Blind. Boy, I just don't like the Selosse wines. Aromas here were advanced with bruised apple and cider notes. Earthy elements add some complexity on the palate. A bit flat and lacking freshness. Was guessing an older vintage Champagne past its prime. Not my cup of tea, clearly. 83-85 points.
Blind. Full, attractive nose of red berries, toast and spice. The palate has good density and concentration. Fruit is just barely sweet, round and creamy. Was guessing Big House Champagne.
Blind. Tight / light aromas of cranberry, strawberry and herb. Lean and taut on the palate. Some modest herb and spice. Old world in nature - was guessing Burgundy from a cooler year.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Blind. Aromas have a good herbal quality and more black cherry than red cherry. Palate follows suit with nice herbs/earth/meat. Good balance and juiciness. Old world sensibility, for sure. Give this time. Upside from here.
Blind and paired with the '13. Lighter nose with candied red cherry with notions of herb and florals. Palate is once again a bit lighter in concentration, with some pleasant florals. Was guessing a Sonoma producer emulating the old world style given the candied fruit.
Blind and paired with the '11. This is clearly the superior wine of the pair and was old world and Cote de Beuane through and through. The nose is so intensely red cherry and floral. I immediately went to Volnay. Nice concentration with good density and layering. Fresh acids. A complete wine, but still quite young. A success in 2013.
Blind. Clearly and overtly new world with a singular nose of ripe cherry and cola. Sweet, rich and heady fruit that is reasonably offset with juicy acidity. Fine if you're a fan of the style, but not my cup of tea.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Blind. A distinct brett note adds some funk to the cherry and cola fruit. The palate shows some maturity but the fruit is sweet and ripe. Earthy/bretty tones add some interest. Some heat in the finish. One to drink sooner than later.
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Served blind to friends. Super attractive nose has fresh red cherry, herb and stem. The palate is bright and layered with purity of fruit and pleasing spice tones. Group split on old world / new world but most guessing a younger wine. Great stuff from Cristom.
Blind. Attractive ripe black cherry and toasted herb. Nice richness and intensity of spice on the palate. Well balanced and complete. Good length in the smoky finish. I was guessing old world.
Blind. Full nose with abundant moderately ripe black cherry and spice. The palate is rich with forward, sexy black cherry fruit. Some clear cola and Dr. Pepper notes. New world for sure, but this has sufficient freshness.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Blind. Aromas of bright red cherry with herbs and earth. The palate is tasty with fleshy red fruit and fresh balancing acidity. Enjoyable and easy to drink. Was guessing a village level Burg. I think this just needs more time to unfold. Would suspect there is upside from here.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Served blind to friends. Nice funky, spicy nose. The palate is still quite fruity and fresh. Plenty of Vosne spice. Tasty and true to place. The group quickly got to Vosne. Solid but not special.
NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Ay La Côte Faron
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Blind. Boy, I just don't like the Selosse wines. Aromas here were advanced with bruised apple and cider notes. Earthy elements add some complexity on the palate. A bit flat and lacking freshness. Was guessing an older vintage Champagne past its prime. Not my cup of tea, clearly. 83-85 points.
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2011 Ultramarine Pinot Noir Sparkling Rosé Heintz Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Blind. Full, attractive nose of red berries, toast and spice. The palate has good density and concentration. Fruit is just barely sweet, round and creamy. Was guessing Big House Champagne.
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2014 Thirty Bench Pinot Noir Small Lot Thirty Bench Vineyard 88 Points
Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench VQA
Blind. Tight / light aromas of cranberry, strawberry and herb. Lean and taut on the palate. Some modest herb and spice. Old world in nature - was guessing Burgundy from a cooler year.
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2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Blind. Aromas have a good herbal quality and more black cherry than red cherry. Palate follows suit with nice herbs/earth/meat. Good balance and juiciness. Old world sensibility, for sure. Give this time. Upside from here.
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2011 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Blind and paired with the '13. Lighter nose with candied red cherry with notions of herb and florals. Palate is once again a bit lighter in concentration, with some pleasant florals. Was guessing a Sonoma producer emulating the old world style given the candied fruit.
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2013 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Blind and paired with the '11. This is clearly the superior wine of the pair and was old world and Cote de Beuane through and through. The nose is so intensely red cherry and floral. I immediately went to Volnay. Nice concentration with good density and layering. Fresh acids. A complete wine, but still quite young. A success in 2013.
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2010 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Blind. Clearly and overtly new world with a singular nose of ripe cherry and cola. Sweet, rich and heady fruit that is reasonably offset with juicy acidity. Fine if you're a fan of the style, but not my cup of tea.
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2001 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Cohn
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Blind. A distinct brett note adds some funk to the cherry and cola fruit. The palate shows some maturity but the fruit is sweet and ripe. Earthy/bretty tones add some interest. Some heat in the finish. One to drink sooner than later.
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2001 Cristom Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard 93 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Served blind to friends. Super attractive nose has fresh red cherry, herb and stem. The palate is bright and layered with purity of fruit and pleasing spice tones. Group split on old world / new world but most guessing a younger wine. Great stuff from Cristom.
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2014 Ferren Wines Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Blind. Oh my, this is so unpleasantly full throttle and extracted. Yikes -- over ripe, drenched in oak and without any freshness. Undrinkable.
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2003 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Blind. Candied and volatile nail polish nose. The palate is syrupy and sweet. Freshness is long gone.
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2004 Brooks Pinot Noir Janus 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Blind. Attractive ripe black cherry and toasted herb. Nice richness and intensity of spice on the palate. Well balanced and complete. Good length in the smoky finish. I was guessing old world.
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2011 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Blind. Full nose with abundant moderately ripe black cherry and spice. The palate is rich with forward, sexy black cherry fruit. Some clear cola and Dr. Pepper notes. New world for sure, but this has sufficient freshness.
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2009 Domaine Michel Gaunoux Corton-Renardes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Blind. Aromas of bright red cherry with herbs and earth. The palate is tasty with fleshy red fruit and fresh balancing acidity. Enjoyable and easy to drink. Was guessing a village level Burg. I think this just needs more time to unfold. Would suspect there is upside from here.
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2011 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Flawed
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Badly corked.
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2007 Lucien Le Moine Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Served blind to friends. Nice funky, spicy nose. The palate is still quite fruity and fresh. Plenty of Vosne spice. Tasty and true to place. The group quickly got to Vosne. Solid but not special.
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