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Wine Type
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Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
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Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
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Red
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2010 Rutini Apartado Gran Malbec
Mendoza
more
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It was a surprising enjoyable gem consumed over two nights. A great representation of well aged malbec. Inky/purple/dark red on color, I think it needs a healthy 90+ minutes decant to show its best (some claim its great from PnP I'm not sure I'd agree). A peppery touch opens up with the steak at palate (no, the steak alongside did not have pepper). It does open few tasting layers so to speak throughout the evening. I'd say the fruit (plumish) makes way to the secondary tasting after sometime. The blackberry notes are not as strong as I recall them in other rutini wines, but are notable. I would note that imho it would have been nicer to have a smaller touch of the french oak, not 18 months in new oak as the producer did. The underlying reason is that the wine provides a good presence in it of its own and I sometimes was sad when it ws overwhelmed with the oak. I think a longer decant may have resolved parts of it.
Vote of the bottle was clear as it was finished quite fast on the second night.
Now we are down to four bottles, and it was a great find to age
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Red
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2009 Rutini Antologia XXXI
Mendoza
Red Blend more
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Had this on as a part of a 4 Malbec flight @ the annual wine tasting along with '10 Fincas Notables La Coleccion, '11 Tres Catorce, and '10 Marcelo Miras Reserva. This one was the winner for me. Details will follow from written notes
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Red
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2010 Bodegas Caro (Barons de Rothschild / Catena) Malbec Aruma
Mendoza
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I do like Malbec alot, but this one just did not cut it to my expectations. We had a glass last night with a great dinner (rib eye steak... mmmm....) and nice argentinian side dishes. But, for the wine- The wine looks red-Inky colored, it is full bodied, but the taste is abit on the 'dead' side... slight vine grate and I actually asked to see the bottle to double check it is not defected. I am not sure where to put the finger, but it did not work. The taste did not open, and the palate... well, just did not cut it for me. Last time we had in the same restaurant a 2010 Bramare Vina Cobos that we really really liked, and that may have affected our view. But, overall- sorry, not a good return for the money. 78-81 pts.
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Red
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2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata
Mendoza
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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I agree with others that this wine made a very nice progress over the last year. Drinking wonderfully. I would add that we left 1/2 bottle in the decanter overnight and it was 'singing' the following day. Decanting helps and makes wonders. The rest of the notes are consistent with my previous notes:
medium/long finish, right levels of oak in the background, full bodied, great dark ink color. Blackberry on the background, some cherry tasting as well (a bit weaker this time). Drank over two nights. Pleasure.
(94+)
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Red
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2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Nicolás Catena Zapata
Mendoza
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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10/15/2013 - odds wrote: 94 points
A great wine, and a great dispute- is it ready, or still too young?
My partner and I opened it last night. Her view- still very fruity, too young and not developed yet (she gave it 89-90). My view is very different: The wine entered the drinking window nicely, and is developing well. Medium to long finish, right levels of oak in the background, full bodied, great dark ink color. Blackberry on the background, some cherry tasting as well.
We decanted it only for 45 minutes or so, which may have had an affect. I enjoyed the finishing, and could have drank this one all night. Hints of pepper in the background, Well matched with the steak and Plum dessert.
We tasted it the second night as well (leaving it overnight in the cellar)- the lady approved it more, but still claims it is young. I liked it even more, but it means that it does need some more time.
I would have given it 95 or even 96, but given the diversity in the tasting results, I'd have to stick with 94. My rule is to leave it in the cellar for 5 years and check again. Just to be on the safe side, I bought another bottle today. My sense is that this one is built to last long. Looking forward to trying it again.
(Edited: retrospective note added on January 13, 2014---> I was thinking about this wine yesterday and even the lady mentioned we should try it again in the foresee future. I guess it is a sign that this wine is REALLY worth drinking if three months after the fact it is mentioned randomly as a wine to be revisited)
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Red
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2011 Tres 14 Imperfecto
Tupungato
Malbec Blend, Malbec more
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It was a very good one. Drank well even after three days. Detailed notes will follow later. Good one from the "garage ".
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Red
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2007 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco
Patagonia
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PDH Offline Berserkers (PDH): Share with Berserkers at PDH offline. It was a solid #2 PN of the night against a respected line of PN's. Pleaseant surprise and improved since previously tasted! previously recommended about 60 minutes decant, but I would say it needs more (detail to follow)
Still has years ahead of it. 91-92 with positive prospect now
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Red
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2007 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco
Patagonia
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Let's start with the end. Mine is 91-92. Lady odds' is 89.
Very nice (very nice!) ruby ink color, that becomes abit brighter over time. Very easy to drink. The finish- medium to long, and becomes longer over time.
