Wine in the Sunshine State

Florida
Tasted Thursday, February 20, 2020 - Sunday, February 23, 2020 by MC2 Wines with 372 views

Introduction

We made a trip down south because why not in Feb given the (more generally) chilly temps in NY and it's always fun to do a wine trip.

Flight 1 - Aussie night (12 Notes)

I was impressed with the wines here but I guess I shouldn't be surprised since we spent a lovely visit there last year and it is clear that while there are the Astralis's of the world there a lot of other wineries that have been making really great stuff with a lot of balance.

  • NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé

    France, Champagne

    (2/20/2020)

    This wine was used the same way that it always is used which is basically as a pre-dinner sipper. It always works well for that. Very easy and quaffable. The bottle was finished quickly. It doesn't require deep thinking, but it's always enjoyed.

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  • 2017 Yangarra Estate Roussanne Roux Beaute

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

    (2/20/2020)

    We had this wine over the summer (northern hemisphere summer) when we visited Yangarra and it was very fun to come back to it. It drinks very well esp when considering price point. Rounder and softer in style. This grape has always struck me as the white wine for the red wine drinker and this version fits with that.

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  • 1994 Yarra Yering Dry Red N°1

    Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley

    (2/20/2020)

    In retrospect we should have decanted. This was drinking really well at the end of the night with a lot more air, but it definitely needed the air. Started musty and reminded me of a third tier aged Bordeaux (not necessarily a bad thing, but it didn't stand out). With more air the mustiness went away and it got a lot more life to it. Fruit started to come through as well. Enjoyed. If we find more old ones of these we'll be snapping them up.

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  • 1999 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri

    Australia, South Australia

    (2/20/2020)

    Drank side by side with the '98. This was loved a bit less by the group, but I still really enjoyed it. To me it was a bit less full bodied, a little bit more acid to it. Agree also prob more in the savory side of the grape. Drinking really well. We opened the bottles and let them air for prob an hour before we started pouring. For the price point this is becoming a go-to wine for me.

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  • 1998 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri

    Australia, South Australia

    (2/20/2020)

    Drank side by side with the '99. For many this was the favored wine and certainly it's the year that got a lot more press for Aus. More full bodied. I actually feel like slightly less acid. More fruit, but it's not overpowering. Also an enjoyable wine although I'm not sure that I had a clear favorite between the two or if I did I might have leaned a bit to the '99.

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  • 1996 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    (2/20/2020)

    Opened and decanted based on previous notes. I didn't take detailed notes and I don't have a strong impression from this wine. I remember it being pretty good. A bit of a slower start as mentioned in the early note and it needed to open up. It was drinking nicely though by the end.

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  • 2000 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon

    Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

    (2/20/2020)

    Opened and decanted. Wish we'd given it even a bit more time. This is quite young, but as it opened up it was drinking really nicely. Very much the old world Bordeaux style and I'm not even 100% sure that it really seems like new world fruit to it, but I really quite liked it. Secondary characteristics, but with a nice freshness.

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  • 1997 Clarendon Hills Astralis

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

    (2/20/2020)

    Definitely that stereotypical Aussie style. Interesting since it was an all Aussie night and it's clear that not all of the wines from that time went that direction. Big, fruity, jammy, a hint gloppy. Didn't have the acid to support the fruit. Came across as very high alc although bottle seemed to suggest more restraint.

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  • 1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis

    Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

    (2/20/2020)

    Very similar to the younger brother (the '97). Big and fruity and intense and jam and all of that. Interesting in the Aussie line-up as the other wines all showed a lot more balance.

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  • 1996 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Block 42

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

    (2/20/2020)

    Fun to get to try this. Had not heard of the wine before, but I guess it is some of the old cab vines near the original house. We opened and decanted and gave it prob a few hours. It needed more and maybe also more time in bottle. Not sure it ever got to the point where it was fully open. Wish we had had more time to contemplate this one.

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  • 1980 Penfolds Grange

    Australia, South Australia

    (2/20/2020)

    Ah - love me some old Grange. These wines just seem to last forever. We opened and decanted for a few hours as well for this and by the time we were drinking it it was rocking. Eucalyptus and menthol and almost herbal and woodsy.

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  • 1997 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    (2/20/2020)

    Pure class. Opened and decanted it for a few hours before pouring. From a mag and the wine is still quite young, but it was drinking very well. A nice elegance to the style here. More old school and yet you can get the benefit of the new world fruit. It's lovely.

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Flight 2 - Big Reds (9 Notes)

This was just a super evening. All of the wines were rocking. I struggle to say there was a WOTN. To me there was just a string of special gems and even writing up notes a few days later I can still remember back to them.

  • 1997 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (2/21/2020)

    This is back to that 'wow'. Incredibly fresh and complex and honey and a hint of carmelization and a bigger and rounder white but there's still some acid here. Drinking super well. Makes me wonder if it will be time soon to pull our last bottle.

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  • 1952 Château Mouton Rothschild

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (2/21/2020)

    Opened and decanted and we served it first thinking that it was going to fade with time but in fact it got better and better over the course of the dinner. Certainly more secondary, but still very fresh and all of the lovely more savory side of Bordeaux. Drinking super well. A real treat.

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  • 1989 Château Margaux

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    (2/21/2020)

    Opened and decanted for a few hours before rebottling and bringing to the restaurant. In retrospect could have used even more of a decant. This continued to open and evolve through the entire meal as well. It's got that very beguiling nose, velvety softness, red fruits and cigar and all of that. Also drinking very well.

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  • 1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (2/21/2020)

    Got this lot a few years ago and I was looking forward to finally getting to try it. It did not disappoint. Opened a few hours before dinner and then decanted. As previous notes mention this wine is still quite young. It's drinking really well though. I remember thinking it was quite elegant. Will hold on our others for a bit, but very much enjoyed them.

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  • 1996 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

    (2/21/2020)

    Drinking incredibly well too. This was all herbal and mineral and all of that. Reminiscent of the sea air. Very fresh. Very enjoyable.

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  • 1994 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    (2/21/2020)

    In a pretty amazing line-up of wines and this got a bit overshadowed I think. Or at least I don't remember it as clearly as some of the others. All wines this night were good though and I liked it.

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  • 1990 Dominus Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (2/21/2020)

    There was a lovely savoriness to this wine. Maybe a hint of brett but I don't mind that. Def fruit faded and all more secondary style. But drinking quite well.

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  • 1984 Dominus Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (2/21/2020)

    Really fun to get to try this and it was definitely a very good bottle. Opened and decanted. Great old world style.

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  • 1993 Abreu Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (2/21/2020)

    I am shocked how young this was. Opened and decanted at the beginning of dinner. Even 4 hours later it was still a bit tight. Fruit fully present, secondary hadn't really started to show up. But there is a lot of potential here. Nice.

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Flight 3 - Champagne Sail (8 Notes)

Boats and champagne should go together. This was a very fun afternoon out on the water with a perfect day and we just missed the big rain shower which started five minutes after we docked.

Flight 4 - Pinot (10 Notes)

I struggle a lot with burgundy especially for the price and this evening did nothing to change that assessment.

Flight 5 - Bonus bottles (1 Note)

Closing

Overall a wonderful weekend. Always fun to hang out with some friends and drink some good wine and reconnect. While we had some fabulous wines (esp the Friday night line-up which was really special), I'd say my favorite part was the people.

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