Aromas of lemon verbena, almonds, and SweeTarts candies. A bright chalkiness on the palate with a mild finish. Pleasant, but could have used a touch more acidity. N.B. Because I arrived late, I tasted this about 45 minutes after everyone else, so my impressions are based upon the wine having been exposed to more air.
Fresh hay, lemon pith, wet stones and crushed shells on the nose. A little flat on the palate with a simple lemon and mineral character. Pleasant but unexceptional. 85-86 points.
This is my 6th time with this wine. Life is rough. Tropical aromas of fresh pineapples, mango, and guava, which evolve towards citrus with more air exposure. Great presence on the palate with exceptional fullness and balance. An outstanding wine. 92-93 points.
A beautiful aged Pinot Noir. Notes of raspberries, strawberries, and cherry blossoms coupled with an element of hard spices and black tea. Elegant on the palate with a slightly-austere tea-like finish.
Gorgeous floral aromas of tar, anise, violets, and white cherries; as the evening progressed a touch of soy and mushrooms emerged. Rich and succulent on the palate with savory notes of plum skin, red clay, dried cherries, black tea and Shiitake mushrooms. Fine-grained tannins and a long glorious finish. This would have been my WOTN had the wine not started to turn a little tart late into the evening and for which I docked it a point. A terrific Barolo nonetheless. 93-94 points.
This wine kept getting better and better as the evening progressed, and I dare say that it would have outlasted us all had we not polished it off by dinner's end. Notes of graphite, wet soil, dried currants, and saddle leather were my initial impressions. When I returned to it later in the evening, I picked up roasted red peppers, sweet tobacco, and brown spices in addition. A bold magisterial expression of the Napa Valley and a wine that is just beginning to enter its peak drinking window. Outstanding and my WOTN.
A little horsey on the nose complemented by wet earth and iodine. Hard, tannic, tart and austere. I suspect that this wine might be shut down for it was rather unforgiving on the palate. No rating.
A little sour on the nose with hints of latex bandage -- i.e. our buddy Brett. Robust on the palate with sweet and savory notes of roasted red peppers, currants, red licorice, and pipe tobacco. 86-87 points.
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
This wine was out of place in our tasting, as pretty much all the other wines came from the 1990s. Some wines are meant to be Mozart while others are meant to be Motley Crue. The Mollydooker is definitely in the latter camp. Having said that, I found this wine to be a very ripe and hedonistic expression of Australian Shiraz. Jammy red and black fruits dominate the nose followed by a rich and broad palate of sweet blueberries, blackberries, dark chocolate, molasses, and creamy vanilla. Opulent to be sure, but not at all out of balance. This was a pop and pour, but it really needed to be decanted and just kept getting better and better as the evening progressed.
2006 Movia Ribolla 89 Points
Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda
Aromas of lemon verbena, almonds, and SweeTarts candies. A bright chalkiness on the palate with a mild finish. Pleasant, but could have used a touch more acidity. N.B. Because I arrived late, I tasted this about 45 minutes after everyone else, so my impressions are based upon the wine having been exposed to more air.
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2004 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume 85 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Fresh hay, lemon pith, wet stones and crushed shells on the nose. A little flat on the palate with a simple lemon and mineral character. Pleasant but unexceptional. 85-86 points.
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2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
This is my 6th time with this wine. Life is rough. Tropical aromas of fresh pineapples, mango, and guava, which evolve towards citrus with more air exposure. Great presence on the palate with exceptional fullness and balance. An outstanding wine. 92-93 points.
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1984 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir 90 Points
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
A beautiful aged Pinot Noir. Notes of raspberries, strawberries, and cherry blossoms coupled with an element of hard spices and black tea. Elegant on the palate with a slightly-austere tea-like finish.
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1996 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Brunate 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Gorgeous floral aromas of tar, anise, violets, and white cherries; as the evening progressed a touch of soy and mushrooms emerged. Rich and succulent on the palate with savory notes of plum skin, red clay, dried cherries, black tea and Shiitake mushrooms. Fine-grained tannins and a long glorious finish. This would have been my WOTN had the wine not started to turn a little tart late into the evening and for which I docked it a point. A terrific Barolo nonetheless. 93-94 points.
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1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Notes of saddle leather, green peppercorns, red currants, wet earth, and minerals. Nice purity of fruit with a black tea-laced finish. 90-91 points.
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1994 Joseph Phelps Insignia 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This wine kept getting better and better as the evening progressed, and I dare say that it would have outlasted us all had we not polished it off by dinner's end. Notes of graphite, wet soil, dried currants, and saddle leather were my initial impressions. When I returned to it later in the evening, I picked up roasted red peppers, sweet tobacco, and brown spices in addition. A bold magisterial expression of the Napa Valley and a wine that is just beginning to enter its peak drinking window. Outstanding and my WOTN.
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1995 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
A little horsey on the nose complemented by wet earth and iodine. Hard, tannic, tart and austere. I suspect that this wine might be shut down for it was rather unforgiving on the palate. No rating.
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1999 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
A little sour on the nose with hints of latex bandage -- i.e. our buddy Brett. Robust on the palate with sweet and savory notes of roasted red peppers, currants, red licorice, and pipe tobacco. 86-87 points.
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1999 Yarra Yering Dry Red N°1
Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley
Did not taste.
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2005 Mollydooker Shiraz Carnival of Love 92 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
This wine was out of place in our tasting, as pretty much all the other wines came from the 1990s. Some wines are meant to be Mozart while others are meant to be Motley Crue. The Mollydooker is definitely in the latter camp. Having said that, I found this wine to be a very ripe and hedonistic expression of Australian Shiraz. Jammy red and black fruits dominate the nose followed by a rich and broad palate of sweet blueberries, blackberries, dark chocolate, molasses, and creamy vanilla. Opulent to be sure, but not at all out of balance. This was a pop and pour, but it really needed to be decanted and just kept getting better and better as the evening progressed.
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