Wino Guys Weekend (WGW) #1

Menu:

Steamed crab legs
Mussels with white wine and shallots
Ribeye Steak with Bernaise Sauce and Pan roasted Potatoes

• 2004 La Chablisienne Chablis Les Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis

  (1/4/2008)

  Pale yellow colour with green flecks. Crisp, grassy nose with minerals and lemon. Medium-bodied, a little oily, but still really crisp. Palate shows replays from nose. Moderate finish, ~35s, with stones/minerals and lemon. Quite nice.

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• 2002 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

  (1/4/2008)

  Medium-gold colour. Aromas of hot stones, citrus peel, honey, lanolin, and cardamom. Medium-full bodied, huge acidity, with lanolin, white fruit, spice, and minerals. Moderate finish, ~30-35s, with more white fruit and lanolin coming through from the palate. Really nice, and way better than my previous note from a few years ago. Age has been kind to this wine.

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• 1997 Fontanafredda Barolo Vigna La Rosa 86 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (1/4/2008)

  Medium-dark garnet colour. Ruddy. Aromas of spice, funk, licorice, leather, flowers, and tar. Medium-bodied, restrained on the palate, with dark fruit, tannin, and acid. Short and relatively tart finish showing some dark fruit. Quite disappointing. I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best for the last bottle after some more cellar time. That said, I don't ever expect this to be a profound wine of any sort.

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• 1990 Antinori Tignanello 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (1/4/2008)

  Dark garnet colour. Aromas of herbs, beef's blood, blackberry, leather, earth, and dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, with earth, dried fruit, leather, and licorice. Great acidity. Moderate finish, ~35s, with dried flowers, cherry, and earth. All-Tuscan in this wine, but I'm surprised at its youthfulness. This can still go for some time in the cellar! Fantastic!

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• 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (1/4/2008)

  Not decanted. Slow-ox'd for 4 hours. Aromas of sandalwood, leather, dried plums, mint, and cedar. Medium-bodied, very elegant and refined. Tannins are integrated. Layers of complexity with replays from the nose joined by more red fruit. Moderate-long finish, ~40-45s, with fresh and dried red fruit and leather. Great persistence on the finish. Outstanding stuff.

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• 1986 Château Lafite Rothschild

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (1/4/2008)

  Dark ruby colour; almost opaque. Aromas of plum, cherry, blackberry, mineral, and lead pencil. Medium-bodied, with some herbal notes joined by pencil lead. Still a little closed on the palate. Moderate finish, ~35s, with dark fruit. This is clearly in need of significantly more cellaring. 5+ years at least! Not rated.

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• 2001 d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The Coppermine Road 89 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  (1/4/2008)

  Dark ruby colour; almost opaque. Aromas of black cherry/kirsch, blackcurrant, eucalyptus. Huge nose. Medium-full bodied, quite tannic, with blackcurrant, black olives, leather, black cherry/kirsch. Moderate-long finish, ~35-40s, with alcohol, kirsch, and blackcurrant.

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• 2001 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  (1/4/2008)

  Dark ruby/black colour; almost opaque. Massive nose of vanilla, blackcurrant, licorice, raspberry. Full-bodied, lush, with alcohol, vanilla, and blackcurrant. Plenty of acid and tannin in this wine. Moderate finish, ~30-35s, then stops abruptly, leaving only acid in its wake. Odd. Who knows how long it will take to resolve or if this wine will ever be completely be balanced.

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• 2003 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (1/4/2008)

  From 750mL. Medium-gold colour. Aromas of vanilla, apricot, peach, honey, and lychee. Beautiful nose. Full-bodied with replays from nose. Excellent acidity lift the wine off the palate. Long, long finish, ~50-60s, with honey, lychee, and apricot notes.

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Mixed charcuterie and cheeses, including pates, duck rilletes, mousse de foie gras, prosciutto di Parma, and international and Quebecois cheeses.

• 1995 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio All'Oro 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (1/5/2008)

  Not decanted. Poured into shoulder and allowed to breathe for 4 hours. Dark ruby colour with burgundy tinges; opaque. Aromas of sottobosco, dried flowers, orange rind, black plums, black cherry, and rosemary/herbs. Medium-full bodied, good acidity, firm tannins, showing black plums and sottobosco. Almost mouthpuckering when leading in to the 35-40s moderate-long finish that shows dark fruit. With 2+ more hours of air, the nose becomes more brooding developing black licorice notes. Palate opens up to show more complexity as well. Coming along nicely, but I still think this needs another few years which would bring it in line with my initial drinking window.

