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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
White - Sparkling

2012 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année

 Champagne Blend more
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10/27/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 92 points

Still rather reticent, young and fresh. Has good potential and higher score in a few years I’m sure. Very enjoyable now though more will come from the nose, it won’t be so tight and that bitterness on finish will ease up.

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White - Sparkling

2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

 Chardonnay more
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5/7/2022 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

Has really settled down since my last bottle a few years ago. Much calmer with a creamy texture. Touch of smoke. Very good and the nose has that beautiful mix that Comtes offers as the years progress. That touch of sappy sourness giving some zing.

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Red

2018 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard

 Napa Valley more
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3/18/2022 - Mbad77 wrote: 96 points

Would be good to taste the Panek and this side by side. The Panek probably had a bit more immediate show on offer abs is easy to be impressed by.
This HL is in need of a little more time yet is very much approachable and indeed very enjoyable right now.
Huge depth and power but a uplifted edge so it’s not overly rich or gluey. Huge fruit with some smoke, menthol / mint
Lovely wine which I’m sure will score higher in a few years.

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White - Sparkling

2008 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année

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3/21/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: NR

Not assigning a score as it would be lower than perhaps it deserves. The finish is still a bit sharp and displays its youth. Initially there is an odd flavour profile on the back end of mid towards finish. Couldn’t quite place it but it did seem to dissipate. I think it just needs a year or two more in bottle to round and soften / integrate a little more but time will surely tell.

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Red

2013 Dominus Napanook Red

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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1/25/2020 - Mbad77 wrote: 92 points

Score may be a touch on mean side but this is a tricky one. Had a bottle maybe 2 years ago which was filled with promise so thought this may be ideal timing but honestly I think it needs a few more years ideally.
It’s quite big with good tannins and acidity but isn’t rich. First half bottle it really did show some heat / alcoholic almost prune characteristics on the finish.

Kept until next day and had really integrated and softened though still had spice and power on finish.
Slightly grainy / chalky on finish with some grip.
Give it a proper aeriation / decant but this will go the ages and will be better for time in bottle.

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White

2016 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard

 Santa Cruz Mountains more
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7/11/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

I’ve had older Rhys chards which tend to be quite heavy on the oak but understand they have less in later vintages so opened this one to see where we are.
Reduction and oak on the nose but decent amount of yellow fruit. Palate is mid and has a lemon finish, though is drinking well enough.
Low in alcohol and rather nicely put together but would like to give a little more time.
Decent if not electric.

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Red

2018 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard

 Walla Walla Valley more
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9/19/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

My third Cayuse and very impressive. Very much traditional Syrah on the nose with that meaty animal element with good fruit.
Very easy to enjoy now and comes across sweet, like a few Cayuse I’ve tried, but give it a few hours and the sweetness does recede. Has tingle and spice on the finish.
I possibly enjoyed it more early on but some time in bottle will be interesting as this is young but very approachable and drinking now onwards.

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White

2019 Alvina Pernot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières

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5/22/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

I wanted to try one bottle as have bought a case or two and didn’t know what to expect.
This is utterly delicious. Fresh mineral almost Riesling like on the nose with pear. Fruit is ripe and sweet with a lovely silky gentle butter mouthfeel and finish. The finish sits around for some time. Fresh some real richness with touches of lemon and butter pastry. No overt oak.
13.8%
Fantastic.

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White - Sparkling

2002 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare

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1/15/2022 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

Still fresh with room for manoeuvre. Lovely depth and richness on the finish and a rounded typical nose with lemon pastry.
Lovely bottle

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Rosé - Sparkling

2008 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé Vintage

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6/14/2020 - Mbad77 wrote: 91 points

Good flavours on nose and just a hint of development. Relatively well rounded yet not rich as the finish is very dry and even touch austere in some ways. A potentially very nice and enjoyable champagne but I feel it needs a bit more time in bottle to round out for my taste.

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Red

2015 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia

 Bolgheri Sassicaia Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/22/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

This was given a rather long decant. Was surprisingly approachable with lovely silky profile and can be enjoyed now but certainly will improve. The fruit and softness allows drinking now.
Fresh uplift and quite exciting.

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White

2018 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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1/31/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

What a surprise this was and the score may underestimate the feeling it gave. Very open and soft considering it’s recent bottling with inviting pear elements in a mid weight medium coloured chard. Has citrus and acid on the palate but is certainly a softer profile than you would expect.
13.9 %
As it opens there is also some sneaky spice and power / energy on the finish that comes in.
It tends to tighten up after time which is unusual but letting it warm does help bring out characteristics.
Fascinating to see how this develops but I can drink it right now and be very happy - possibly deserved higher score but will see what next year or two brings to this.
Lovely.

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Red

1997 Dominus Estate

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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4/2/2023 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

Needs an hour at least to settle but Is great. Initially maybe a touch of ripe year stewed / Bordeaux about it, possibly liquorice. Fruit softens and expands on palate with sone bitter herbs.
Really quite lovely on balance.

