Spice, lemon, lime, orange peel and a mineral edge to the nose. The palate is all about finesse, with fine acidity and good balance between the restrained fruit and the youthful structure. Feels like classic young Salon, but maybe didn't wow me as much as some previous vintages - still excellent though.
Straw, cheese, orange, graphite and oyster shell. The fruit is quite rich but there is still a line of youthful acidity behind it all that gives it surprisingly good focus. Starting to get close to maturity.
Has come out of its shell and is showing a good amount of development. Mint, lemon curd, honeysuckle and oranges. The palate is really well balanced, with the toasty and honeyed edges in place, but with some youth still remaining. Not yet at its peak, but not that far off.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Orange, spice, sulphur and toast with a bit of mandarin and vanilla as well. Lovely palate, there is a rush of rich fruit and then the acid catches up a moment later. Bold but balanced.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Backup for a premoxed Sauzet Montrachet and it was a very suitable replacement. Lime, straw, orange and a great mineral and sea spray note that really gives the nose life. The palate is rich but extremely bright and light on its feet. Superb wine.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
Meaty, cherry, wet forest floor, stalk and redcurrants. Palate still has quite a tannic bite to it and then the acidity kicks up in the background. Good length but I wonder maybe if this bottle isn't the best example?
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Tobacco, chocolate, smoke, some leaner Cabernet herbs and earth. In very good shape on the palate, there is still some medium bodied fruit that blends well with the aged leather and earthy character. Very enjoyable.
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Graphite, coffee, blackcurrant, ash and some earth. The fruit is still youthful but it has a meaty and earthy edge to it that I think is showing the slow development this wine is taking on. Good bottles need a bit more time I think.
Licorice, smoke, spice, leather, five spice and earth - the nose to me is complex and spectacular. The palate is similar in character, with superb balance and poise. Refined and with just the right amount of structure. Feels totally harmonious in all aspects. Not quite my red Wine of the Year, but gets very close.
Pencil shavings, cherry, truffle, blackcurrant and tobacco. Bold fruit on the palate, there is an element of sweetness but the structure is so good that it really works. Plenty of character and texture to the palate, this was even more impressive with time in the glass. Quite brilliant.
Raspberry, cherry, spice, roses, tar and licorice. The acidity on the palate is quite stunning, sparks and sizzles with superb length and drive. Textured with supremely fine and well integrated tannins. Special stuff.
650 cases made. Floral lift, redcurrant, graphite, cherry and blackberry - fresh and bright nose. The palate continues that same feeling of brightness, there is really good fruit purity here and there is a light light herbal touch on the finish that I think gives this more interest.
Tea leaves, candle wax. mandarin, coconut and honey - the nose swirls around and is really complex. Youthful but a bit less complex on the palate, the acidity is nicely integrated with the moderate sweetness and it still has good spark. Carries into a good length finish.
Caramel, orange, cinnamon, quince and chocolate, with some pine in the background. The palate has good intensity and great acid drive. Showing really well.
Ginger, spice, caramel, smoke and ground coffee. Has great power on the palate, there is sweetness there but the VA controls it and the wine has really good focus. An excellent way to finish an evening.
2008 Pol Roger Champagne Blanc de Blancs 91 Points
France, Champagne
Sea spray, lemon, pear and spice. Bright and clean with a chalky mineral character throughout. Nice composure and length.
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2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
Spice, lemon, lime, orange peel and a mineral edge to the nose. The palate is all about finesse, with fine acidity and good balance between the restrained fruit and the youthful structure. Feels like classic young Salon, but maybe didn't wow me as much as some previous vintages - still excellent though.
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1999 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Straw, cheese, orange, graphite and oyster shell. The fruit is quite rich but there is still a line of youthful acidity behind it all that gives it surprisingly good focus. Starting to get close to maturity.
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2000 Mount Pleasant Wines Sémillon Single Vineyard Lovedale 91 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
Has come out of its shell and is showing a good amount of development. Mint, lemon curd, honeysuckle and oranges. The palate is really well balanced, with the toasty and honeyed edges in place, but with some youth still remaining. Not yet at its peak, but not that far off.
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2011 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Orange, spice, sulphur and toast with a bit of mandarin and vanilla as well. Lovely palate, there is a rush of rich fruit and then the acid catches up a moment later. Bold but balanced.
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2007 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Has dipped a bit too far into oxidization to be enjoyable, sadly.
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2007 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Backup for a premoxed Sauzet Montrachet and it was a very suitable replacement. Lime, straw, orange and a great mineral and sea spray note that really gives the nose life. The palate is rich but extremely bright and light on its feet. Superb wine.
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1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
Meaty, cherry, wet forest floor, stalk and redcurrants. Palate still has quite a tannic bite to it and then the acidity kicks up in the background. Good length but I wonder maybe if this bottle isn't the best example?
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1966 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Hermitage 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Tobacco, chocolate, smoke, some leaner Cabernet herbs and earth. In very good shape on the palate, there is still some medium bodied fruit that blends well with the aged leather and earthy character. Very enjoyable.
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1991 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Centenary 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra
Graphite, coffee, blackcurrant, ash and some earth. The fruit is still youthful but it has a meaty and earthy edge to it that I think is showing the slow development this wine is taking on. Good bottles need a bit more time I think.
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NV Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1990, 1991, 1994 (2007 Release) 98 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Licorice, smoke, spice, leather, five spice and earth - the nose to me is complex and spectacular. The palate is similar in character, with superb balance and poise. Refined and with just the right amount of structure. Feels totally harmonious in all aspects. Not quite my red Wine of the Year, but gets very close.
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1991 Harlan Estate 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Pencil shavings, cherry, truffle, blackcurrant and tobacco. Bold fruit on the palate, there is an element of sweetness but the structure is so good that it really works. Plenty of character and texture to the palate, this was even more impressive with time in the glass. Quite brilliant.
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1998 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 96 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Raspberry, cherry, spice, roses, tar and licorice. The acidity on the palate is quite stunning, sparks and sizzles with superb length and drive. Textured with supremely fine and well integrated tannins. Special stuff.
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2009 Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monte Sant'Urbano 89 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Licorice, blackberry, ash, plum and tea leaves. Sweet fruit upfront but there is a nice savoury element too. Flows well and drinks nicely.
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2012 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
650 cases made. Floral lift, redcurrant, graphite, cherry and blackberry - fresh and bright nose. The palate continues that same feeling of brightness, there is really good fruit purity here and there is a light light herbal touch on the finish that I think gives this more interest.
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1955 Bodegas Rioja Santiago Rioja Reserva Flawed
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Totally oxidized.
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1983 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Tea leaves, candle wax. mandarin, coconut and honey - the nose swirls around and is really complex. Youthful but a bit less complex on the palate, the acidity is nicely integrated with the moderate sweetness and it still has good spark. Carries into a good length finish.
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1944 Royal Oporto (Real Companhia Velha) Porto Colheita 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
Caramel, orange, cinnamon, quince and chocolate, with some pine in the background. The palate has good intensity and great acid drive. Showing really well.
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NV Campbells Tokay Isabella Rare 94 Points
Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen
Ginger, spice, caramel, smoke and ground coffee. Has great power on the palate, there is sweetness there but the VA controls it and the wine has really good focus. An excellent way to finish an evening.
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