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Wine Watch Best of 2008 Tasting
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Tasted January 14, 2009 by vinole with 1,414 views
Introduction
This was the first tasting featuring wines from Andrew's "Best of" picks he made in 2008. Served outdoors on a beautiful evening with excellent hors d'oeuvres, music, and a crowd limited to 55 people made for one of the nicer retailer tastings I've been to and a good value at $35.
Flight 1 - Whites & Champagne (10 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Charles Ellner Champagne Grande Réserve Brut
91 points
Lively fruit and acidity. Full bodied, and rich in a style I like.
White - Sparkling
1999 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque
90 points
Light bodied with less acidity and without the depth or complexity I expected.
White
2007 Château Le Grand Verdus Expression
87 points
Very fruit driven and comes across as almost a little sweet. Does not have the classic white Bordeaux mineral notes or depth, rather this is a cheap fruit driven white for immediate gratification and a good QPR.
White
2007 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc Letter Series "B"
91 points
Didn't get much on the nose, but intense fruit on the palate featuring grapefruit with some tropical fruit notes, but with enough restraint to keep it in balance. Very nice if you like the NZ style as I do.
White
2006 Maison Alex Gambal Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean
92 points
Bright fruit with some apple and floral notes and a long finish. Given its ripe style and lower acidity, I would enjoy this in its youth as it is not as geared for aging.
White
2006 Talley Vineyards Chardonnay
90 points
Medium to full body, somewhat restrained fruit with nice acidty and a fair amount of oak. A style I like with just a little more oak than I prefer.
White
2007 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Napa Valley
89 points
Medium to full body with tropical fruit notes, oak not overblown, but the fruit lacked the intensity I look for in this price point.
White
2005 Ramey Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard
91 points
Medium body, light oak, and solid but reserved fruit with nice depth and complexity. This wine is more about balance and elegance than many other high end CA chards.
White
2005 Krupp Brothers Estates Marsanne Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard
90 points
Thick texture with bright peach and tropical fruit flavors that stood out even after tasting nearly 40 wines.
White - Off-dry
2004 Vinoptima Gewürztraminer Reserve
91 points
A dessert wine like nose. Spicy fruit, sweet and rich with a heavy texture that made me ask what the alcohol level was (14.5%).
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Comment
Flight 2 - Italian Reds (7 notes)
Red
2004 Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Sagrantino
87 points
High tannins and acidity with little fruit make me wonder how this will turn out as it is not giving up much today.
Red
2000 Sant'Elena Merlot Ròs di Rôl
89 points
A merlot styled in the Pomerol fashion, but without the smoke or leather I get from those. An elegant, medium body merlot.
Red
2004 Canneto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
89 points
More tannic than the Reserva with moderate acidity, reserved fruit that is nicely balanced on a medium body frame. Earth on the nose and the palate. Spend a few bucks more and get the Reserva.
Red
2004 Canneto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva
91 points
Richer, rounder and more depth than the non-Reserva and well worth the extra $6 it was offered for.
Red
2004 Moschioni Friuli Colli Orientali Pignolo
94 points
My favorite wine of the tasting among some pretty strong competition. Rich, dark fruit yet with a nimble texture and nice structure with depth and layers of flavor. Medium to full body with low acidity. One of those where fruit meets complexity and elegance which is a marriage I love.
Red
2003 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
92 points
Very smooth and lush with low acidity and tannins in a forward, easy drinking style. Good for the vintage, but nothing that will excite.
Red
2004 Cantine Due Palme Salice Salentino Selvarossa Riserva
87 points
Juicy ripe dark fruit that is almost sweet with low acidity and tannin. One of the more fruit driven SS's I've had.
Flight 3 - Red Burgundy (3 notes)
Red
2002 Jean-Claude Boisset Corton-Renardes
87 points
Austere with high tannins and and acidity with reserved red fruit. Seemed closed at this stage.
Red
2006 Maison Alex Gambal Bourgogne Cuvée Les Deux Papis
87 points
Light to med body with reserved fruit and fairly high tannin and acidity. Needs some time to smooth out, but don't expect this to become anything special.
Red
2005 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
92 points
Obviously young and was pretty closed up. Medium body and lower acidity than many burgs with good, pure fruit and only a touch of earth. Should be very nice in the future.
Flight 4 - Syrah & Merlot (4 notes)
Red
2004 Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley
90 points
A riper, richer style for WA, more like some CA merlots.
Red
2005 Figge Cellars Syrah Sycamore Flat Vineyard
91 points
Less ripe than many CA syrahs, medium body with forward dark fruit profile that remains well balanced.
Red
2005 Lapostolle Syrah Cuvée Alexandre Las Kuras Vineyard
93 points
Rich dark fruit with excellent balancing tannins and acidity with a long finish. Sort of a cross between CA and N Rhone syrah that I really liked.
Red
2006 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend
92 points
Rich dark fruit with lots of oak. A big style, much like a well made Aussie shiraz. Did get a little heat on the finish
Flight 5 - Cabernet & Bordeaux (11 notes)
Red
2004 Château Joanin Bécot
90 points
I actually liked this better than the 03 vintage as it was more true to Bordeaux. Medium body, dark fruit nicely balanced by tannin and acidity that is softer and more approachable now than many other 04's I have had.
Red
2005 Château Lascombes
92 points
This wine was open when tasted as I have been seeing that a lot of 05's are starting to shut down now. Opened with bright red and dark fruit then you get the big tannins that will require time to soften. The balanced package of fruit, tannin, and acidity bode well for long term aging, and still enjoyable now with decanting, but the future is what this wine is about, with an upside of 2-3 more points.
Red
2006 Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvée Alexandre Apalta Vineyard
89 points
Medium to full bodied and fairly rich for a Chilean with nice balance. Good value at this price.
Red
2005 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
89 points
Medium body, dusty tannins, higher acidity, and reserved fruit more in the old Napa style.
Red
2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points
Plenty of lush fruit, but still with a nimble texture and a style that features balance over big fruit.
Red
2005 Vine Cliff Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
90 points
A big, ripe style with dark fruit and enough tannin and acidity to keep it balanced, but a little too fruit driven for me.
Red
2005 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon
92 points
Fairly high tannins and acidity with less prominent oak than previous vintages. This one needs some time in the cellar as it was much less ready than the 05 Larkmead I had right before it.
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Red
2004 Audesirk Signature
90 points
I found this to be a great wine for the $22 it was offered at. Rich, dark fruit that was well balanced, had some depth and a long, smooth finish.
Red
2004 Field Stone Cabernet Sauvignon Staten Family Reserve
91 points
Rich, ripe dark fruit, with not too much oak, and a little heat on the finish. Well balanced, fruit driven style that is a decent value at this price.
Red
2005 ZD Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
88 points
Ripe fruit with low levels of tannin and acidity that push this more towards a soft fruit driven style that I am not particularly fond of but has its fans.
Red
2005 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
92 points
Rich, dark fruit, full bodied with low acidity and smooth tannins and becoming much more approachable now.