The nose is pristine and fresh with tones of peaches, green apples, white flowers, sweet pears, crushed rocks, saline, and papaya. There is good depth and poise that is really vibrant and balanced. The Lighter bodied feel is deft and balanced with crisp, high acidity. The acidity is mouthwatering and refreshing as well that leans into a citrus-forward finish. This is a delicious Kabinett that has a wide open window. I can see why someone would want to age these, but this is also really delicious already.
The nose is polished and deep with loads of dark red cherries, raspberries, dark red berries, dusty notes, chocolate, violets, currants, licorice, cigar wrapper, and a touch of slick oak. This is lovely and really open from the get go. The Full bodied feel is plush and rich with medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. I'd have liked to have spent more time with this, but the situation didn't allow for it. This is good to go right now, but it still has plenty of years in front of it.
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
The nose is plush and savory with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, plums, dark red berries, roasted herbs, licorice, wet clay, leather, and violets. There is an upfront quality to the nose that shows off some of the vintage while also having good, but not great depth. The Medium/full bodied feel is plush and balanced with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. There is a good finish that lasts a bit with the structure still having just that bit of bite right now. This is about as good as it's going to get.
The nose is balanced with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, cranberries, milk chocolate, licorice, black currants, and red floral notes. While this may be balanced, it lacks depth and complexity. The Full bodied feel carries through the balance of the nose with medium acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is a good Chilean Cab, but it really lacks compared to the other Cabs that were opened.
The nose is fresh and savory with black cherries, licorice, spice notes, raspberries, pomegranate, violets, licorice, and rose petals. There is an elegant side to this with nice depth. The Medium bodied feel shows off excellent balance with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is completely new to me and it's a real fun wine that shows off a cool side while also possessing cool, black and dark red fruits.
This is clearly a brutally young HSS, but it's also HSS. This is always a treat as it shows off great depth and polish with deep tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, black currants, dark red berries, sweet cassis, sweet tobacco, licorice, and some cedar notes. The Full bodied feel is polished and deep with medium acidity and silky, high tannins. The tannins are very deceptive as they really show up on the second sip. This is a great now and it will be great in another 5+ years.
Right away, this is classic LdH as there is a real distinctive sourness to the fruit with raspberries, sour red cherries, red fruits, dried herbs, dill notes, violets, vanilla beans, tobacco leaf, and some leather notes. The Medium bodied feel is lively and lengthy with some jagged edges backed up by tart, medium+ acidity and slightly stiff, medium+ tannins. The acidity has some sting and this could likely use a few more years to fully come together.
The nose is quixotic and unique with tones of shaved almonds, quince, baked apples, nougat, bakers vanilla, nectarines, sour red apples, and some yellow flowers. This has calmed down a bit from when it was younger and is really working in harmony on the nose. The Medium bodied feel has some density and thrust with racy, high acidity. This has really settled into itself and there is plenty of life ahead of it.
The nose takes a few swirls to uncoil and open up. When it does, it's pure delight with vibrant tones of green apples, limes, pears, salty notes, peaches, crushed rocks, and some yellow floral notes. There is very good depth with this showing some smoothed out edges with a lot of freshness. The Medium bodied feel is balanced and fresh with tart, high acidity. This is gorgeous and a real benchmark of Australian Riesling.
2018 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett 91 Points
Germany, Nahe
The nose is pristine and fresh with tones of peaches, green apples, white flowers, sweet pears, crushed rocks, saline, and papaya. There is good depth and poise that is really vibrant and balanced. The Lighter bodied feel is deft and balanced with crisp, high acidity. The acidity is mouthwatering and refreshing as well that leans into a citrus-forward finish. This is a delicious Kabinett that has a wide open window. I can see why someone would want to age these, but this is also really delicious already.
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2012 The Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
The nose is polished and deep with loads of dark red cherries, raspberries, dark red berries, dusty notes, chocolate, violets, currants, licorice, cigar wrapper, and a touch of slick oak. This is lovely and really open from the get go. The Full bodied feel is plush and rich with medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. I'd have liked to have spent more time with this, but the situation didn't allow for it. This is good to go right now, but it still has plenty of years in front of it.
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2007 Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
The nose is plush and savory with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, plums, dark red berries, roasted herbs, licorice, wet clay, leather, and violets. There is an upfront quality to the nose that shows off some of the vintage while also having good, but not great depth. The Medium/full bodied feel is plush and balanced with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. There is a good finish that lasts a bit with the structure still having just that bit of bite right now. This is about as good as it's going to get.
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2011 Viña Indómita Cabernet Sauvignon Zardoz 88 Points
Chile, Maipo Valley
The nose is balanced with tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, cranberries, milk chocolate, licorice, black currants, and red floral notes. While this may be balanced, it lacks depth and complexity. The Full bodied feel carries through the balance of the nose with medium acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is a good Chilean Cab, but it really lacks compared to the other Cabs that were opened.
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2016 Pedro Parra y Familia Pencopolitano 90 Points
Chile, Itata Valley
The nose is fresh and savory with black cherries, licorice, spice notes, raspberries, pomegranate, violets, licorice, and rose petals. There is an elegant side to this with nice depth. The Medium bodied feel shows off excellent balance with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is completely new to me and it's a real fun wine that shows off a cool side while also possessing cool, black and dark red fruits.
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2014 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
This is clearly a brutally young HSS, but it's also HSS. This is always a treat as it shows off great depth and polish with deep tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, black currants, dark red berries, sweet cassis, sweet tobacco, licorice, and some cedar notes. The Full bodied feel is polished and deep with medium acidity and silky, high tannins. The tannins are very deceptive as they really show up on the second sip. This is a great now and it will be great in another 5+ years.
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2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 91 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Right away, this is classic LdH as there is a real distinctive sourness to the fruit with raspberries, sour red cherries, red fruits, dried herbs, dill notes, violets, vanilla beans, tobacco leaf, and some leather notes. The Medium bodied feel is lively and lengthy with some jagged edges backed up by tart, medium+ acidity and slightly stiff, medium+ tannins. The acidity has some sting and this could likely use a few more years to fully come together.
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2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 92 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
The nose is quixotic and unique with tones of shaved almonds, quince, baked apples, nougat, bakers vanilla, nectarines, sour red apples, and some yellow flowers. This has calmed down a bit from when it was younger and is really working in harmony on the nose. The Medium bodied feel has some density and thrust with racy, high acidity. This has really settled into itself and there is plenty of life ahead of it.
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2006 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Riesling The Contours Museum Reserve 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
The nose takes a few swirls to uncoil and open up. When it does, it's pure delight with vibrant tones of green apples, limes, pears, salty notes, peaches, crushed rocks, and some yellow floral notes. There is very good depth with this showing some smoothed out edges with a lot of freshness. The Medium bodied feel is balanced and fresh with tart, high acidity. This is gorgeous and a real benchmark of Australian Riesling.
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