Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 1 hour. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, garnet colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, sweet bell peppers, mushroomy earth. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, melt-in-your-mouth medium- tannins, medium body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, cigar, cedar, sweet spice, used leather, mushroomy earth, sweet bell peppers, and dried out blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Medium+ finish. Good quality. I guessed 1981 correctly but was thinking more Margaux region elegance. Well, time to drink up, this 1981's fruit is barely hanging on by a thread.
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 1.5 hours. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, yellow lemon colour. Legs. Fine bubbles. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of toasty oak, almond nuts, chalky minerality, dried orange peel, honeyed lemon. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of toasty oak, almond nuts, rich yeasty lees, dried orange peel, honeyed lemon, chalk minerality. Slight oxidative character. Long finish. Very good quality. Rich show-stopping champagne. Aged 10 years on lees, no wonder. Still has further development ahead in the next 5+ years. 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay.
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Initially very tight. Gave it another 1 hour of air before tasting again. Opened up better. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, salmon pink colour legs. Fine bubbles. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of bready autolytic yeast, brioche, smoke, flint, gunpowder, blood orange. Developing. On the plate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of creamy ripe strawberries, blood oranges, smoke, brioche, yeasty bread, butter cream. Long finish. Very good quality. Only on the cusp of entering drinking window, please give this another 3 years of bottle age at least.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind. Slow-oxed in bottle for 1 hour before tasting. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs, Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, meaty animal, sweet dark red cherries, dark red plums, black cherries, figs and olives. Slight barnyard with the meaty animal on hindsight. Developing. on the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine mouth-coating high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of licorice, earth, meaty animal, smoke, sweet dark red cherries, black cherries, dark red plums, blackberries, figs and olives. Powerful and masculine. Very long finish. Outstanding quality. I was guessing that this was a medium aged well-made Hermitage. Lovely animal meat here. Bravo. Feels like it could easily go another 10 years!
Slow-oxed for 1.5 hours in bottle before tasting. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of milky vanilla oak, roasted earth, black cherries, blackberries, sweet spice, licorice. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), ultra-soft plushy medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of black cherries, blackberries, milky vanilla oak, sweet spice, licorice. Mouth-feel is sexy, voluptuous, and full of plush black fruit. Long finish. Very good quality, though honestly it doesn't have much complexity, and it's just a lot of make up added on. +1 point for the excellent mouth-feel. Maybe another 3-4 years for the oak to integrate more but don't see much more upside potential other than that. Yes, this is an over-priced Merlot. Can mono-varietal Merlot wine have great complexity? Then again, I have yet to try a Petrus.
Slow-oxed in bottle for 2 hours before tasting. Appearance is clear, deep intensisty, purplish-ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of orange peel, tangerines, cedar, perfumy toasted oak, black fruits. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine soft silky high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, blackberries, cassis, licorice, tobacco. Long finish. Very good quality. Very easy on the palate despite the high alcohol, probably due to the relaxed acidity and the soft silky tannins. Easy to appreciate the sweet ripe black fruits here. Tastes like an ultra-modern extremely well polished Bordeaux. Will still last another 4-5 years but why wait. Already enjoyable. Blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Carmenere. Commendably no green notes here for me. Interesting and intriguing tangerines on the nose. 2 days not under vacuum seal!: Still alive and kicking. With smooth chocolate, grilled herbs, and minty cedar. Very long finish.
Tasted blind. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Evil long legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of PORT, soy-sauce, tar, earth, raisinated black fruits. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, very high alcohol (16.5%), integrated medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dried and shrivelled raisinated on the vine black cherries, burnt Christmas fruit cake, Port, soy sauce, earth, tar, licorice. Long Porty hot finish. Very good quality for what it is. Clearly not my cup of tea though. Some others liked it. Time to drink up. What other improvement or development could you possibly still want? Above tasting note was really written while tasting this blind. Did not have any inkling what wine this was. Well, the winery itself declares that they harvest the grapes for this overripe.
Slow-oxed in bottle for 1 hour before drinking. 750ml bottle. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, amber-gold colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of marmalade, blood oranges, honey, apricots. Developing. On the palate, sweet, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of white chocolate, marmalade, blood oranges, apricots, baked sweet apple, honey. Long finish. Very good quality. A bit disappointing for an Y'quem though. Well understandably, 2000 wasn't a good Sauternes vintage. This feels somewhat straightforward and lacking excitement.
1981 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 1 hour.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, sweet bell peppers, mushroomy earth. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, melt-in-your-mouth medium- tannins, medium body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of tobacco, cigar, cedar, sweet spice, used leather, mushroomy earth, sweet bell peppers, and dried out blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. I guessed 1981 correctly but was thinking more Margaux region elegance. Well, time to drink up, this 1981's fruit is barely hanging on by a thread.
