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Blind tasting on April 11, 2018
Tornano, Moscow
Tasted April 11, 2018 by ve23 with 229 views
Flight 1 (13 notes)
Red
1986 Bertani Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Amarone
92 points
92+/100
Stellar vitality at old age. While there is a pinch of dill symbolizing maturity, there’s also fruity and fresh black currant jam and raisins. A lighter side of Recioto, good one.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Stellar vitality at old age. While there is a pinch of dill symbolizing maturity, there’s also fruity and fresh black currant jam and raisins. A lighter side of Recioto, good one.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
1995 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
89 points
89/100
Bottle in a weaker state. Murky, pale brown. All the prune you want, but nothing much else.
Remnants of freshness long gone.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Bottle in a weaker state. Murky, pale brown. All the prune you want, but nothing much else.
Remnants of freshness long gone.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
2000 Château Cos d'Estournel
97 points
97/100
What an outstanding magnum of young Cos d’Estournel from a great vintage.
Bold and firm, with lots of black pepper and blackberry, chewy tannin with a hell of potential. My blind guess was 1995.
Превосходный
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
What an outstanding magnum of young Cos d’Estournel from a great vintage.
Bold and firm, with lots of black pepper and blackberry, chewy tannin with a hell of potential. My blind guess was 1995.
Превосходный
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
1998 Château Ausone
98 points
98/100. FINEST SILK
A brilliant, utterly harmonious and gentle Ausone from a bulletproof vintage, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Sweet licorice and caramel, with neat balance and silky, caressing palate. Every sip was amazing. Totally at peak.
Струящийся шёлк. Hooray to St.-Èmilion!
WS 92, RP 91 - again, these scores matter zilch! Switching to Vinous, as ST 95+ much more relevant.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
A brilliant, utterly harmonious and gentle Ausone from a bulletproof vintage, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Sweet licorice and caramel, with neat balance and silky, caressing palate. Every sip was amazing. Totally at peak.
Струящийся шёлк. Hooray to St.-Èmilion!
WS 92, RP 91 - again, these scores matter zilch! Switching to Vinous, as ST 95+ much more relevant.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
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Red
2005 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial
93 points
93/100
Toffee and caramel, it immediately boasts its region’s sweetness and blazing heat. Sweet licorice and berry pie.
In a blind set all I could say - can it be Spain? Well, it can.
Good value for money, though I now prefer wines of higher finesse and less boldness.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Toffee and caramel, it immediately boasts its region’s sweetness and blazing heat. Sweet licorice and berry pie.
In a blind set all I could say - can it be Spain? Well, it can.
Good value for money, though I now prefer wines of higher finesse and less boldness.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
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Red
2004 Opus One
95 points
95/100
Opus One 2004 is bright, ripe, and absolutely charming.
Lacking the archtypical US Cab heaviness, it’s a weightless elegant gentlemen with a multitude of black berry and fruit flavors, all coupled with good tertiary depth.
One of these few times when, even if compared side by side with great Bordeaux, you don’t act snobby and praise its style and quality.
A sound Californian legend.
WS 93, RP 96
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Opus One 2004 is bright, ripe, and absolutely charming.
Lacking the archtypical US Cab heaviness, it’s a weightless elegant gentlemen with a multitude of black berry and fruit flavors, all coupled with good tertiary depth.
One of these few times when, even if compared side by side with great Bordeaux, you don’t act snobby and praise its style and quality.
A sound Californian legend.
WS 93, RP 96
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
2004 Château Haut-Brion
93 points
93/100
A young HB, well ahead of its prime.
Starts as overly ripe and warm, like a hot berry pie, but gradually gains freshness in the glass, becomes juicy - this is where tannin comes forward, all the chewiness that hopefully will soften with age.
Maybe not the best vintage, 2004 - I’d say it misses the verve, the raw energy that the best of HB is famous for - but it’s still a baby, so my score here may not reflect its true potential.
WS 95, RP 93, ST 91+, JR 17.5
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
A young HB, well ahead of its prime.
