TNs: Latour, La Turque SQN, LLC, Shafer HSS, Alban, Bryant, etc.

This very worthwhile charity event was at a beautiful home in Rancho Sante Fe for Voices for Children, which supports special advocates for children in the court system. A really killer lineup, not all of which were on my card. I was working and tasting, so these are more impressions than notes.

• 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  My third try with this wine and it is not getting better. Bottle issues? Decant? Just not that good? Was quite simple and soft. Did not have the stuffing or the nose of the LLC.

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

• 1990 Château Latour Grand Vin 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Delicious. Entering early adulthood. Deep red color, deep nose and a nice round mouthfull of Cabernet. Blackberry, iron and very smooth tannins. Not sure if it will match my all time fave the 1955, but damn good.

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

• 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  This had a lovely Bordeaux nose of cedar, blackberries and graphite. Tannins were quite resolved and the wine was very balanced. At its peak.

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

• 2000 Château Léoville Las Cases 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Just because the vintage is so highly regarded, I have not tasted too many 2000s figuring they need more time. Nine years just took the edge off of this beauty. Still very young, quite dark (much darker than the 1990 Latour) with more black fruits. Just fabulous structure. This should last for decades.

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

• 2000 Château Pavie 99 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This nearly got the big three digit score for me. Still quite young though. Crammed full of Bordeaux goodness. I did not sense any over ripeness. The nose was a cascade of black, blue and red fruits with some minerality and a hint of very high quality oak. This had incredible depth, structure and a nearly endless finish. Yowsa!!

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

• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 100 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  This was the wine of the day for me, although it was close with the Pavie. Friggin' incredible nose. Violets, kirsch, cherry, iron, graphite, crushed blackberries and maybe ten other scents if only I had a bit more time (or another glass). Still young, but for me at a perfect place. The palate had that same violet, kirsch profile, with some melted asphalt, incredibly smooth deep tannins and a realllllly long finish. Just fabulous.

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

• 1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Still young. Extremely ripe even after 12 years. A cascade of fruit on the nose and palate with wonderful balance. Maybe not as structured and complex as the better Bordeauxs this day, but damn tasty.

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

• 1994 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  The 1997 vintage of this is the greatest CA cab I have ever had, so it is always a treat to try other vintages. This was much more advanced than the 97 Shafer, throwing lead pencil and raspberry notes, along with some tomato skin. Tannis were quite resolved and this had wonderful complexity and a beautiful finish. Ready to go.

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

• 2004 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  I received the last splash of this, so it was a bit difficult to evaluate. The nose was quite closed, but in the mouth the wine was fabulous. Really deep Merlot flavors of dark cherry, raspberry and maybe even some blueberry. Great structure, and although very ripe, I might have guessed Pomerol. Killer finish.

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

• 2004 Sine Qua Non Syrah Poker Face 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  I love this wine. Manfred's syrahs have been amazingly consistent in the last several years. The Papa (tasted twice recently) is more ready to go than this. Still very wound up and tight, just hinting at a great future. Blackberries, road tar, a touch of menthol, this wine is stacked and packed, but never over the top or out of balance. Give it 2-3 more years or a good decant.

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

• 2005 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine 98 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Had this side by side with Poker Face. Very similar profiles, but this had some extra flamboyant minerality on both the nose and the palate. Very balanced and not over the top. REALLY dug this and I can see RMP 100 point rating here. Very young, but oh so promising.

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

The wines made missing the Novy event at FMIII's tolerable.