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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More...
Red - Fortified

1994 Warre Porto Vintage

 Port Blend more
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4/11/2024 - SirFred wrote: NR

Upon opening, it smelled like an old wood chest with moth balls. My initial impression was tangy-sweet and herbaceous, like cough syrup. A few days later out of the fridge, dark red fruits and earth scents emerge. The palate became more subtle, with a rich and luxurious texture, almost syrupy, with dark fruit, chocolate covered raisins, toasted toffee, and spice. Giving the bottle time to breathe allowed the wine to develop better overall balance, and greater complexity. Alcohol heat also toned down. I don’t have previous experience with vintage port, but based on this experience, I would certainly give this bottle a very long decant. Not my preferred style of wine, but I have developed some appreciation for it over the last few days. Nonetheless, I can’t deny that the remainder of this bottle will go splendidly with my preferred use for Port consumption; over Dulce de Leche ice cream with brownies and whip cream!

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/12/2024 5:56:00 AM - Try Vintage port with dark, bitter chocolate and walnuts...its a sur[prisingly nice pairing...also always good with chocolate souffle... or Chocolate bread pudding!

    Cheers!
White - Off-dry

2019 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel

 Nahe more
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4/7/2024 - Ohlawuly Likes this wine: 94 points

Medium straw. Citrus, core of pineapple, rocks, honey, botrytis, and a hint of kerosine. Medium-to-full body, not over-sweet. Maybe 2019 is a little too hot in this vineyard. I hope we can have more vibrancy and delicacy here.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/11/2024 1:58:00 PM - This probably needs a decade in the cellar…
White

2013 Forman Chardonnay

 Napa Valley more
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4/8/2024 - Papies wrote: 93 points

Kendrick’s Wine Club (67 Pall Mall, London): A very pretty surprise and way off the overdone expressions of Napa Oaky Chardonnay, don’t get us wrong this is a Napa Wine for sure with the ripeness and the weight to go along but the wine is made with a light hand , the oak is there to complement and kudos to the winemaking at age 14 now drinks effortlessly beautiful and with an elegance. In a way a richer feel of a Chablis at times or maybe a bolder Meursault? Either way very good and worthy 93. The wine has easily another 10 years of life.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/11/2024 1:56:00 PM - You’re spot on once again! Forman Chards age effortlessly in my experience as well. Ric blocks Malo and maintains great acidity.
Red

2011 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

 Mt. Veeder more
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4/8/2024 - Papies wrote: 91 points

Kendrick’s Wine Club (67 Pall Mall, London): Double decanted for a good hour and a half. Some decanting advisable at this age. Quite the restrained wine and at time had a dry feel but also quite aromatic and will very well assimilated oak. Felt like they did not get the ripeness right , touch under ripe especially for a Napa Cab , savory at times too. Nose is good with nice dark fruit notes but all and all ( we don’t thing is the age) the wine felt like it was missing something. 91-92

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/11/2024 1:51:00 PM - 2011 vintage in Napa was wet and cold…more like a not-so-good-year in Bordeaux. Some vintners waited for the rain to stop and got some warmth late but most of the more modern producers were frustrated and made poor wines. Some old school producers made higher acid lighter wines that were not bad at all (notably Corison and Rubicon). Green notes are common in many 2011 Napa Cabs… Cheers!
Red

1999 Dominus Estate

 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more
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4/10/2024 - Simba-wine wrote: flawed

Special add on from the Somm from a party downstairs left over. Served blind… 😱 what is this? High octane Amarone?!?

Really not my style, long alcoholic wine, overripe. Was onto Australia…

When he lifted Magnum Dominus, super disappointing

Cooking wine, took only a small zip

I actually think this bottle got heat somewhere and can’t imagine it to be the normal condition.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/11/2024 1:30:00 PM - I suspect you are right that the bottle wasn’t right. I have always loved the ‘99 Dominus because it was supremely balanced and old-school in nature.It needs air in a decanter but shouldn’t deem over ripe or alcoholic based on my experience. I once did a vertical of 1990-2001, after which I bought 6 bottles and 2 magnums. 3 hours in a decanter in 2016 and it was beautiful. Other bottles were great after 24 hours. Shame about the bottle you tasted.
Red

2019 Vietti Barolo Ravera

 Nebbiolo more
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2/15/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 points