I must say that it is a very enjoyable pinot. Hints of vanilla, and berries (stronger on the berries), and very nice palate. Finish adds alot to the quality of the wine.
Lady odds said- very nice, but she was in bias towards a CdP she had recently, as well as another Argentinian wine (https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=821850) she tried recently. Bordeaux blend, but still affected the memory items.
So, overall - medium legs, great and easy to drink wine, nice pinot noir from an area where it is not necessary a classic. I would most certainly say- if you drink now (2013-14) decant it for an hour. My personal decision wrt the other bottle we have is to wait at the very minimum until 2015, but I feel very comfortable claiming that this wine will have longer life. I am not sure why the current CT ranking is through 2016. I would say through 2020, and maybe more.
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White - Sparkling
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2004 House of Arras Grand Vintage
Tasmania
Champagne Blend more
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Part of nine bottle lineup... small bubbles but consistent. Tends to be a bit sensitive to temp increase in glass. Very nice- on the taste, clearly different from Champagnes. Still young, would be nice to revisit in few years, because my overall feeling is that it was not enjoying a fair competition with 7 other champagnes and a cava along side.
(91-92)
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1998 Alois Kracher TBA #7 Chardonnay Welschriesling Nouvelle Vague
Neusiedlersee
Chardonnay Blend, Chardonnay more
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Great amber color, wonderful nose but it opens only after few days. I would say hold or give it a very long decant time (long==days) Agree with previous notes on the peach and marzipan notes. Very sweet until day 3 or so. Excellent dessert wine and indeed, no rush to open up or drink.
Current CT AVG (93.4) is a good reflection after few days. From PnP it will be 2-3 pts lower)
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1998 Alois Kracher TBA #7 Chardonnay Welschriesling Nouvelle Vague
Neusiedlersee
Chardonnay Blend, Chardonnay more
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Yes, same bottle a week plus later and even better. Tasted twice over the week. I think it reached a peak after 5-6 days of slow decant (at low temp) Previous notes apply. Great amber color.
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White
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2008 Trimbach Riesling Reserve
Alsace
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Opened wed night at home, consumed over three nights. On opening, nose-very dry, compared to other rielsings we had before. citrus and lemon, yellowish gold color (not as gold as the viognier consumed later in the week) . on palate, very classic riesling so to speak. enjoyable summer drink. Citrus and summer fruits, but certainly more lime and lemon than pineapple or peach on the palate. For me, enjoyable with salad and light tapas.
Day 2 and 3: does not hold back. Still very big on floral nose, the amount of dryness is more balance (not as citrus enrich as day one). Needs to be carefully chilled.
Overall: Good summer drink at a very good qpr (sub 30 per 750), that can be consumed over two-three days with no special worries (close and put in refrigerator) . Drink or hold. Drink with some summer chilled salad or fish.
~90 or so
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White
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2008 Trimbach Riesling Reserve
Alsace
more
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Took a glass to celebrate the end of the summer. Consistent with my previous notes, but this time I have to note it is enjoyable to let the floral and nose open up. Great late summer glass.
Edit: Leftover consumed on 9-23 evening and is still very good
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White
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2009 Trimbach Gewurztraminer
Alsace
Gewürztraminer more
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It is a good option for qpr bottle or half bottle at restaurant. Had with some fish at DC.
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White - Off-dry
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2002 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl Vendange Tardive
Alsace
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Okay, after the Marc Tempe '98 we had last month at home, this one was up for a challenge, and it stood very well. This note does contain a lot of comparative impressions:
So, color- yellow gold, brighter than the tempe for sure, a touch of orange. Legs, medium. On the color, what a beautiful smell. We let it sit for about 30 minutes, and it opened nicely- a touch of honey, on the fruity side, lemon, orange, apricot and peach. Background- minerals. First taste? mmm.... fruits for sure! (all of the above). Lighter on the sweetness than the Tempe (taster 1), about the same (taster 2). Medium finish (shorter than the Tempe, but not by a lot). Taste like more, more... I wish I could have another one now.
Overall, 95-96. Tasting was from a 375ml, chilled. We believe it is well into the drinking window, and I wish I could provide more info wrt the aging. We enjoyed it so much that we did not let it 'sit' on the dinner table too long to decide on that.
(Edited, the comparison point is to this one---> https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=12882 )
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2005 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Heimbourg Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace
Gewürztraminer more
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95 with a positive prospect to 96. (and I can't believe that no one on CT tried it for the last 7 years!)
