Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Another Grand Tasting in Arizona!
Guiseppe's in Scottsdale
Tasted June 21, 2023 by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine with 185 views
Introduction
Came to AZ for a Cheval Blanc and Yquem tasting, and this was our pre-event get-together, which has become a tradition! Met some old friends and some new ones, and had a great tasting that ran the spectrum from the young and bold to the refined and sophisticated! Hope you enjoy the ride even a fraction of as much as I did!
Flight 1 - White Burgundy (2 notes)
White
2015 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet
91 points
PnP - A very nice Chardonnay from Burgundy. A very nice wine that started off our tasting. I actually enjoyed this wine a lot, and had a couple pours. It showed citrus and seashell notes on the nose, and plenty of rich, creamy, buttery notes on the palate, coupled with lemon custard, and minerality in the form of oysters and chalk. The sweet toasted oak also was present, and not yet fully integrated, but also not detracting from the wine. A lovely white Burgundy! 91+ for my palate and thoroughly enjoyable!
White
2019 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon
95 points
PnP - Still super young, but oh so delicious! Nose takes you out to the ocean with a nice sea breeze, also some lemon zest and some tropical notes with hints of vanilla. Palate is glorious with plenty of pear, melon, Meyers lemon, and some vanilla cream, all wrapped in a very nice robe of slate, oyster shell and a hint of butterscotch. This is a white wine that makes me wish I took the time to learn about Burgundy. Very good now, but will be much better with a few years under its belt for all the flavors to better integrate. 95 for how it is drinking young, but will most definitely rate higher down the road! This wine was very good, and kept improving throughout the night.
3 people found this helpful
Comment
Flight 2 - Red Burgundy (1 note)
Red
2016 Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
97 points
Probably the best Burgundy/Pinot I have tasted. This is a WOWer wine! Even at this young age, it is impeccably balanced and elegant. Nice perfumed nose of purple flowers and cherry pie. Palate is as equally stunning with silky, velvety tannins, plenty of red fruit, cherry bark and cocoa notes, coupled with candied violets and bramble, all wrapped in cream. Absolutely stunning (at least for my palate!) 97 now, and I can't even imaging how good this will be with a little more age! I don't know if I should love or hate Ryan for bringing this!
Side note: I kept going back to this wine throughout the evening, and it just kept evolving and getting better and better throughout the evening!
Side note: I kept going back to this wine throughout the evening, and it just kept evolving and getting better and better throughout the evening!
4 people found this helpful
Comment
Flight 3 - Bordeaux (5 notes)
Red
1998 Château Trotanoy
95 points
Splashed and slo-O for two hours. Initially tasted when opened, and nice perfumed nose with palate showing lots of tertiary character and some red fruit and chocolate notes. Later, still very nice, but a little muted. After sitting out for a couple more hours, this wine really started to show much better! Red fruit (mostly cherry) became more prominent and it struck a nice balance for my palate between tertiary and fruit flavors. I recommend two to three hours of slow slo-O prior to serving, or probably a one to two hour decant, if drinking soon. No hurry on this wine, but in a great place with some air. 95+ for my palate.
Red
2010 Vieux Château Certan
96 points
Splashed and then slo-O for three hours. I am really liking Right Bank wines these days, and VCC is no exception! I think this wine consistently over-delivers! This wine, for me, shows a nice balance between fruit and tertiary flavors (although leaning on the fruit side of the spectrum). In a great place now, but should continue to improve for years. Glad I have a few bottles to follow this wine over the coming years. Lots of red fruit and cherry bark engulfing some darker fruit, violets, bramble and baking spice, with hints of sweet toasted oak. Pleasure in a glass! 95+ to 96. In a great spot, but definitely no hurry to drink!
3 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
1990 Château Montrose
98 points
Not sure about prep, it was double decanted, but didn't get details on time. This was my WOTN, and it had some stiff competition (see tasting story for other wines). This was in a perfect spot for my palate, and I cannot imagine it being any better with less or more time. For me, this wine had that perfect, magical balance between fruit and tertiary goodness I love! I could go on and on with everything this wine was showing, but suffice to say it was glorious! Wish I had cases of this in my cellar, as I could drink this everyday! We have probably all been asked at one time or another, if you were stranded on an island, what case of wine would you like to have stranded with you (only one wine)...for me, it would be this wine or a 1994 Harlan. 98 points for my palate! Absolutely loved this!
4 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2000 Château La Mission Haut-Brion
96 points
Love La Mission HB! So full of earthy, gravelly goodness! This wine is good, but WAY too young (I know....23 years old and too young?)....Plenty of fruit, plenty of tertiary flavors, but needs to better integrate, IMO. Don't get me wrong, still very enjoyable now, but you can tell there is greatness waiting to show itself down the road. I think 2000 is just a slow maturing vintage (I find the same thing with 2005 too). Lots of dark fruit and LMHB gravel and earth, with some graphite and coffee notes. 96 now (not too shabby!) but will approach triple digits with more time. Would recommend waiting, but a healthy decant if you can't resist now!
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2010 Château Mouton Rothschild
95 points
Still a baby! Drinking pretty nice right now, but I wouldn't open a bottle for another 10 years, minimum. All the components are there....yes, it is good now, but for the price, you can find wines drinking way better right now. Will this hit triple digits? I don't know, but it should at least come close with much more age. Can't resist the temptation to open one now? Slap yourself until you regain your senses!
OK...the wine...nose is perfumed with violets and potpourri. On the palate, there is plenty of dark fruit, some anise, spice and a little earth, cocoa and tobacco, and of course, some sweet oak. Good now, in its youth, but will undoubtably be great later after it matures! Solid 95 for the way it is performing today, but should get close to triple digits when it matures (if not 100)! Put this somewhere where you can forget about it for a decade or two!
OK...the wine...nose is perfumed with violets and potpourri. On the palate, there is plenty of dark fruit, some anise, spice and a little earth, cocoa and tobacco, and of course, some sweet oak. Good now, in its youth, but will undoubtably be great later after it matures! Solid 95 for the way it is performing today, but should get close to triple digits when it matures (if not 100)! Put this somewhere where you can forget about it for a decade or two!
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 4 - California (2 notes)
Red
2016 Immortal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain
95 points
Splashed and slo-O for 3 hours. My first bottle of this vintage...whoa doggie! This is so delicious and hedonistic right now! A wine produced by Timothy Milos that is beyond decadent, but also shows a glimpse of what is to come! Way early drinking right now, but if you love decadent wines and purity of fruit, this wine will not disappoint even at this young age! Gobs of dark fruit, blue fruit and some red fruit, with plenty of vanilla cream, some cocoa, anise, and blood lurking in the background. Not the triple digits Parker gave it, but certainly the potential to get there with more time (at least for my palate). Easy 95 today....should be even higher in a few years. Will likely wait a couple years before revisiting.
Red
2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20
96 points
Splashed and slo-O for 3 hours. What can I say, it's SQN, decadence in a glass! Like drinking liquid velvet wrapped in dark fruit, anise, iodine and some forest floor. I love these wines, and it is always a treat to drink one! No hurry, still plenty of fruit and no heat. I don't know how they keep doing it, but SQN rocks! Solid 96 for my palate.
Closing
These tastings are so humbling. They serve to remind me what a privileged life I lead, and one that I am so thankful for! How often does one have an opportunity to drink so many fine wines (bucket list wines for many). Upon reflection, it makes you so very grateful and humble. I hope anyone reading this story takes the time to reflect on how lucky they are to be able to enjoy a great bottle of wine.....seriously, how many things bring that much pleasure? Yes, there a few things, but not many! Until next time....Cheers!