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2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François 93 Points
France, Champagne
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Drank over 1.5 hours.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, yellow lemon colour. Legs. Fine bubbles.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of toasty oak, almond nuts, chalky minerality, dried orange peel, honeyed lemon. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of toasty oak, almond nuts, rich yeasty lees, dried orange peel, honeyed lemon, chalk minerality. Slight oxidative character. Long finish.
Very good quality. Rich show-stopping champagne. Aged 10 years on lees, no wonder. Still has further development ahead in the next 5+ years.
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay.
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2006 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Brut Rosé Belle Epoque 92 Points
France, Champagne
Tasted blind. Pop and poured. Initially very tight. Gave it another 1 hour of air before tasting again. Opened up better.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, salmon pink colour legs. Fine bubbles.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of bready autolytic yeast, brioche, smoke, flint, gunpowder, blood orange. Developing.
On the plate, dry, high acidity, medium- alcohol, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of creamy ripe strawberries, blood oranges, smoke, brioche, yeasty bread, butter cream. Long finish.
Very good quality. Only on the cusp of entering drinking window, please give this another 3 years of bottle age at least.
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1998 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence 96 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind. Slow-oxed in bottle for 1 hour before tasting.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs,
Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, meaty animal, sweet dark red cherries, dark red plums, black cherries, figs and olives. Slight barnyard with the meaty animal on hindsight. Developing.
on the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine mouth-coating high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of licorice, earth, meaty animal, smoke, sweet dark red cherries, black cherries, dark red plums, blackberries, figs and olives. Powerful and masculine.
Very long finish.
Outstanding quality. I was guessing that this was a medium aged well-made Hermitage. Lovely animal meat here. Bravo. Feels like it could easily go another 10 years!
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2007 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Slow-oxed for 1.5 hours in bottle before tasting.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of milky vanilla oak, roasted earth, black cherries, blackberries, sweet spice, licorice. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), ultra-soft plushy medium+ tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of black cherries, blackberries, milky vanilla oak, sweet spice, licorice. Mouth-feel is sexy, voluptuous, and full of plush black fruit. Long finish.
Very good quality, though honestly it doesn't have much complexity, and it's just a lot of make up added on. +1 point for the excellent mouth-feel. Maybe another 3-4 years for the oak to integrate more but don't see much more upside potential other than that.
Yes, this is an over-priced Merlot. Can mono-varietal Merlot wine have great complexity? Then again, I have yet to try a Petrus.
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2004 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva 93 Points
Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto
Slow-oxed in bottle for 2 hours before tasting.
Appearance is clear, deep intensisty, purplish-ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of orange peel, tangerines, cedar, perfumy toasted oak, black fruits. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), fine soft silky high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, blackberries, cassis, licorice, tobacco. Long finish.
Very good quality. Very easy on the palate despite the high alcohol, probably due to the relaxed acidity and the soft silky tannins. Easy to appreciate the sweet ripe black fruits here. Tastes like an ultra-modern extremely well polished Bordeaux. Will still last another 4-5 years but why wait. Already enjoyable.
Blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Carmenere. Commendably no green notes here for me. Interesting and intriguing tangerines on the nose.
2 days not under vacuum seal!: Still alive and kicking. With smooth chocolate, grilled herbs, and minty cedar. Very long finish.
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2004 Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Duck Muck 91 Points
Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote
Tasted blind.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Evil long legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of PORT, soy-sauce, tar, earth, raisinated black fruits. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, very high alcohol (16.5%), integrated medium+ tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of dried and shrivelled raisinated on the vine black cherries, burnt Christmas fruit cake, Port, soy sauce, earth, tar, licorice. Long Porty hot finish.
Very good quality for what it is. Clearly not my cup of tea though. Some others liked it. Time to drink up. What other improvement or development could you possibly still want?
Above tasting note was really written while tasting this blind. Did not have any inkling what wine this was. Well, the winery itself declares that they harvest the grapes for this overripe.
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2000 Château d'Yquem 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Slow-oxed in bottle for 1 hour before drinking. 750ml bottle.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, amber-gold colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of marmalade, blood oranges, honey, apricots. Developing.
On the palate, sweet, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of white chocolate, marmalade, blood oranges, apricots, baked sweet apple, honey. Long finish.
Very good quality. A bit disappointing for an Y'quem though. Well understandably, 2000 wasn't a good Sauternes vintage. This feels somewhat straightforward and lacking excitement.
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