I just read some of the comments and I am happy to read that more people agree the traditional flute is not the proper glass to taste Champagne. The bottle we drank/tasted today was disgorged Sept. 8, 2013. The bouquet is beautiful and complex with minerals and some anise. On the palate very intense, a bit reductive, or even a bit oxidized in a beautiful way. Oloroso Sherry and rasped apple impressions, beautifully dry, anise again and tight acidity. This is a great and complex Champagne, but not one for beginners.
Tasted this wine in between two cuvees of Selosse and it is so different. The Selosse so special, complex and exclusive, probably only for Champagne addicts and then this wine; so luxurious and open. For everyone to love. Lush, tasty and full bodied with a smoky bouquet, ripe yellow fruits, mild minerality, lovely and soft acidity and also smoke and beautiful complexity, but in a completely different way. This 2002 is still a baby, but already such a great pleasure and open. What a feast!
Possibly more experienced Champaign drinkers will disagree about this tasting note (or score), but I will explain. This Initial was disgorged May 22, 2014. First we had the V.O. Then the Dom Perignon 2002 and now this one. The V.O. so special. The DP 2002 so lush. And then this Initial holds the middle, but in fact complements both other two wines. Beautiful and complex bouquet with some reductive/oxidized impressions and beautiful minerals. On the palate also a bit oxidized in a beautiful way, beautiful lime acidity and enormously tasty with a great length. For most of the tasters including me, this was the winner of the evening because it combined special complexity and lushness in a beautiful way.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Beautiful bouquet with yellow fruits, limestone minerals and smoke. Same on the palate. concentrated and beautiful acidity. Showing some development but still very youthful and fresh. Beautiful wine. No problem cellaring this until 2020. 94+
The bouquet is not extremely expressive, but there is some perfume and sweet licorice. On the palate silky yellow fruits, some honey, very rich and opulent. Mild acidity, round bitterness and a great length. Superb and impressive wine. Can last for many more years.
In the bouquet ripe yellow and white fruits. On the palate the same plus beautiful minerality, mild but good and fresh acidity in beautiful harmony with some sweetness. Refined and beautiful wine.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Not a wine for classical style wine lovers. This wine is extremely full bodied and rich in flavors. A mouth full of concentrated yellow fruits and honey. Also minerals, anise and well dosed oak. Enormous length! You probably love it or hate it, but as a wine it certainly deserves a score of 95 for the effort. My problem is that I really like classical wines, but also can really appreciate this extremely opulent style. Ready now and the next few years.
In the bouquet sweet and ripe red and some black berries, also minerals and even some leather. On the palate ripe red and dark forest fruits, mild acidity and soft tannin. Early maturity now (and not enough experience with Californian Pinot Noir to predict future expectations…).
A pure coincidence; two blind tastings this week and two times Montrose 1998. This bottle; beautiful bouquet with cassis, beautiful oak, cedar and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate the same luxury. Dark forest fruits, beautiful acidity and round tannin with still a good bite. Much more fresh and youthful than the bottle I had earlier this week and more in line with my tasting note from 2013. This bottle came from a different cellar than my previous two notes, but considering the two bottles of this week, there is bottle variance. Scored the wine of tonight 93 with still a future until at least 2020.
Beautiful and mature bouquet with still some cassis and a good dose of barnyard. On the palate a mature wine with chocolate, soft acidity and also soft, somewhat drying tannin. Quite mature and several in the group were not that much impressed, but I still could appreciate the wine for its luxury components and elegance. We probably had a bottle that hasn't been stored properly, but I nevertheless scored it 92. Leaving me wonder what a perfect bottle would score.
Rustic bouquet with sweet spices, blood, minerals like iron and earthy flavors. On the palate firm acidity, minerals, celery and drying tannin. Although I could still appreciate it, most of the group thought this bottle was too old. No score.
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Beautiful and mature bouquet with dark forest fruits, chocolate, sweet spices and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate the same impressions, mild acidity and tannin. Beautiful and mature wine. No real hurry.