Tasted at Wine & Spirits Top 100, NYC. More fully traditional in style than the previously tasted Castiglione. Fresh, mid-weight, elegant, classic. High tannin and acidity, energetic. Cherry fruit highlights good complexity, but this taste seemed still quite tight and in need of air. Finish? Seems shorter than it should be. Beautiful wine, but after tasting many 2019 Barolo over the last year or so, this does not rise to perfection (i.e. 100 points VM) like too many modern critics scores seem to be too generous producing. Certainly not a good QPR in my book. There are equally delicious 2019 Barolo available for half the price or less.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/17/2024 10:29:00 AM - This is certainly a wonderful wine, better enjoyed like your first bottle, at home over time with good food. My comments are perhaps more of a commentary on the “grade inflation” that is pervasive with the critics these days. The idea that a young wine, especially Barolo is perfect on first release is preposterous to me. If it needs time, which they mostly all do, then by definition it’s not perfect, at least not at that moment. I also would turn the idea that the most expensive wines which must get extra attention and high scores because of where they come from on its head and say if a wine is that expensive it must in fact be judged more strenuously, not given the benefit of the doubt. But of course reality dictates that most of the critics have to keep on good terms with the most important producers or risk being shunned.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/8/2024 4:37:00 AM - There are lots of great Barolo (Baroli) for half the price that I think are similar to this. I would suggest Giacomo Fenocchio Bussia or Villero, Cavalotto Bricco Boschis, Brezza Cannubi or Sarmassa, and the Elvio Cogno Ravera. Others as well as some Barbaresco from 2019 which are maybe a little better than Barolo in the vintage actually in some cases in my view. My favorite of which is the Guiseppe Cortese Rabaja. All can be found in the US for $75-125 I believe.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/8/2024 1:13:00 PM - Others to consider are Luigi Baurana Cerretta or Baudana (owned by Vajra), Francesco Rinaldi Cannubi or Rocche dell Annunziata, and Fratelli Alessandria (Classico, way cheaper...)

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    4/9/2024 6:10:00 AM - Handy1, I do have a number of tasting notes to write up over this weekend from the Barolo and Barbaresco World Opening Tasting I attended in NYC late last month.
Red

1970 Château Lascombes

 Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/25/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 70 points

THE WINES OF MARGAUX (Lafayette, Ca.): Beet red color, older, mustier, stinky nose which slowly blows off, nice, fruity taste, still a little tired, cigar box finish.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/17/2024 6:12:00 PM - I know this is an old note, but it might be interesting to read my note from 2021 (50 years+ old). This wine is quite the anomaly…
Red

2010 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

 Calistoga more
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3/16/2024 - Grinner wrote: 95 points

DAMN WiNOS: Dune 2 (Rye Restaurant, Eugene): My WOTN! Opened for 1.5 hours before we got to it AND it kept getting better! Blackberry, black cherry, plum, loam, eucalyptus, cigar and oak notes go on and on. Deep and long, next in 2030!

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/17/2024 5:14:00 PM - I’ve been drinking Ch. Montelena Estate Cabs for 40+years and they always surprise with hoe great they are with lots of aeration. Depending on the vintage they sometimes get better after 5 hours or even the 2nd day open. Cheers!
Red

2017 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie La Giroflarie

 Syrah more
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3/17/2024 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 92 points

Deep red, dark core, light rim.
Beautiful pure red and black berries, violet florals, graphite spice, blueberry notes.
Dark ripe cassis, blood plum, damson, wood smoke, lightly spiced graphite and tar. Youthful flavours but a middle aged structure, tannins are smooth and furry, unobtrusive acidity, finishes velvety and reasonably long. Drinking well now, could age a few more years but quite possibly near its peak.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/17/2024 8:39:00 AM - Anything notable about the provenance here that might explain the early maturity? I wouldn’t have expected this to be as advanced as you experienced…? Thanks and Cheers!
White

2019 Dönnhoff Felsenberg Riesling Großes Gewächs

 Nahe more
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3/14/2024 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 84 points

Method: from half-bottle; fridge temp; white wine glass; pop and pour

Look: medium- straw with a slight yellow tint

Nose: key lime, tropical fruit (guava?), salinity, minerality; very expressive

Palate: lemon, lime, gun smoke; long finish strong minerality, fresh parsley, bit of oyster shell; bone dry; medium+ body; high+ acidity

Overall thoughts: nice, expressive nose, but the palate is mainly sharply acidic citrus and minerality, and I'd like some riper flavors and some more complexity. Also, there's a ton of acidity, but nothing on the other end of the spectrum, so there's none of the tension I love in a great Riesling. I don't drink enough dry Riesling to know where this is on the aging curve or if it's shut down. Pretty good wine, but a half-bottle is more than enough for me.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/15/2024 8:08:00 AM - A few thoughts if you like… This is a wine that needs both aeration (hours not minutes), will age well for a decade+ and is best drunk at cellar temp or slightly higher. I had this from 750ml bottle a couple years ago and with air and warmer than refrigerator temp it was beautiful and great with food, which, for me, is essential. I consider most wines in the context of a meal, not just on their own. Most people don’t decant whites but there are many that benefit from it. Peruse my notes for some examples or reply to discuss more fully. Also, thanks for the detail in your notes!