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• 1997 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (1/5/2008)

  Not decanted. Poured into shoulder and allowed to breathe for 4 hours. Dark ruby colour with burgundy/black flecks; almost opaque. Big, aromatic nose of white truffle, black licorice, tar, black cherry, and orange rind. Medium-full bodied, with black fruit, sottobosco. Firm tannins. Short-moderate finish, ~20s, with dark fruit. Still needs time. Intially, 90-91 points.
  
  With another two hours air, starts to show cinnamon on the nose and dark chocolate on the palate. Developed nicely with the additional air and showed more length on the finish. Upgraded to 92 points. Needs more time in the cellar.

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• 2000 Arnaldo-Caprai Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano 90 Points

  Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino

  (1/5/2008)

  Dark ruby/black colour; opaque. Aromas of fruit loops, peach, dark fruit, and minerals. Medium-bodied, a little simple, showing minerals, black fruit. Tannins are quite firm through to the short-moderate finish that lasts 20-25s. Initially 87 points. Puts on significant weight with several hours in a decanter, adding complexity in the form of dark fruit and licorice. Upgraded to 90 points. Leave it in the cellar for 3-5 years.

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Menu:

Seared Quebec foie gras with toasted brioche and peach chutney
Grilled veal chop with porcini risotto and 25-year old Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia
Chocolate souffle

• 1990 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  (1/5/2008)

  Honey-gold colour. Huge, typical Salon nose of sherry, apple, pear, jasmine flowers, lemon, and white figs. Medium-full bodied, with sherry, pear, ginger, lemon, and white figs. Long finish, ~45-50s, with ginger and lemon notes. This bottle didn't quite hit the highs of previous bottles, and in that respect was disappointing. Still a nice Champagne, but not jaw-dropping like Salon usually is.

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• 1976 Château d'Yquem 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (1/5/2008)

  Amber colour. Huge nose of caramel, honey, lychee, peach, vanilla, meyer lemon rind. Full bodied, lovely acidity and texture. Unctuous. Peach, apricot, lychee, and honey notes on the palate. Long, long finish, ~50-60s, with spice, honey, lychee, orange rind, and apricot. Perfect pairing with 1" thick slabs of seared foie gras, brioche, and peach chutney. Awesome!

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• 1934 Château Margaux 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (1/5/2008)

  Slow-ox'd for 4 hours. Orange/bricked colour. Dusty aromas of leather, orange rind, dried cherry, orange pekoe tea, and cranberry. Light-medium bodied, with orange rind, orange pekoe tea. Fully integrated tannins. Moderate finish, ~30-35s, with tea and leather notes. Surprising to see the life left in this wine. Quite an experience!

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• 1982 Château Latour Grand Vin 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (1/5/2008)

  Medium-ruby colour. Huge nose of cedar, cigar box, red licorice, herbs, currant, sandalwood, mineral, black licorice, dried roses, talc. Medium-bodied, silky, seamless wine with currant, leather, cedar, cigar box, and pencil lead. Long, long finish, 60+s, with mushroom, cigar box, and minerals. Absolutely gorgeous! I really don't know what else you could look for in a wine, or how to improve this. As such - 100 points. Only the second time I've dished out that score.

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• 1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 98 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (1/5/2008)

  Dark ruby colour. Aromas of spice, plums, minerals, talcum powder, mulled fruit/spice, vanilla, rosewater. Very clean on the nose. Medium-full bodied, with plums, currant, spice, smoke. Layered and ridiculously complex. Long, lingering finish, ~60+s, with spice, Christmas cake, and rum-soaked plums. With time, just a few hints of bacon start to develop on the nose.

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• 1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (1/5/2008)

  Medium-dark ruby colour. Aromas of plums, earth, cherry, meat, orange rind, vanilla, kirsch, and tons of flowers. Medium-bodied, with pretty red fruit, smoke, spice, plums, and flowers. Long finish, ~40s, with spice, smoke, fruit, and chalk. Beautifully integrated tannins. Great stuff, and drinking really well right now.

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