz tends to be a bit phenolic, but this seems extreme.
7.5.
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1993 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Nuits St. Georges Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges
Cloudy medium ruby with a garnet rim.
Corked.
On the palate - barnyard (manure) and significant oxidation (apple core).
FLAWED (corked)
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1975 Nouvelle Societe de la Cote Radieuse Rivesaltes Rivesaltes Blanc 83 Points
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes
Grenache blanc I think?
Oxidative, nutty nose. Nail polish. Tired stewed tomato.
Full bodied with high alcohol (16%) and medium acid. Sweet - feels about 80g/L.
I’m not a fan.
8-8.5
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