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
Beautiful bouquet with cherries, sweet spiciness and beautifully dosed luxurious oak. On the palate quite mature with sweet spices, chocolate, mild acidity and soft tannin. Still an excellent wine, but not as impressive as the one I drank in 2011. In a few days I will open a bottle myself to see how that performs.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark fruits, herbs and spices and some barnyard in the bouquet. On the palate a sweet start of ripe fruits, good (sweet) spiciness and soft acidity. The tannin is also soft and round, but still firm and youthful. Holds the middle between modern made and elegance. Really well made wine that might improve a bit with some more ageing. Until 2020 should be no problem. 91+
Beautiful and very youthful bouquet with creamy dark forest fruits. Same on the palate; juicy dark fruits, beautiful fresh acidity, round but firm tannin with still a good bite and good bitterness in the finish. This wine is in its adolescent stage and will improve with more ageing. If I had any I would probably wait at least until 2020. 93+ for tonight.
Last red of the evening and not so many specific notes. In the bouquet dark forest fruits, luxurious oak, cigar box and sweet spices. On the palate the same dark fruits and sweet spices, chocolate as well. Beautiful acidity and soft tannin with still a soft bite. Very tempting, harmonious and delicious wine. Ready now and the next 5+ years.
Let there be no mistake about it; Rieussec 1999 is a great wine! Beautifully rich with botrytis, apricots, orange peel, honey, marzipan and even some crustacean. Beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity and very rich and full bodied. A great wine now and this will be a treat until well into the 2020’s (if you like your Sauternes with some age on it.)
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
No formal notes. After party wine of a fantastic evening! Red fruits, good garrigue and some pleasant barnyard. Not extremely concentrated, but still youthful with good acidity and friendly tannin. My blind guess that it was a 2004 was correct. Beautiful and elegant C9duP.
NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
I just read some of the comments and I am happy to read that more people agree the traditional flute is not the proper glass to taste Champagne. The bottle we drank/tasted today was disgorged Sept. 8, 2013. The bouquet is beautiful and complex with minerals and some anise. On the palate very intense, a bit reductive, or even a bit oxidized in a beautiful way. Oloroso Sherry and rasped apple impressions, beautifully dry, anise again and tight acidity. This is a great and complex Champagne, but not one for beginners.
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2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne 95 Points
France, Champagne
Tasted this wine in between two cuvees of Selosse and it is so different. The Selosse so special, complex and exclusive, probably only for Champagne addicts and then this wine; so luxurious and open. For everyone to love. Lush, tasty and full bodied with a smoky bouquet, ripe yellow fruits, mild minerality, lovely and soft acidity and also smoke and beautiful complexity, but in a completely different way. This 2002 is still a baby, but already such a great pleasure and open. What a feast!
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NV Jacques Selosse Initial 96 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Possibly more experienced Champaign drinkers will disagree about this tasting note (or score), but I will explain. This Initial was disgorged May 22, 2014. First we had the V.O. Then the Dom Perignon 2002 and now this one. The V.O. so special. The DP 2002 so lush. And then this Initial holds the middle, but in fact complements both other two wines. Beautiful and complex bouquet with some reductive/oxidized impressions and beautiful minerals. On the palate also a bit oxidized in a beautiful way, beautiful lime acidity and enormously tasty with a great length. For most of the tasters including me, this was the winner of the evening because it combined special complexity and lushness in a beautiful way.
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2007 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Beautiful bouquet with yellow fruits, limestone minerals and smoke. Same on the palate. concentrated and beautiful acidity. Showing some development but still very youthful and fresh. Beautiful wine. No problem cellaring this until 2020. 94+
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2003 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 95 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
The bouquet is not extremely expressive, but there is some perfume and sweet licorice. On the palate silky yellow fruits, some honey, very rich and opulent. Mild acidity, round bitterness and a great length. Superb and impressive wine. Can last for many more years.
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2011 Stagård Riesling Steinzeug Limited Edition 93 Points
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal
In the bouquet ripe yellow and white fruits. On the palate the same plus beautiful minerality, mild but good and fresh acidity in beautiful harmony with some sweetness. Refined and beautiful wine.
