Wine dinner - RJ's in town

Our good friend RJ was in town and eight of us got together to drink a lot of wonderful wines.

I really like the Tempier and the Fontaine-Gagnard.

• 2019 Sine Qua Non Distenta White I 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Super ripe and super concentrated. Initially muted, but opens up with air. Lychee, pineapple, white peach, crème brulée, candied ginger, and sweet spices. Noticeable heat/alcohol. Rich and dense, lacking acidity, with an alcoholic finish. I am not a AFWE, anti flavor wine elite, but this is a bit too much. This is even riper that the Chapoutier luxury hermitage blancs.

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• 2010 Pepe Raventós Cava Mas del Serral 92 Points

  Spain, Cava

  Apparently the most sought-after Cava. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, oxidized apple peel, strong yeast, a hint of lambic, white pepper, cooper, sweet spices and fine mineral. Medium concentration, subtle ripe yellow fruit, medium fine medium generous mousse, good acidity and mineral, and a medium long yeasty finish. Not a wine that I would chase.

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• 2020 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé 93 Points

  France, Provence, Bandol

  Simply delicious rose. Very floral, white pepper, generous light red fruits. Medium acidity, strong mineral, and a generous light red fruit driven finish. A delicious, quaffable wine that also shows good complexity.

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• 2017 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Bâtard-Montrachet 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Expressive nose displaying ripe concentrated yellow fruit, lemon curd, apple, ginger, a hint of oak, custard, sweet spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, slightly coiled concentrated succulent yellow fruit, rich, full and dense, good acidity, fine mineral, and a long succulent ripe yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of oak at the end. This is a good but not great Batard.

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• 2018 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Le Montrachet 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Exquisite nose displaying concentrated yellow and white fruit, lemon curd, white peach, apple, honeysuckle, light caramel, a hint of luxurious oak, sweet and spice spices and fine limestone mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe yellow and white fruit, rich yet airy, bright acidity, very fine mineral, and a long generous yellow and white fruit driven finish. This shows better balance, complexity and finesse than the Girarding Batard.

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• 2019 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Expressive nose displaying succulent yellow fruit, lemon curd, pineapple, apple, crème brulee, crackerjack, a hint of oak, flint, sweet spicesand crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, slightly fizzy, rich and oily, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long succulent concentrated yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of oak at the end. This displays the classic Aubert profile but with slight fizz. May be mollydooker share is needed.

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• 2015 Peter Michael Chardonnay Point Rouge 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Very ripe yellow fruit, apricot and peach, butter popcorn, luxurious oak and sweet spices. Sofr and round, a bit cloying for my palate. Stylistically, this is closer to Marcassin than Aubert. FWIW, I am not a fan of Peter Michael whites. Also, the wines show better young.

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• 2009 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying generous, oily yellow fruit, pineapple, peach, lemon oil, honey, candied ginger, lanolin, anise, oyster shell, spicy spices, and fine limestone mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of rich yellow fruit, iily and dense, medium acidity, but the strong mineral provides excellent balance, and a long rich yellow fruit driven mineral finish. A classic Chave Blanc, drinking beautifully. Chave Hermitage blanc age well becoming fresher and better balanced.

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The Rinaldi was singing!

• 2004 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Expressive nose displaying ripe, slightly dried black fruit,b lack cherry, blackberry liqueur, licorice, strong tobacco, beef blood, tapenade, ash, and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, with generous black fruit, rich yet silky, bright acidity, strong mineral, showing firm slightly dry tannins and a long ripe black fruit driven finish with a lingering ash note. A structured wine with a strong tannic presence.

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• 2006 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Beautiful floral nose displaying sweet red fruit, strawberry, cherry, caramel, licorice, grilled porcini, rose, sweet spices and iron mineral. Excellent concentration, finely layered generous red fruit, warm and round but also silky and beautifully detailed, perfect amount of acidity, iron mineral, very fine but pronounced tannins and a seamless long warm red fruit driven finish with iron and rose at the end. Iron fist in a velvet glove. This is drinking beautifully.

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The nose was exceptional, very similar to Gentaz.

• 2010 Marcel Juge Cornas 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Intoxicating floral nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, blackberry concentrate, black cherry, ash, ink, smoke, animal, strong black pepper, tapenade, garrigue and crushed rocks. Very good concentration, finely layered pure black fruit, silky and weightless, slightly lean, bright acidity, strong ash/crushed rock mineral, and a seamless long pure black fruit driven mineral finish. This is an expressive classic Cornas that is drinking beautifully.

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All three were excellent but the 05 was less expressive than expected.

• 2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Initially slightly coiled nose. With air, expressive youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe red fruit with a hint of red, strawberry, blackberry liqueur, ink, liquid smoke, rose, garrigue, dark spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe red fruit, rich and silky, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long concentrated red fruit driven floral finish. This seems not as expressive as the recent bottles. This can easily improve for another decade or two, gaining additional tertiary notes, e.g. beef blood.

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• 2009 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe, concentrated black fruit, blackberry concentrate, blackberry liqueur, ink, beef blood, licorice, coffee, black pepper, dark spices, and limestone. Exceptional concentration, with layers upon layers of ripe super concentrated black fruit, dense, and rich, yet also silky and airy, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with a hint of licorice at the end. It’s fascinating to observe the similarities between the 2005, 2009, and 2015. This is more expressive than the 2005 and slightly more evolved than the 2015. An excellent showing and a long life ahead.

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• 2015 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive, youthful nose displaying concentrated, pure black fruit, crushed blackberry, blackberry liqueur, ink, violet, lavender, liquid smoke, dark spices, and crushed rocks. Incredibly concentrated, layers upon layers of pure black fruit, silky, sensual, and rich, perfect acidity and a strong mineral, and a long intense pure black fruit driven floral finish. The resemblance to the 2009 is uncanny. An impressive showing.

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Another excellent showing.

• 2010 Château Léoville Poyferré 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Intoxicating nose displaying perfectly ripe concentrated black and blue fruit, blackberry concentrate, crushed blueberry, crème de cassis, ink, licorice, strong lead pencil, cappuccino, caramel, cedar and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe black and blue fruit, unctuous yet silky and airy, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and the never-ending finish. This may not be as refined and complex as the FGs but it is equally enjoyable with so much fruit. I highly recommend, truly a great wine at sub $200.

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• 2013 Alban Vineyards Syrah Seymour's Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Incredible concentration, very ripe, jammy black fruit, black cherry, blackberry liqueur, caramel, a lot of luxurious oak, super sweet, with noticeable heat. This was made when Bob was influential, and everyone was complaining about being on the SQN waiting list for years. Times have changed, and some of my friends now find it undrinkable. I've never enjoyed the style, but I can't blame the wine as it's true to itself. It is a great reflection of the shift in stylistic preference.

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