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White

2018 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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3/6/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

Second bottle already from this case and I must admit at first I’m not sure where I got my original note from as this seemed a very different wine. First note was a soft wine which tightened up later.
This initially had a short and sharp citric (lemon/lime) pull on the end and tighter mid but over time some creamy and softer elements did emerge. I do also remember that I decanted my first bottle so that clearly had an effect.
Touch of creme brûlée but there is enough in this to give a touch of structure and sharpness. A year or two in bottle will be good to see but easy to drink now. I may well decant the next one though.
Very good.

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Red

2018 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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9/25/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

Very much sonoma on the nose. Touch of orange, very giving nose, with floral and forest notes. Rich fruit and some cream and touch of mint.
Lovely fruit with a real tangy, initially slightly sour bite that then opens into a long spice feeling.
Gave this over an hour decant
A softness and rich silky casing with a medium body. Rather good this.
Ideally a few years in bottle would be beneficial but drinking with enough ease now.

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White - Sparkling

1998 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare

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6/18/2023 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

Half Century Magnum Lunch (La Trompette) (London): I have a few of these and most are the last release. This batch are original release with the red band around the neck and hence have a good few years more in bottle.
Deep, rich, smoky, soft, open and delicious as always. A real hedonistic, crowd pleasing fantastic champagne. On next days reflection I feel the later releases might just have that extra freshness and excitement.

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White - Sparkling

1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Blanc des Millénaires

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8/11/2019 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

Another stunning bottle balancing some freshness with aged development on the nose and palate.
Possibly has developed a touch since last bottle from this batch but still going strongly and was a great bottle.

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White - Sweet/Dessert

2009 Château Climens

 Barsac Sémillon more
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7/20/2019 - Mbad77 wrote: 96 points

Fortunately another stunning bottle. I’ve had one or two halves that just haven’t hit the spot but this one was back to the glory of the first couple I tried.
Mango marmalade on the nose with a touch of a famous South African sweet tropical but this is barsac with a honeyed acidity that cuts and caresses.

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Red

2009 Ridge Lytton Springs

 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more
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9/11/2020 - Mbad77 Likes this wine: 92 points

Didn’t take notes and drank a couple of weeks back, just cleaning up CT. memories were of a very good and very enjoyable wine. Yes it’s still full of fruit, oak and tannins but very much drinking quite easily now.
Will age very well so don’t feel there is urgency.

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Red

2013 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard

 Anderson Valley more
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1/12/2020 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

Just a lovely wine. Open silky and approachable with lots of fruit and a medium colour / body. Touch of zip / spice on finish but a gentle wine with power and very Burgundian in style. Certainly a 92+ maybe 93 on my reference scale

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Red

2017 Raen Winery Pinot Noir Home Field

 Fort Ross - Seaview more
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4/19/2020 - Mbad77 wrote: 93 points

Lovely aromatic nose and a softness and lightness though this wine isn’t ready yet. Another 3/4 years ideally. No notes taken at time but plenty of red fruit and some savoury elements.
I tasted these a year ago and have been impressed - looking forward to trying them once ready.

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Red

2017 Andremily EABA

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4/9/2022 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

This wine won’t appeal to many but in some ways is astonishing in its depth and the nose.
It’s big, perhaps syrup like and approachable now.
The nose has bags of energy and depth with black olive and mocha very distinct.
I sighed at the 15.6% before opening as I don’t care what many say about you don’t notice it in various wines, as I always do feel It and often ruins a very good wine.
This is so full of fruit, flavour and density then you really can hide that alchohol. Gave it a very good decant.
You need to be in the mood, but on a winters Friday with some steak or strong cheese this would be great.
I may well keep the other bottles now, even with it’s 15.6%
Very good, well made wine. Saxum are another who do a similar thing.

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White - Off-dry

2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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5/17/2019 - Mbad77 wrote: 92 points

Just entering proper drinking window I think though I’m sure was enjoyable prior. Still sweet but just on that nicely balanced edge. Will take years more to develop but is now drinking and will be lovely over next 5-10 and beyond.

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White - Sparkling

2013 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut

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4/18/2022 - Mbad77 wrote: NR

A year ago bottles were very exciting and open. This bottle seemed rather austere and dry. Muted. Bottle a few months ago also seemed less vibrant so could be this has closed in on itself or shutdown.
Won’t touch any bottles now for some years.

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White - Off-dry

1990 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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2/28/2021 - Mbad77 wrote: 94 points

Another bottle and thankfully consistently good, in great shape.
Just getting an older Riesling nose and with nice retrained sweetness that allows it to be used with savoury dishes quite easily. Good acidity, fruit and mouth coating sweetness.
Excellent.

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  • Tasting notes: 901 notes on 754 wines

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