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2009 Sine Qua Non On The Lam 95 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Not a wine for classical style wine lovers. This wine is extremely full bodied and rich in flavors. A mouth full of concentrated yellow fruits and honey. Also minerals, anise and well dosed oak. Enormous length! You probably love it or hate it, but as a wine it certainly deserves a score of 95 for the effort. My problem is that I really like classical wines, but also can really appreciate this extremely opulent style. Ready now and the next few years.
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2009 Calera Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan
In the bouquet sweet and ripe red and some black berries, also minerals and even some leather. On the palate ripe red and dark forest fruits, mild acidity and soft tannin. Early maturity now (and not enough experience with Californian Pinot Noir to predict future expectations…).
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1998 Château Montrose 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A pure coincidence; two blind tastings this week and two times Montrose 1998. This bottle; beautiful bouquet with cassis, beautiful oak, cedar and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate the same luxury. Dark forest fruits, beautiful acidity and round tannin with still a good bite. Much more fresh and youthful than the bottle I had earlier this week and more in line with my tasting note from 2013. This bottle came from a different cellar than my previous two notes, but considering the two bottles of this week, there is bottle variance. Scored the wine of tonight 93 with still a future until at least 2020.
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1992 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Beautiful and mature bouquet with still some cassis and a good dose of barnyard. On the palate a mature wine with chocolate, soft acidity and also soft, somewhat drying tannin. Quite mature and several in the group were not that much impressed, but I still could appreciate the wine for its luxury components and elegance. We probably had a bottle that hasn't been stored properly, but I nevertheless scored it 92. Leaving me wonder what a perfect bottle would score.
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1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Rustic bouquet with sweet spices, blood, minerals like iron and earthy flavors. On the palate firm acidity, minerals, celery and drying tannin. Although I could still appreciate it, most of the group thought this bottle was too old. No score.
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1998 Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Beautiful and mature bouquet with dark forest fruits, chocolate, sweet spices and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate the same impressions, mild acidity and tannin. Beautiful and mature wine. No real hurry.
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2006 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l'Hérault 92 Points
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
Beautiful bouquet with cherries, sweet spiciness and beautifully dosed luxurious oak. On the palate quite mature with sweet spices, chocolate, mild acidity and soft tannin. Still an excellent wine, but not as impressive as the one I drank in 2011. In a few days I will open a bottle myself to see how that performs.
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2005 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark fruits, herbs and spices and some barnyard in the bouquet. On the palate a sweet start of ripe fruits, good (sweet) spiciness and soft acidity. The tannin is also soft and round, but still firm and youthful. Holds the middle between modern made and elegance. Really well made wine that might improve a bit with some more ageing. Until 2020 should be no problem. 91+
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2007 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Beautiful and very youthful bouquet with creamy dark forest fruits. Same on the palate; juicy dark fruits, beautiful fresh acidity, round but firm tannin with still a good bite and good bitterness in the finish. This wine is in its adolescent stage and will improve with more ageing. If I had any I would probably wait at least until 2020. 93+ for tonight.
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2004 Joseph Phelps Insignia 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Last red of the evening and not so many specific notes. In the bouquet dark forest fruits, luxurious oak, cigar box and sweet spices. On the palate the same dark fruits and sweet spices, chocolate as well. Beautiful acidity and soft tannin with still a soft bite. Very tempting, harmonious and delicious wine. Ready now and the next 5+ years.
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1999 Château Rieussec 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Let there be no mistake about it; Rieussec 1999 is a great wine! Beautifully rich with botrytis, apricots, orange peel, honey, marzipan and even some crustacean. Beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity and very rich and full bodied. A great wine now and this will be a treat until well into the 2020’s (if you like your Sauternes with some age on it.)
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2004 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
No formal notes. After party wine of a fantastic evening! Red fruits, good garrigue and some pleasant barnyard. Not extremely concentrated, but still youthful with good acidity and friendly tannin. My blind guess that it was a 2004 was correct. Beautiful and elegant C9duP.
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