Beautiful gold color. More on the sweet side than a dry side, which is the reason I am more leaning towards the 95. But it has so much to give on the nose, and a nice medium long finish. I could have enjoyed it by itself. It is more of an second dish wine than a dessert wine, in my opinion. The gold color is 'glory', it seats so well on a meal- it makes the meal upgraded by one or two levels. Should work well with spicy and light food. We had it with some pasta and veggies which did not bring out all its qualities but still was a great add on. And such a relaxing finishing to a stressful day. I will come back to my notes for the aroma details.
Some ref points to Dr. Loosen '05 from the same year we recently had-
Closer to the dry side- dr. loosen,
Gold color winner- Zind-Humbrecht,
finish- hard, they are pretty close, actually even very close,
on the nose- Zind-Humbrecht,
on the palate- Dr. loosen,
Both better on the cold side, and not room temp (not 16c). For a full meal, Dr. Loosen, by points and not a major gap. For appetizers and or dessert- Zind-Humbrecht.
Potential growth in cellar- positive prospect, for both. For the Zind-Humbrecht more time would get the taste more mature and slightly more dry, which would work great for my personal preferences.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1983 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace
Gewürztraminer more
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I would say this one stood very well for the challenge, and I strongly believe previous tasters under-estimated it.
It's pretty unusual that we have three different bottles of wine at home for dinner (sorry, I know many CT users do it for lunch, but not us). This was our cheese and dessert wine. On the color- gold, very strong gold (a touch of caramel), medium legs. Taste, very fruity. Peach, honey and caramel. Citrus in the background. Finish medium to long. I want to say it is beyond the peak, or at the peak. It works very very well with cheese platter for dessert, or not so sweetened dessert, and works very well with spicy chicken.
It is already our second day of tasting it, and we enjoy it alot. Tastes slightly better on second day than first day (held overnight at micro cellar). Overall, 92-93. Second day tasting is better than the first day tasting.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2006 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Mambourg Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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Drank it friday night at home. Details now follows below ,but in general note～wow. Welcome to the WOTY candidates list.
For the notes: Yellow, very dominant yellow (slight balance towards gold). Pepper (pepperish) onb the background). As noted by others, not as sweet and it seems to get slightly drier over time. On the nose, orange, peach and sweet dry fruits on the background. Medium legs and very nice long finish. There is a little lemon/bitter in the background which is balancing well over the dinner (yes, we had it as a dinner wine and not dessert wine).
I would say it is certainly in a drinkable mode now. That said, those who can will enjoy waiting more as it will get more on the dry side, and the secondary tastes would 'open' more. It can enjoy more decanting, or even just slow drinking throughout the meal. YMMV. In my opinion, it is an excellent wine to go with appetizers/seconds in the meal, not just dessert. I would say it matches many roasted veggies/tapas like dishes very well. Enjoyable. Too bad it's the only one we had at home. Have to check if I do have one left in the storage, as I vaguely recall.
In references to the note below:
" Very typical perfumed varietal nose with some botrytis. Moderately sweet"-- certainly agree. I would say , again, not as sweet as many Gewurz wines, but I would say the definition of moderate varies by different people. I would tend to agree it's mod sweet.
Summary: 95-96 biased towards 96.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1998 Marc Tempé Gewurztraminer Mambourg "S" Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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What can I say? We opened a 375 (the only one we had). To begin with, amber-gold beautiful color. Very close to orange color, but more on the goldish side. The first thing that came in the smell- peach, blossom peach. Lemon in the background, slight orange and pear, well balance. Full nose, very open and mature. Sweet (though not too sweet, or very strong sweet as others have described). Full body, and long, super finish. Well matched to our light meat meal, and dessert.
All the best in Alsac is here. And this one is a good one to show how well a Gewurztraminer can age. SGN at its best. Those who claim that Gewurztraminer can't age for long, well -- I feel sorry for them. They don't know what they're missing. This one would be drank well for at least 10 more years. Or as my partner said- Can't think of a better one for my birthday (which means I'd need to find more). Summary:
97+ (tempted for a 98, but it was only half a bottle to test); have one- drink it, have two- invite us over, have three- we'd take one :-)
Edited (Dec-19-2013)---> this one won my partner's Alsace WOTY award (as well as her WOTY award).
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1998 Marc Tempé Gewurztraminer Mambourg "S" Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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Had to finish a good weekend with a good bottle...even better than we remembered.
Amber-gold beautiful color (again, on the orange scale but leaning to goldish) The peach is even stronger on the nose than last year. Spicy Lemon and pear, along with apricot and orange smell, well balance. Full nose, very open and mature. Sweet on the dry side
We had it with some spicy chicken (cold dish) and veggies on the side. It kept opening up over the meal.
