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Caribbean Cruise - Flights and Bottles
Caribbean
Tasted March 23, 2013 - March 30, 2013 by GoBlue2002 with 468 views
Introduction
These are all wines tasted during my Princess Caribbean Cruise.
Flight 1 - Tasting Flight (6 notes)
This flight ($25/pp) was tasted in the listed order with selected paired canapes.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut
91 points
Moderate strength nose of peach, roasted nuts, honey, and mineral. This is light bodied yet elegant, with everything in balance. The strawberry finish has good length.
White
2010 Michel Redde et fils Sancerre Les Tuilières
89 points
Light in color, with lovely stinky aromas of grapefruit, melon, and citrus. Light in body and flavor and showing minimal complexity, nonetheless this sancerre has a lovely dry & crisp finish with amazing length.
White
2011 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
90 points
Light green in color, with a strong floral and fruity/apple nose. Well balanced, with a dry finish.
Red
2006 Luce della Vite Lucé
92 points
Nose of smoke and mild dried dark fruit, tobacco, and dark chocolate. The tannins are velvety smooth and inviting and the acidity is very much in balance, even without food. The finish is very long, with minimal/moderate complexity.
Best wine of the tasting lineup -- very good!
Best wine of the tasting lineup -- very good!
Red
2005 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve
91 points
Light in color for a cabernet, and showing its age. The nose has little primary fruit, but does show some dried fruit, currant, and cocoa notes. The tannins are quite firm, but this cab still drinks well now. The finish is long with a touch of complexity. Overall a pretty good cab at this price point.
Red
2006 Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve
89 points
Minimal notes on this one, the last wine in the tasting lineup. Overall a decent wine, with a unique smoky nose and flavor which came across as over oaked to my taste. The flavors also included spice, and red & black fruits. Moderate length finish.
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Flight 2 - Dinner Wines (6 notes)
These wines were consumed with dinner, one bottle per night. The Serabel and Bolla Soave were purchased from the ship's wine list, all other bottles were from my home cellar and brought aboard in luggage.
Red
2011 Serabel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
90 points
Drank bottle with dinner. A steal for a restaurant price of $31.
Light in color for CdP, with an expressive nose of garrigue, and currant. Some complexity in flavor, with smooth (yet weak) tannins -- drink this within the next 3 years. The smooth finish lacks distinction, but paired very well with butterflied leg of lamb w/thyme and mint.
Light in color for CdP, with an expressive nose of garrigue, and currant. Some complexity in flavor, with smooth (yet weak) tannins -- drink this within the next 3 years. The smooth finish lacks distinction, but paired very well with butterflied leg of lamb w/thyme and mint.
White - Sparkling
1996 Schramsberg Vineyards Reserve
94 points
Wow. This pinot/chard champagne blend is drinking amazingly well right now. Golden yellow & clear in appearance, with a subtle and complex nose of green apple, apricot, nuts, peach, and toast. The aroma and taste of roasted honeyed candied nuts is exactly how I love my champagne blends. Loads of flavor and complexity are evident here. The long finish is soft in the middle and then bursts with flavor before slowly fading. Spectacular.
Red
2009 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir
90 points
Drank 1/4 before dinner and 3/4 with dinner... this pinot went down slowly. Dark in color and slightly cloudy, this wine exhibited strong aromas of earth, dried fruit, and toasted oak. I would consider this pinot more burgundian than california.
The strong acidity allowed it to pair wonderfully with food... just not so good on its own.
The strong acidity allowed it to pair wonderfully with food... just not so good on its own.
White
2011 Bolla Soave
86 points
Drank with dinner. Not a good value at the restaurant price of $25. This wine does have some flavor, but almost no complexity. A decent wine to pair with food. Drink now.
Red
1984 Renaissance Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
93 points
Birth year wine for my wife, consumed over several hours before, during, and after dinner.
Prior to this cab, the oldest cab we've ever consumed was a 10-yr old bottle. So jumping to 29 years was an entirely new experience for us.
Dark purple, with bricking on rim, although it still looked youthful. The aromas and flavors were of leather, oak, anise, spice, tobacco, and a touch of dark dried fruit -- much different than we've ever had before. The finish is long and drying. After dinner the finish was so drying it detracted from the wine too much for my taste.
Overall a very interesting experience, and one we'll have to do again!
Prior to this cab, the oldest cab we've ever consumed was a 10-yr old bottle. So jumping to 29 years was an entirely new experience for us.
Dark purple, with bricking on rim, although it still looked youthful. The aromas and flavors were of leather, oak, anise, spice, tobacco, and a touch of dark dried fruit -- much different than we've ever had before. The finish is long and drying. After dinner the finish was so drying it detracted from the wine too much for my taste.
Overall a very interesting experience, and one we'll have to do again!
Red
2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape
93 points
Purple in appearance with slight bricking, but still very youthful. Took 30-45 minutes to open up at all. Then a complex and unique nose of green/black olive, black cherry, spice, cinnamon, and floral notes. The flavors showed a beautiful balance of moderate fruit, acidity, and some tannins with a complex yet light mouthfeel. The finish is moderately long and sports some dark dried fruit.
This CdP is drinking very well right now (to my tastes)!
This CdP is drinking very well right now (to my tastes)!
Closing
An excellent week of wine (oh and that cruise stuff was pretty good too :-)