Pale gold color. Drank 1+ glass over 30 minutes. This was quite similar to my previous note. The nose is bright with apple, hints of quince, pear, nice yeast and mineral. The palate is lively, fine and precise with apple pie, citrus, mineral, and light yeast on the lengthy finish. Nicely balanced with great fruit. Killer QPR.

light-medium gold color. Drank 1+ glass over 30 minutes. This had a little toast on the nose with more citrus aromas and yeast and flinty minerals. The palate is mineral driven, a little sweetness on the mid palate and finish, citrus, yeast. 90+pts.

Very pale straw color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This had a lovely yeasty nose, quite floral, citrus, fine minerality. The palate was nutty, yeast, chalky minerality, citrus in the background. I liked this well enough and had it been on its own it may have seemed better, but it seemed to be fourth in the quartet of champagnes. 89-90pts.

Light gold color. Drank 2 glasses over 40 minutes. Ooh, this very good. Great nose, very bright, floral, apple, melon, mineral. The palate has nice verve, crisp acidity, apple, melon, subtle lemon, good fine mineral quality, very clean, lively finish. This was great to ring in the New Year.

Very dark purple color. Decanted for 45 minutes. Drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. This has a great nose that mesmerizes you with the first whiff. There is ample floral perfume, with cedar box, crème de cassis, boysenberry and leather. The palate is quite nice too, medium full body, elegant, cassis, dark berries, graphite, cigar box, and minerals. The tannins seem round and integrated already. I thought this showed very, very well with the nose being the star, and a palate that that is quite good too. Classic Bordeaux. I think this has probably hit its stride, though it may improve somewhat. 92+pts to 93pts.

Very dark red-purple color. Slo-Ox for 3 hours and decanted for 30 minutes. Drank 2 glasses over 4 hours. This has a lovely Bordeaux-esque nose filled with dry earth, menthol, black brambly fruits with cassis, black cherries and tobacco. The palate is full bodied, well layered, velvety, black fruits with cassis and dark cherry, earth, dusty minerals, with a very long and intense finish. This still drinks quite young and improved through the evening. The tannins have mellowed and taken on a very round caressing character. If I can keep my hands off the remaining bottles, this should improve significantly over 5 years. 94(+)pts.

Very dark red-purple color. Decanted for about 1 hr. Drank 2 glasses over 3 hours plus. Its been just over 2 years sine I last had this wine and I said it needed 2 years back then. Well that looks to be about right. This was drinking beautifully with lush black and blue fruits, blueberries, cassis, blackberry, damp earth, crushed rocks, oak and a touch of mint rounding out the nose. The palate is dense and chewy, full bodied, rich black and blue fruits that follow the nose but adds some red berries on the mid palate. In addition there was damp earth, dusty tannins, spice, and some oak that integrates well over another hour. This seemed to get more refined as the night wore on. I did note some heat from time to time after sitting in glass for awhile.

corked.

Very dark red color. Interestingly the lightest of the group tonight. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. I love the nose on this wine, such pretty blueberry notes, along with dark berry, plum, very floral with violets, light eucalyptus, scorched earth, tar and spice. The palate is very elegant and balanced, blueberry, black raspberry, plum, great acidity, fine tannins, pepper, spice, and scorched earth. Awesome wine. Should hold up for another 3-5 years I think.

Inky purple color, a bit murky. Decanted for a total of 5 hours. Followed a glass for 3 hours. This was meaty, inky, and brooding, with jet black fruit on the nose. The palate was extremely hot, very spicy, black fruits, burnt rubber, lots of licorice and very firm, grippy tannins. This was a total mess. I volunteered, read that - nobody else would take the bottle, to see if this got any better over a couple of days. Day 2 was not much different. Day 3 and I could finally at least drink it. The tannins were still very firm but gave up some of their grip, the alcohol integrated better, there was still oak, heavy spice and dominating licorice on the finish. This was still quite murky and funky on the nose as well. Score on day 3 was maybe mid 80's? We'll see if it gets ant better. The only hope for this appears to be significant cellar time.

Just had a little taste as I was serving to guests. Beautiful as always. Should have had a whole glass.

Medium gold color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. The nose shows orange peel, orange, lots of honeysuckle. The palate is dense and full bodied, viscous, citrus, orange, vanilla, crème brule, honey, spice and has a long botrytis infused finish. Nice acid balancing the sweet fruit here too. Delightful!! Thanks Luis. 94+(+)pts.

Medium gold color. This bottle had been open for 3 weeks. Smaller pour. Drank over 15 minutes. Spice, floral, citrus, some pineapple on the nose. the palate is a little more tropical, vanilla, botrytis, honey, sweeter, not as creamy in the mouth. Not quite as good as the Suduiraut tonight, but it had been open and may have lost a little. The Rieussec does seem to be younger on a relative basis than the Suduiraut right now.