Fathers' Gathering

R & N invited us to their place for a beautiful wine gathering. This was an extension of a father's gathering, as all of our boys attend the same school. R & L did an incredible job hosting us.

• 2008 Château Haut-Brion Blanc 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Brilliant light golden color. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, peach, lemon candy, light honey, beeswax, vanilla/toasted oak, and limestone mineral. Very good concentration, finely layered ripe yellow fruit, rich and oily but also showing a nice balance, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a medium to long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with beeswax and oak at the end. The oak note is quite strong. This is a good wine but not worth the price.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2005 Château Pavie 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Tasted blind. Very modern luxurious oak driven nose which makes me to guess as a Napa cult. The palate is too cool and precise to be a domestic wine. Expressive nose displaying generous super concentrated black fruit, blackberry concentrated, blackberry liqueur, dark milk chocolate, luxurious oak, cedar and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of rich black fruit, rich and opulent but also silky and cool, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, still noticeable oak, and a long super concentrated black fruit driven finish with noticeable oak at the end. Based on my experience, the oak expression will eventually transform to caramel. It will however never be transparent. Perhaps it will develop like the 94 Harlan but cooler. This was, is and will be a super divisive wine.

  Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2006 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  En magnum. Expressive nose displaying sweet concentrated red fruit with a hint of black, raspberry candy, black cherry, a hint of Vosne spice, rose, light caramel, cedar, stem, tree bark and earth. Excellent concentration, finely layered concentrated red and black fruit, silky and fluid, medium acidity and mineral, and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with Vosne spices at the end. This is drinking beautifully.

  Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 1982 Penfolds Grange 96 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Fully mature complex nose displaying sweet red fruit with a hint of black, plum, cherry, a hint of cassis, sous bois, caramel, oak, truffle, leather and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered generous sweet red fruit, rich and full, but also very good balance, medium acidity, earthy mineral, and a long mature sweet red fruit driven finish with toasted oak at the end. This is drinking really well.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2012 Domaine de Montille Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts Christiane 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Served blind en magnum. Expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, caramel, Vosne spice, a hint of stem, grilled cep, rose and mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, rich but also beautiful balance and detail, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with Vosne spice at the end. It resembles a DRC Echezeaux from a ripe year but seems a bit more concentrated. This impressive youthful wine can easily improve for a couple more decades.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 1967 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain 87 Points

  USA, California

  Still showing a bit of red. Shy red fruit, strawberry, plum, leather, lead pencil and earth. Fully resolved palate, shy red fruit, lean, medium acidity, subtle earthy mineral, a medium long subtle red fruit driven finish. This is somewhat of a pedestrian domestic Cabernet that has clearly passed its prime.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2001 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Served blind, en magnum, expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, fruitcake, licorice, anise, dark spices and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, rich and unctuous, bright acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. I have no clue as I am not expecting a Barolo, but once revealed, it all makes perfect sense. This can easily improve for another decade or two.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 1896 Bourne Turner & Co Porto Vintage 99 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Beautiful, brilliant light amber. Super complex nose displaying generous yellow fruit, yellow peach, dry apricot, light caramel, anise, sweet and spicy spices and mineral. Perfectly integrated palate, beautifully layered generous dry yellow fruit, silky and fluid, beautiful detail and balance, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a seamless long ripe yellow fruit driven finish. This is flirting with perfection once again.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No