As noted before- "All the best in Alsace is here. And this one is a good one to show how well a Gewurztraminer can age (VERY WELL)"
97+ (and we'd test the rest this evening, and see if it worth 98 :-) )
Postcript: Well worth a 97-98. If the next one tastes as good as this one the grade would increase. Highlights from night II-
(a) The gold orange color still beautiful
(b) The spices opened a bit more
(c) It still seems to go uphill. Since we were able to find four bottles and just had one, I'd probably send one or two to storage.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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1998 Marc Tempé Gewurztraminer Mambourg "S" Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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After tasting this one for the third time in 3 years, it's time to confirm that it is a 98 pts worthy. Opened it as part of flight #5 in a long champagne tasting, and it rare that I see a bottle running out that fast. All noted that it is more dry than they would expect from a dessert wine, which works great. Remain at amber-gold beautiful color (again, on the orange scale but leaning to goldish). I looked at my previous notes on the wine,a nd I think the peach remains consistent/ stronger on the nose than 2-3 years ago. Full nose, very open and mature. Sweet on the dry side. Long finish (one noted 45-60 seconds plus+) Spicy Lemon and pear, along with apricot and orange smell.
Postscript: I waited for three bottles to determine whether the outstanding score should be raised from 97 to 98, but imho (ymmv) it is well earned. Guetz on the dry side, stayed long in barrel (and bottle) until release, not your typical dessert wine (in fact you can 'park' on it for dinner), great color, wonderful nose, complements the champagnes served well. Great work by Tempe. If you have a case, drink one every 18 months.
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White
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1996 Meyer-Fonné Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg
Alsace Grand Cru
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Purchased from Benchmark Wine Group (BWG https://www.benchmarkwine.com/ ) in February 2015, delivered last day of Feb.15. On opening- notable mold on top of the cork, not something that seems to have developed over short period. Slight holes in cork. On taste- Dead vinegar. Very very bitter.
Further inspection suggests that the bottle may have gone through improper storage before purchasing. (arrived directly to my storage temp/humidity control location from BWG). Can't be used even as vinegar for cooking.
Flawed bottle. Will inspect the other bottles at the storage and contact BWG for clarifications. Not good.
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White - Off-dry
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2002 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Goldert Vendange Tardive
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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95, certainly 95.
Details to follow here (and they do now :-) )
Initial notes- WOW. What a nice long finish, what a nice color, what a nice smell! how nicely it opens up. This one is built to last long. It has what it takes to be at its prime at 15, 20, and 25 years.
(from 375)
More detailed notes-
This is the second '02 zind this year (first was '02 Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl VT)
We would certainly say that the Gewurz is more on the sweeter side than the Pinot Gris. But they are both on the dry (more dry) side that we really like. Color- bright gold, (ref points: brighter than the tempe not as gold as the Gris). Great nose. Orange and honey.
On the taste... mmm... WOW. sweet, yet light enough not to make you too sleepy while drinking... Medium to long finish (longer than the pinot gris, shorter than the Tempe).
While the Pinot Gris could easily be my main dish/all night long wine, this one would be more of a second or a dessert wine. Both are real good examples of the Zind-Humbrecht. I am VERY curious with regards to the way this one would develop. It will age, for certain. It will age well. Maybe I should get another one for the next five years?
Edited (Jan-15-2014)---> indeed, we got another one few days ago to be kept for a while. It will be interesting to see how it develops.
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White
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2004 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste. Catherine
Alsace Grand Cru
more
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Very good fit to asian food, we had it with friends from FT at the pdh. Medium to long finish, I agree that the orange peel is more dominant in the nose. It is still developing, but it is an excellent drinkable wine now (IMHO, will last post 2020, but if I had one or two extra, I would have had them over the next few years)
On the more dry side (a plus for me), and was among the first (and fastest) bottles to be finished during the meal. Very good match to the duck. I think it would work well with more spicy sauces as well.
I would have voted with my wallet and buy one or two more. Since I could not find it, I would vote on joining a dinner where another one would be opened.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2006 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Furstentum Sélection de Grains Nobles
Alsace Grand Cru
Gewürztraminer more
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95 with positive prospects to 96 (Other taster said solid 96). Drank from 500ml.
On the color- Yellow gold (bright gold) , slow to medium legs, no sediments. On the smell- Orange, apricot, and peach (good balance between them). On the background, lime, mineral and toast (very light). On the taste clear balance of peach, orange and minerals and more time would bring up more of the background tastes as well. Finish- nice long , not too sweet but clearly still young and can get a bit better with time (I think about it now and while it was very enjoyable wine, I would recommend for people who hold this one in their cellar to keep it for another year or two and call me for second tasting).
Other notes: Opened with dinner at home. It works well (and will work better in two years) for those who like off dry whites with the dinner. Tasted the leftover (enough for a small glass) second night. Stronger aroma on the nose, equal finish, slightly better compared with first night. Recommended for some more time in cellar.
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