Floral, soap, musk, lime and orange aromas. Medium bodied, there is some good fruit intensity that plays along with a little bit of sweetness that comes through. The acid line kicks in through the middle, in time to give it some lift. There is a somewhat worked element to the wine that I don't mind now, just wonder what will happen with age?
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Blind. Funk, spice, lemon, saline and popcorn with some smoky earth as well. Vibrant on the palate, the acid crashes through and pierces the fruit - feels super precise as a result with the fruit taking a backseat. Doesn't really show its age but I think it is best drunk in the shorter term before the fruit drops too much.
Blind. Picked it as Dagueneau without options. Floral and herbal, orange and flint aromas. The fruit is lean but also feels quite pure. The palate feels clean and composed. This has plenty of potential to improve.
Orange, pineapple, smoke, lemon and floral notes on the nose. The palate has density but it is compact and focused, with really good texture and power. One comment was that it tastes like red wine in a white wine body. A class thoroughbred that hasn't left the gate yet, just lying in wait to explode when ready.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Bramble, cherry, stem, plum, rhubarb, slate and spice. Fairly light in intensity, compared to the 2013 Mazi anyway. Acid does pinch the palate a little bit but the structure is sound and this should improve with even a few more years in bottle.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
Cherry, spice, licorice, some roast meat and raspberry. The pairing of sweet and savory fruit is excellent, with the bright acidity supporting and lifting the wine. Excellent length and balance. Delicious already.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Kirsch/cherry, earth, tar, chocolate and some meaty brett that adds to the complexity. The palate is earthy as well, with the tannins feeling fully resolved and the fruit nicely soft. Lithe and holding on just fine. Drink now.
Licorice, wax, raspberry, garrigue and spice. The palate has good acidity and good balance, it isn't that complex but it is certainty nice drinking. In really great condition for its age, but drink now.
Blackcurrant, cherry, plum and raspberry - really pure fruit on the nose. Palate is bright and while it feels like the fruit is rounding out a bit, especially with a sweet note at the edges, more time is probably needed here. Well balanced and good flow at the moment anyway.
Screwcap. Vanilla oak, cherry, raspberry and redcurrant, with a violet note at the back - quite young and expressive on the nose. The palate shows some of the same sweeter red fruit, but this is ticking along really nicely. Will benefit from another 9-10 years in bottle I would expect.
Purple edged. Smoke, cherry, pencil shavings and plum.The palate is ethereal and effortless, the restraint is just fantastic, while the fruit retains its definition and drive. Has everything it needs if it is just given time. Immense class.
Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Mudgee
Blind. Oak, blackcurrant and raisin. The palate is ripe and the fruit definitely has concentration. Simple and sweet at the moment, I think it'll age but I'm not sure that it'll get significantly better?
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella
Pencil, tar, blackberry, undergrowth and toasty oak. Fierce tannins bite into the palate and don't let go. Also shows off high acidity and while the fruit is powerful, this doesn't entirely feel like it is in balance. Nothing subtle about this, I do think it'll get better with time and I'd like to see it again in quite a few years.
2008 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons 91 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Floral, soap, musk, lime and orange aromas. Medium bodied, there is some good fruit intensity that plays along with a little bit of sweetness that comes through. The acid line kicks in through the middle, in time to give it some lift. There is a somewhat worked element to the wine that I don't mind now, just wonder what will happen with age?
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1999 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Flawed
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Oxidized.
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2004 Lynmar Estate Chardonnay Quail Hill Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Blind. Funk, spice, lemon, saline and popcorn with some smoky earth as well. Vibrant on the palate, the acid crashes through and pierces the fruit - feels super precise as a result with the fruit taking a backseat. Doesn't really show its age but I think it is best drunk in the shorter term before the fruit drops too much.
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2013 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 91 Points
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
Blind. Picked it as Dagueneau without options. Floral and herbal, orange and flint aromas. The fruit is lean but also feels quite pure. The palate feels clean and composed. This has plenty of potential to improve.
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2013 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Orange, pineapple, smoke, lemon and floral notes on the nose. The palate has density but it is compact and focused, with really good texture and power. One comment was that it tastes like red wine in a white wine body. A class thoroughbred that hasn't left the gate yet, just lying in wait to explode when ready.
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2013 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Bramble, cherry, stem, plum, rhubarb, slate and spice. Fairly light in intensity, compared to the 2013 Mazi anyway. Acid does pinch the palate a little bit but the structure is sound and this should improve with even a few more years in bottle.
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2013 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Mazy-Chambertin 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
Cherry, spice, licorice, some roast meat and raspberry. The pairing of sweet and savory fruit is excellent, with the bright acidity supporting and lifting the wine. Excellent length and balance. Delicious already.
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1985 Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Vigneto Boscareto Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Cooked.
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1976 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Kirsch/cherry, earth, tar, chocolate and some meaty brett that adds to the complexity. The palate is earthy as well, with the tannins feeling fully resolved and the fruit nicely soft. Lithe and holding on just fine. Drink now.
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1982 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Licorice, wax, raspberry, garrigue and spice. The palate has good acidity and good balance, it isn't that complex but it is certainty nice drinking. In really great condition for its age, but drink now.
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2005 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Blackcurrant, cherry, plum and raspberry - really pure fruit on the nose. Palate is bright and while it feels like the fruit is rounding out a bit, especially with a sweet note at the edges, more time is probably needed here. Well balanced and good flow at the moment anyway.
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2005 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard 92 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
Screwcap. Vanilla oak, cherry, raspberry and redcurrant, with a violet note at the back - quite young and expressive on the nose. The palate shows some of the same sweeter red fruit, but this is ticking along really nicely. Will benefit from another 9-10 years in bottle I would expect.
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2013 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Purple edged. Smoke, cherry, pencil shavings and plum.The palate is ethereal and effortless, the restraint is just fantastic, while the fruit retains its definition and drive. Has everything it needs if it is just given time. Immense class.
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2013 Huntington Estate Shiraz "Basket Dried" 85 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Mudgee
Blind. Oak, blackcurrant and raisin. The palate is ripe and the fruit definitely has concentration. Simple and sweet at the moment, I think it'll age but I'm not sure that it'll get significantly better?
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2008 Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta 90 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella
Pencil, tar, blackberry, undergrowth and toasty oak. Fierce tannins bite into the palate and don't let go. Also shows off high acidity and while the fruit is powerful, this doesn't entirely feel like it is in balance. Nothing subtle about this, I do think it'll get better with time and I'd like to see it again in quite a few years.
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