Another weekend of Excess

Chicagoland
Tasted Friday, August 21, 2009 - Monday, August 24, 2009 by MatthewF with 1,176 views

Flight 1 - Dinner at a Client's home on Friday evening. (7 Notes)

  • 2005 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc

    USA, California, North Coast

    (8/21/2009)

    Opened and tasted 3 separate bottles this evening. All showing much fresher than expected for an '05 Sauvignon Blanc. Dark straw color and aromatics of lemon, pear, apple and just a touch oxidation (in a good way). Palate had rich fruit with good minerality and cleansing acidity.

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  • 2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (8/21/2009)

    Opened two bottles. Bottle # 1; Powerful aromatics of waxy lemon, apple, and white flowers. Oily texture, rich ripe fruit with nice minerality and a lengthy finish. Bottle #2; not giving much at all on the nose and the palate was lacking the intensity on the palate. Did not appear to be flawed; just shut down.

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  • 2007 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/21/2009)

    Outstanding aromatics of lemon/lime, ripe pear, butter cookie, and some wet rocks. Fantastic richness on the palate. Great texture and core of minerality. Like a grand cru White Burgundy. Absolutely delicious.

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  • 2002 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/21/2009)

    Big intense nose of red cherry/berry and plum with some toasty wood and very nice spice. Ripe fruit on the palate with some nice dark spice and good grip on the backend. Lengthy finish. A very nice CA pinot.

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  • 1989 Château Lafite Rothschild

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (8/21/2009)

    Opened and tasted two different bottles this evening with identical characteristics. Classic Lafite aromatics of red currant and plum, wet tobacco, some cedar and forest floor. Elegant texture on the palate, somewhat dried red cherry and plum. Great acidity and minerality balance. Very long finish. Always an outstanding wine.

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  • 2005 Sine Qua Non Syrah Atlantis Fe2O3~1a, b & c

    USA, California, Central Coast

    (8/21/2009)

    A very big wine. Inky color with an intense nose of very dark fruits. Some black cherry, blue and blackberry, kirsch, and some herbal notes. Rich sweet fruit on the palate with some decent minerality. Long finish. A very nice wine.

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  • 1986 Château d'Yquem

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    (8/21/2009)

    Fantastic aromatics of baked apricot and yellow peach, grilled pineapple, and honeysuckles. Palate and nose also were a bit like a "leaner styled vanilla creme brulee". Very nice texture with refreshing acidity. A very nice d'Yquem, but not as fat and rich as some of the other great years of the 80s.

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Flight 2 - Dinner at home with Friends Saturday night (5 Notes)

  • 2004 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    (8/22/2009)

    Beautiful nose of dark raspberry and cherry with "classic" Vosne baking spice. A bit leaner on the palate than the best of Meo's village Vosnes, but still quite enjoyable and the body filled out some after about two hours of air. Nice mineral notes and good structure. A very nice wine.

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  • 2007 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone Vineyard

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

    (8/22/2009)

    Intoxicating aromatics of dark raspberry and plum with brown baking spice, tea leaves, and a hint of soy. Ripe fruit on the mouthcoating palate with great spice throughout the finish. A bit cliche, but other than the riper palate, very Burgundian. Outstanding; it has been awhile since I've been this excited about a CA pinot.

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  • 2001 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (8/22/2009)

    Decanted for 2 hours. Very Graves like nose with dark red berry and cherry with a bit of mocha, leather, and tobacco. Great texture, acid structure and minerality. Absolutely delicious. Unfortunately this was my last bottle of the '01.

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  • 2002 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    (8/22/2009)

    Decanted 2 hours. Intoxicating aromatics; red currant and plum, wet tobacco, leather, forest floor, and cedar. Lush red fruit on the palate with a nice mineral core. Lengthy finish. Always one of my favorite bottlings from Mondavi.

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  • 1996 Château L'Evangile

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    (8/22/2009)

    Popped and poured. Black cherry and plum on the nose and palate with cocoa and a hint of espresso. Slight forest floor/herbal component as well. Nice texture on the palate with a moderate finish. Very nice wine.

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Flight 3 - Sunday late afternoon through the early hours of the next morning. (17 Notes)

Flight 4 - Jen's going away party (5 Notes)

  • 2008 Alamos Torrontés

    Argentina, Valles Calchaquíes, Salta

    (8/24/2009)

    Excellent floral notes mixed with the white peach and flower aromatics. Good fruit on the palate as well with a nice finish. Not mindblowing, but a great little wine.

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  • 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (8/24/2009)

    Very perfumed aromatics of dried red currant, cherry, and cranberry. Cedar and tobacco as well. Fairly lean on the palate, but there is still some ripe fruit left. A good deal of acidity finish. A good wine.

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  • 2002 Château Latour Grand Vin

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (8/24/2009)

    A very odd showing. Tried after decanting for 1hr and had corky aromatics and a palate of cardboard. Left in the decanter for another 2 hours and it kept getting worse. Poured back into the bottle. The next day tried again and the cork smell and taste was gone. Dark currant and cassis with chocolate and leather and a nice bit of minerality. A very long finish, but there was something just a touch off. There was still a third of the bottle left and I tried it again the third day. The fruit had softened up a bit and was more giving, but the slight corky note returned. Not sure what to think of this bottle..

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  • 2002 Château Cheval Blanc

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    (8/24/2009)

    Decanted for 1hr. Pretty nose of red fruits with cigar box and an herbal note. Some nice density on the palate with good acidity throughout and a mostly mineral finish. Very fine tannins.

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  • 1982 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (8/24/2009)

    Library release. On the nose mostly cherry fruits with a good bit of tar and earth with some tobacco. A fairly youthful palate with fresh berry and earth. A good bit of acid on the moderate finish.

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