    Cheers!

    “oldwines” aka Dave
    www.DTPWineAdvisors.com
Red

1958 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva

 Nebbiolo more
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3/13/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote: NR

An enticing nose of forest floor, truffle and Indian spices. The palate was still rich and full, with a core of sweet, ripe fruits. There was plenty of savoury nuance and a gentle flex of muscle from the wine’s remaining tannins. There was an uptick of balsamic volatility on the long finish. A beautiful bottle that was thoroughly engaging from start to finish.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/13/2024 8:17:00 PM - I have one of these in my cellar…thanks for the note! If you don’t mind, did you decant and for how long before tasting through the last drop? Cheers!
Red

2001 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

 Napa Valley more
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2/29/2024 - Joshbturner Likes this wine: NR

This is a classic fine wine. More like bordeaux than todays California cabs typically, but still has a little of that Cali thing. Polar opposite of the big jammy rich chocolate hot cabs that dominate wine lists today. That is a compliment.

I like keeping a couple of these in the cellar, because you can get old vintages for the same price as new. It’s a special wine to me, and though I am not sure it’s any better than the cheaper Ridge cab, both hold a place.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/4/2024 8:12:00 PM - I would also suggest a fairly long decant. I’ve been drinking Montelena for 40 years, from almost every vintage and they almost always improve with 3+ hours in a decanter. Cheers!
White

2021 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill

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3/1/2024 - stet Likes this wine: 92 points

Color: pale to medium gold
Nose: starts very reductive with a dominant struck match and popcorn note. When it opens, there is a lot of lemon trending towards lemon blossom, as well as some mandarin. Acacia, a hint of toffee but not in an obtrusive way. The struck match receeds but never disappears, serving as a foil to the abundant citrus garden fragrance
Palate: high acidity, medium-full body. A clear bitter note. It has a lush mouth feel, oily. Balanced or close to it, perhaps a little acidity overshot
Finish: medium-long

This opens like movie theater carpet but give it an hour in full air outside of the fridge and you get a remarkable citrus mix. Too young, this will be better in 3 years I estimate, with some of the acidity turned into a bit more chunk. It was very nice at room temp but again - needs air. Paired with a simple baked branzino, it sort of murdered it so I waited until after dinner to finish the glass: this is a big wine

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    3/4/2024 8:03:00 PM - I’ve been enjoying Kumeu River single vineyard wines for more than a decade, going back to the 2009 vintage. They need time and aeration as you describe. I have found they are best in the 8-10 year window, especially with the screw cap closures which so well the wines are at a glacial pace. This is particularly true of the Hunting Hill and Maté’s vineyard crus. The Coddington is a little more accessible around year 5. If you have more store them well and give them time, it will be worth the wait. Cheers!
Red

2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

 Napa Valley more
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2/24/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 96 points

In my cellar since release. Decanted at 4pm (a little later than I had planned due to a delay in my daughter’s soccer/“football” game) and tasted from 6-11pm. 14.3% ABV (high for Montelena of old). This wine is shockingly youthful, opaque dark garnet with a bright crimson meniscus and zero bricking. The nose exhibits some new oak derived scents of vanilla, tobacco, cedar, also quite spicy along both the sweet and picante spectrums. Tannins are still there but more than half integrated. Bright natural acidity. Fruit is complex…cassis, black raspberry, plum, blackberry and lots of underpinning minerals and floral elements like violets. Complex, layered, long on the finish and balanced. Classic old-school Napa Cab, NOT over-ripe, over-extracted or over-oaked. As always with Montelena Estate Cab, this needs a long decant. Gorgeous with grilled steaks. I would say this could age nicely for another decade or two effortlessly in a cool cellar.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/25/2024 7:02:00 AM - I think 3-3 1/2 hours would likely be ideal for a pristine bottle like this one was. Good Luck!

    Cheers!

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/25/2024 10:59:00 AM - The 375's are probably fully ready at this point. No rush at all on the 750's if kept in a cool cellar.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/25/2024 7:57:00 PM - I have a lot of the 2012 too, so I think I should consider trying one soon. It is my grandson’s birth year and will be giving him some on his 21st birthday. I would say they will definitely last plenty long but it’s always good to check them out. At 11-12 years old I will probably decant 5+ hours before mealtime.
Red

2002 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages

 Sonoma County more
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2/10/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 points

