Pasts its prime - most of the fruit is heavily muted. Showing some enjoyable leather saddle, barnyard, rustic raspberries and light tar. Still elegant and well textured, just not alot of fruit left. A bottle showing subtle extravagance...maybe just a bit too subtle at this point. Still quite thin on the palate. Drink up.
Another fine example of a heady perfume driven bombastic styled Napa Cab from Peter Michael. This didn't come across quite as "sexy" and blockbuster-esque as the '05, but extremely enjoyable nonetheless - more subtle complex aromas. Thick and weighty this displayed enormous aromas of red liqueured fruits, rose petals and roasted caramel and figs. Excellent balance in the finish. Lush and round - this is a yummy treat. When compared to the '05 it's also just darker in every way stylistically. This is a more masculine effort where as the '05 comes across as more feminine and finesse driven.
Very nice Grenache. Perfect for those who love rich full bodied Pinots. Lies perfectly between a full Pinot and a light Merlot stylistically. Some nice grip on the palate but not overwhelmingly dark fruit driven. Robust red berries accompanied by a bit of barnyard trail dust. Solid but not outstanding. I enjoy a little more umph in my Grenaches...especially those from the New World - or at least made in that style. Still very nice.
Color is really cloudy and almost opaque purple from this cloudiness. Big and beautiful. A world of creme de cassis on the nose. Bountiful loads of ripe raspberries, cherries, blueberries and plums. Lots of creamy baked goods coupled with some vanilla, mocha, violets and caramel aromas. Palate is massive and delivers layers upon layers of endless flavor. More dark pruney berries, lots of lively acidity coupled with charred oak, baking spices, cloves and dark roast espresso. Extremely long and gripping finish. Lots of style and character. This is a true winner in my book. Wine of the day. Lived up to the QC hype, though not a 100 pointer - but potential for a higher score with some well sported ageing.
Open for four hours in the bottle. A seriously youthful though still accessible bottling. Classic culty California Pinot Noir nose of creamy cranberries, light cherries, curry spice and peat moss. Palate is full bodied showing more bright berries, white pepper and light earth. Finish is in harmony with nice acidity but not showing the overly flamboyant style of past vintages. In five years this will round out and show even better.
Still some fruit, but definitely past its prime. Light dusty cherries, hay and strawberry jam. Some enjoyable cool climate fruit finished off with a hint of rusty nail. Time to drink (if you happen to have any on hand).
First of all, this is a really cool wine, and as Ken described it to me, the premise of acquiring the bottling is rather interesting and exclusive - almost like "buying into" a country club. Agreed Matt, showing well for the 2000 vintage. Also must agree that this is a "culty-Bordeaux-like" showing. It has the depth and dark cassis, vanilla, leather characteristics of a solid Bordeaux bottling, but the weight and viscocity of cult California fruit. Nice light soy sauce reduction mixed with dark berries, abundant star anise and candied black licorice. The finish goes on for almost a minute and shows beautiful weight and balance. There is also nice acidity on the back end that should lend another decade of cellaring. Thank you for the experience Keith.
Definitely tasted like a $50 bottle as opposed to the $25 average price on cellartracker. Deep purple aromas. Waxy purple crayola crayon. Intense and super mouth drying tannins. Highly glycerin driven. Lush and weighty. Needs some serious cellar time to calm down. Still a solid Super Tuscan.
Really awesome. Richly layered sporting some unique funk that isn't often found in Bordeaux. Textured and well layered with dark berries, earth and dark purple flower aromas. Long finish and very well balanced. Drinking beautifully now. Seems that this is a trend amongst the '03's...drinking well now but will also cellar like a charm.
Big heady wine. Nose of blueberries, blackberries, leather, menthol and black rock. Palate is equally massive with lots of weight black fruit, black olive, licorice and figs. Finish is well harnessed showing a beautiful mouth feel, lower acidity and higher alcohol. Exceptional wine if you enjoy this full rich layered and viscous blockbuster style - which I do.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges
Really liked the medium funk driven nose on this St. Julien vineyard. Really nice acidity and the palate is well textured - plus and sweet light tannins.
Smells like a funky Thanksgiving Dinner. Some aromas of light turkey brine, cranberries, herbs (like stuffing) and some rich allspice. Feminine in style but showing classic Cote Rotie style. Green olives, fig and some vanilla and mocha on the back end of the palate. All of this is accopmanied by stewed red fruit. Soft balance on the finish showing nice acidity, moderate alcohol and tannins.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Unique and shroomy Pinot showing off more blood orangey citrus notes than red fruit. Not alot going on as a whole. Nose is shut down and palate shows a little earthiness, but still just a bit inaccessible. Try again in another three or five years.
1994 Château Lynch-Bages 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Pasts its prime - most of the fruit is heavily muted.
Showing some enjoyable leather saddle, barnyard, rustic raspberries and light tar.
Still elegant and well textured, just not alot of fruit left.
A bottle showing subtle extravagance...maybe just a bit too subtle at this point.
Still quite thin on the palate. Drink up.
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2001 Peter Michael Les Pavots 94 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
Another fine example of a heady perfume driven bombastic styled Napa Cab from Peter Michael.