Starts as overly ripe and warm, like a hot berry pie, but gradually gains freshness in the glass, becomes juicy - this is where tannin comes forward, all the chewiness that hopefully will soften with age.
Maybe not the best vintage, 2004 - I’d say it misses the verve, the raw energy that the best of HB is famous for - but it’s still a baby, so my score here may not reflect its true potential.
WS 95, RP 93, ST 91+, JR 17.5
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
1982 Mas de Daumas Gassac
93 points
93+/100
My friends couldn’t guess blind this iconic Bordeaux blend from the late Languedoc legend Aimé Guibert, a bottle that yours truly picked from Tornano’s outstanding and enviable cellar.
Oldest Daumas de Gassac I’ve had so far, and from a stellar vintage. Mature wine, full of tertiary aromas - fallen leaves and yellow fading grass, earthy, a bit of water from a deep underground well - but the Can Sauvignon is definitely there, slyly smiling.
Amazing longevity.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
My friends couldn’t guess blind this iconic Bordeaux blend from the late Languedoc legend Aimé Guibert, a bottle that yours truly picked from Tornano’s outstanding and enviable cellar.
Oldest Daumas de Gassac I’ve had so far, and from a stellar vintage. Mature wine, full of tertiary aromas - fallen leaves and yellow fading grass, earthy, a bit of water from a deep underground well - but the Can Sauvignon is definitely there, slyly smiling.
Amazing longevity.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
1982 Union des Proprietaries Hermitage
91 points
91/100
Misha M’s blind offering was a co-op Hermitage 1982 - alive, but I guess a step beyond peak.
Dark brownish color. Bouquet is a mix of dill, pharmacy store, and spices.
An old man still kicking.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Misha M’s blind offering was a co-op Hermitage 1982 - alive, but I guess a step beyond peak.
Dark brownish color. Bouquet is a mix of dill, pharmacy store, and spices.
An old man still kicking.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Red
1982 Château Troplong Mondot
93 points
93/100
My first blind guess was Saint-Julien and a younger one. Second thought was St.-Èmilion, but I opted for my original one. Wrong.
With a yellow rim. Dusty, with mushrooms, earth, limestone, still surprisingly fresh.
I wish it weren’t twelfth wine in the set, that way I would’ve probably loved it more.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
My first blind guess was Saint-Julien and a younger one. Second thought was St.-Èmilion, but I opted for my original one. Wrong.
With a yellow rim. Dusty, with mushrooms, earth, limestone, still surprisingly fresh.
I wish it weren’t twelfth wine in the set, that way I would’ve probably loved it more.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
White
2007 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Cailleret
94 points
94+/100
I tried to end the night with a white Burgundy, but naw, more was ordered. Still, I was overwhelmed by this fat Puligny 1er Cru by Morey’s Domaine des Lambrays.
Doesn’t feel very acidic first - rather plump, with yellow fruit sweetness and lollipop candies, rich, luscious, full of paraffin and wax.
But as it lingers in the glass - my oh my, balance comes in order, there’s depth, acidity and aftertaste that stays on even after an hour long cigar. What a treat!
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
I tried to end the night with a white Burgundy, but naw, more was ordered. Still, I was overwhelmed by this fat Puligny 1er Cru by Morey’s Domaine des Lambrays.
Doesn’t feel very acidic first - rather plump, with yellow fruit sweetness and lollipop candies, rich, luscious, full of paraffin and wax.
But as it lingers in the glass - my oh my, balance comes in order, there’s depth, acidity and aftertaste that stays on even after an hour long cigar. What a treat!
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
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Rosé - Sparkling
2003 Philipponnat Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée 1522 Rosé Brut
93 points
93/100
A good vintage rose with all that you typically expect of it - lingonberry and red currant, juicy and mellow, wit good weight on the palate. Sparkly.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
A good vintage rose with all that you typically expect of it - lingonberry and red currant, juicy and mellow, wit good weight on the palate. Sparkly.
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Rosé - Sparkling
2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut
93 points
93/100
Formal notes lost, so all I could say - I need to have it again ;-)
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018
Formal notes lost, so all I could say - I need to have it again ;-)
Blind set at Tornano / 11 April 2018