In my cellar since 2007, probably a couple years after release and purchased from WTSO. Back in the day this got relatively low scores because it did not follow the fashion then in its height toward super ripe, heavily extracted, high ABV Cabs. This was delightfully “old-school”. I double decanted around 3pm to take to a friend’s house to have dinner around 7:30pm. Totally fresh, with no bricking whatsoever. Tannins fully integrated but still has some vibrant acidity. Wonderfully smooth texture. Fruit leans to the red berry spectrum with some earthy and leathery accents. Strong mineral sensation in the background. Nice balance. It was a little less evolved than I would have hoped. The secondary flavors were reticent and there were no notable tertiary accents. Still surprisingly primary. It was just a step or two behind in complexity. This may still get there so, no real hurry to drink these if stored in a cool cellar.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/24/2024 7:15:00 PM - Good Luck, I think that’s the right call. Let me know how it came out!
Red

1964 Damilano Barolo

 Nebbiolo more
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2/9/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 points

Pre-Super Bowl Gentlemen's Dinner (New Jersey, USA): Acquired in 2020 from Zachy’s during the pandemic shutdown, represented as from an Italian collector source. After an experience a few years ago with a 1967 Damilano Barolo that needed nearly 24 hours to blossom and blossom it did, in preparation for our event Friday evening, I decanted this around 8pm on Thursday. After we took a small taste we decided that the wine was clearly not as acidic as the 1967 and quickly put the wine back in the cleaned bottle ( there was an huge amount of chunky sediment) and recorked it. I have my fingers crossed that it will be good at the event. It was a shockingly bright garnet red with just a hint of bricking. The nose was quite effusive with mushroom, truffle, licorice and still vibrant red cherry fruit. Palate reflected the nose overall with a long finish. Will update after the event.

As served this was terrific! Still bright and classic. Lots of layers and still modestly fruity if just a touch "pruney". My number 2 of the flight tasted next to 1967 Giuseppe Mascarello and 1971 G. Borgogno Riserva. Remarkably youthful and vibrant even after the early opening. Glenn thought this was perhaps heat affected at some point in its life and I can see that as a possibility.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/21/2024 6:44:00 AM - I decanted at 8pm more than 24 hours ahead. Then poured it back into the cleaned bottle after about 30 minutes. It stayed in the bottle until about 8pm the day of the dinner and was uncorked for about an hour. Then poured into large Burgundy-style glasses for about 20 minutes before actually serving the course. The initial exposure to oxygen did its job even while recorked. Simply opening for a slow-ox at the beginning would not have done much in my opinion. The amount of surface area exposed to oxygen is minimal, so as a rule I am not a fan of that approach. In retrospect, I probably should have decanted again about an hour before serving. The benefit would have been only marginal I suspect. This was not as acidic and in need of the decant as the 1967 for sure.
White

2021 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas Blanc

 Paso Robles Adelaida District White Rhone Blend more
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2/15/2024 - oldwines wrote: NR

Tasted at Wine & Spirits Top 100 NYC. This is an unusual blend of mostly Roussane with Picpoul, Grenache Blanc and one or two others. I enjoyed this. Certainly shows its Rhône roots, but the picpoul really freshens up the dominant Roussane. I found this to be quite different in a good way. Melon, stone fruits, tropical fruit. Lovely depth (multiple grapes will do that I presume…Lovely long finish. Needs air….I got the last pour from a bottle and that may have helped, as the person pouring suggested.

This note may actually apply to the “Esprit” Tablas Blanc bottling as pointed out by fellow CT’er wilypod. It has been copied there and will be verified with the winery.

Winery did verify it was the Esprit bottling. This will be deleted at some point soon.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/16/2024 8:57:00 AM - Perhaps. Will check next chance I have

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/16/2024 12:07:00 PM - The program for the event, where I took my notes does not indicate the “Esprit” bottling but there were numerous instances where the wine being poured was different than what was listed. I will try contacting the winery to see what was actually poured. Both seem to be similar Rhône Blends on CT…?

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/17/2024 4:57:00 AM - Thanks for catching the error! Cheers!
Red

2002 Renaissance Cabernet Sauvignon

 North Yuba more
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1/7/2024 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 93 points

Four hour decant. Fading garnet with slight edge bricking. First bottle consumed since my 2019 review. This has improved. More fragrant and very smooth with cherry, plum, leather and other secondary notes. Very well balanced. The fruit is showing little diminishment. Medium weight with purity and less minerality than many other Renaissance wines. I would even describe this as elegant, almost like a quality Pinot. It paired well with crab cakes and charcuterie. Tremendous value for $18.

  • Comment posted by oldwines:

    2/16/2024 9:35:00 AM - This is how Cali Cabs were when we started collecting. The style change was/is astounding to me. As a friend of mine calls the more modern ones (and others) “oak Juice”. The higher the score these days the less I like them and the more ridiculously expensive they get with everyone fawning over the “scores”.

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