This didn't come across quite as "sexy" and blockbuster-esque as the '05, but extremely enjoyable nonetheless - more subtle complex aromas.
Thick and weighty this displayed enormous aromas of red liqueured fruits, rose petals and roasted caramel and figs.
Excellent balance in the finish. Lush and round - this is a yummy treat. When compared to the '05 it's also just darker in every way stylistically.
This is a more masculine effort where as the '05 comes across as more feminine and finesse driven.
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2007 Jemrose Grenache Foggy Knoll 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley
Very nice Grenache. Perfect for those who love rich full bodied Pinots. Lies perfectly between a full Pinot and a light Merlot stylistically.
Some nice grip on the palate but not overwhelmingly dark fruit driven. Robust red berries accompanied by a bit of barnyard trail dust.
Solid but not outstanding. I enjoy a little more umph in my Grenaches...especially those from the New World - or at least made in that style.
Still very nice.
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1998 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Walla Walla Valley 91 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Lighter in style than I expected from my first Leonetti Reserve taste. Layered and more subtle complex dark berry flavors.
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2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Color is really cloudy and almost opaque purple from this cloudiness.
Big and beautiful. A world of creme de cassis on the nose.
Bountiful loads of ripe raspberries, cherries, blueberries and plums. Lots of creamy baked goods coupled with some vanilla, mocha, violets and caramel aromas.
Palate is massive and delivers layers upon layers of endless flavor. More dark pruney berries, lots of lively acidity coupled with charred oak, baking spices, cloves and dark roast espresso.
Extremely long and gripping finish. Lots of style and character. This is a true winner in my book. Wine of the day.
Lived up to the QC hype, though not a 100 pointer - but potential for a higher score with some well sported ageing.
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2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Open for four hours in the bottle. A seriously youthful though still accessible bottling.
Classic culty California Pinot Noir nose of creamy cranberries, light cherries, curry spice and peat moss.
Palate is full bodied showing more bright berries, white pepper and light earth.
Finish is in harmony with nice acidity but not showing the overly flamboyant style of past vintages.
In five years this will round out and show even better.
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1996 DeLille Cellars D2 88 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Still some fruit, but definitely past its prime.
Light dusty cherries, hay and strawberry jam.
Some enjoyable cool climate fruit finished off with a hint of rusty nail.
Time to drink (if you happen to have any on hand).
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2000 The Napa Valley Reserve 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
First of all, this is a really cool wine, and as Ken described it to me, the premise of acquiring the bottling is rather interesting and exclusive - almost like "buying into" a country club.
Agreed Matt, showing well for the 2000 vintage. Also must agree that this is a "culty-Bordeaux-like" showing.
It has the depth and dark cassis, vanilla, leather characteristics of a solid Bordeaux bottling, but the weight and viscocity of cult California fruit.
Nice light soy sauce reduction mixed with dark berries, abundant star anise and candied black licorice.
The finish goes on for almost a minute and shows beautiful weight and balance. There is also nice acidity on the back end that should lend another decade of cellaring.
Thank you for the experience Keith.
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2005 Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT 90 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Definitely tasted like a $50 bottle as opposed to the $25 average price on cellartracker.
Deep purple aromas. Waxy purple crayola crayon. Intense and super mouth drying tannins.
Highly glycerin driven. Lush and weighty. Needs some serious cellar time to calm down. Still a solid Super Tuscan.
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2003 Château Latour Les Forts de Latour 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Really awesome. Richly layered sporting some unique funk that isn't often found in Bordeaux.
Textured and well layered with dark berries, earth and dark purple flower aromas.
Long finish and very well balanced. Drinking beautifully now.
Seems that this is a trend amongst the '03's...drinking well now but will also cellar like a charm.
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2005 Harris Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Lakeview Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Big heady wine. Nose of blueberries, blackberries, leather, menthol and black rock.
Palate is equally massive with lots of weight black fruit, black olive, licorice and figs.
Finish is well harnessed showing a beautiful mouth feel, lower acidity and higher alcohol.
Exceptional wine if you enjoy this full rich layered and viscous blockbuster style - which I do.
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2005 Daniel Bocquenet Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Saint-Julien 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges
Really liked the medium funk driven nose on this St. Julien vineyard. Really nice acidity and the palate is well textured - plus and sweet light tannins.
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2005 Pierre Gaillard Côte-Rôtie Côte Rozier 93 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Smells like a funky Thanksgiving Dinner.
Some aromas of light turkey brine, cranberries, herbs (like stuffing) and some rich allspice.
Feminine in style but showing classic Cote Rotie style.
Green olives, fig and some vanilla and mocha on the back end of the palate.
All of this is accopmanied by stewed red fruit.
Soft balance on the finish showing nice acidity, moderate alcohol and tannins.
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2005 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel-Air 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Unique and shroomy Pinot showing off more blood orangey citrus notes than red fruit.
Not alot going on as a whole. Nose is shut down and palate shows a little earthiness, but still just a bit inaccessible.
Try again in another three or five years.
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2004 Cartlidge & Browne Cabernet Sauvignon Wagner American Canyon 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Purple Kool-Aid. Unimpressive, one dimensional.
Nice candied fruit. Some alcohol showing. Only okay.
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