4/16/2021 - DelYap wrote:

First bottle opened of two. this one was showing advanced age in color and taste. Odd as the second bottle was much better and they both came from same case.

12/13/2019 - DelYap wrote:

Bottle felt tired and not inspired. Felt like it's best days were behind it. Perhaps just an off bottle.

10/5/2019 - DelYap wrote:

From a perfectly stored bottle bought on release. This is currently shut down. Will wait several more years to taste another bottle.

3/10/2019 - DelYap wrote:

Corked

2/22/2018 - DelYap wrote:

Morris place

2/22/2018 - DelYap wrote:

Morris place

2/8/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Very accessible and showing much more than three years ago. Very big wine with classic notes.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): This was opened to replace a 1960's Vina Tarapcia Gran Reserva that was horibly corked.

Great nose with a very earthy barnyard aroama. On the palate just what I would have expected and not as good as the nose. Perhaps I need to enjoy my Burgundies young as an 01 and 03 DRC Echezeaux are two of my favorite all time wines.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): My WOTN, perfect bottle and just a great wine. Blew the other wines in the flight away. This is everything you would want from a Shiraz.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Anyone still with bottles of this should drink up. I think these are going downhill. Storage not an issue as Ray has had these since release. Just showing acid with no fruit to back it up.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Not really well integrated for an 82. Storage is impecabble as Ray has had these since release. The acidity is very much in the front and the brett was quite noticable, although this did not detract from the wine. Not really doing it for me, but a well made wine.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Served along side the Bonny Doon. Originally I preferred the Bonny Doon, but as the wines opened up this one serged ahead.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): I really enjoyed this wine. I thought it had real syrah charateristics of meat and game. Not like todays fruit forward syrahs. Although I enjoy both styles.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): I enjoyed this just slightly more than the 1988 Jadot it was served beside. Again earthy wine with minimal fruit and lots of acid. I think both of these wines should have been consumed several years ago.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Dryed out and no fruit left. Some liked this wine, but to me this was not showing well. This was all acid.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Paired with the 1994 and both were very enjoyable. Nice fruitiness and acidity to both wines.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Paired with the 1995 and both were very enjoyable. Nice fruitiness and acidity to both wines.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): This was interesting and something Ray has had since release. Not sue if this winery still exists, but the wine was simple but enjoyable. Not dead by any stretch.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Lovely Y'quem and really just a baby still. Butterscotch and nuts on a deceptively long finish

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Still showing srong and no need to ruch drinknig these. Very powerful champagne that delivers.

2/1/2008 - DelYap wrote:

Culinary Team Canada Dinner (Ray's House): Very nice champagne showing good fruit and smooth finish.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was all cough syrup on the nose and palate. This wine was really showing young and really did not seem to have developed any nuance.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was otherwordly and my WOTN. Incredible finish edging out the 1955 Biondi-Santi. On the palate caramel, nuts and honey. Just a crazy finish on this wine with silky mouthfeel.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This wine defines laser like precision and was firing on all cylinders. It reminded me a bit of the 1996 Rockford SVS Moorooroo in that it was almost work to drink this wine. It was just so intense and delicious. This wine is still 20 years from being ready to drink although it is so sexy right now.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was from Ray's cellar and I know he likes it cold, but this wine was ridiculous. Acquired on release and stored since this wine tasted like it was bottled only a few years ago. Powerful wine full of cedar and tobacco notes. This didn't last long for the nose to really open up as we popped and poured.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was a well stored bottle having been acquired by Ray's father in the early 80's and not moved from the home cellar since. I found this wine lacking in everything but acid. What fruit there was disappeared in the first 20 minutes and then it started to fall apart. Nice for the experience, but short on the enjoyment.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): Not enjoyable given the context of the evening. I got nothing but high acid low fruit and it just got worse as the wine sat in the glass. I was looking for a dump bucket.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This wine is no where near ready for prime time. Anyone looking to drink well stored bottles, as this one was, should hold off for at least another 10 years. Still very powerful and really as I say it again too young. I should mention that Mouton is my least favorite first growth, but this vintage could change my mind.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was really concentrated and took roughly 30 minutes in glass to really open up. Overall I was disappointed in this wine but only in comparison to what else was served before it. Still immature and not showing the silky mouthfeel that I look for in older Bordeaux.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was incredible from start to finish I got this incredible sense of almonds. The color was very murky and probably could have stood to stand up for another week. I couldn't get enough of this wine. The finish lasted well over a minute and was eclipsed only by the d'Yquem served later in the evening.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): Just a great example of aged Barolo. Nice intriguing nose and great silky mouthfeel with a medium length finish.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): Huge raisiny nose mixed with asian spice and continues on the palate with a little anise thrown in. Medium bodied wine.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): The nose on this wine was incredible, cherries and asian spice. In the mouth this wine was indescribable for me. A well balanced wine.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This started with a huge dirty barn yard nose. The first 30 minutes this wine was not great. After 30 minutes it got cleaner and was more enjoyable. After two hours it had completely fallen apart.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This had a very obtrusive spiky oak nose that reminded me of something medicinal. It was very masculine compared to the Sauzet Montrachet and for me not a very enjoyable example of Montrachet.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was light to me for a 1996 and the color was pale. The nose had a very pronounced petrol character. On the palate this was light, subtle and feminine.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): This was something special. The color dark, the darkest Champagne I have ever had. It was almond shade. This was really killer on the palate with a long nutty finish. It had a nice maderized character to it.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): Quite nice Champagne, but nothing extraordinary. Toasty with a hint of nutmeg and nice acidity.

4/25/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Dinner at Ray's; Older Burgs, Bordeaux and Italian (Vancouver, BC): Huge biscuit nose with a hint of lemon. Bright acidity and great finish. Needs another 10 years to really show it's best.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: Impressive California Cabernet and an interesting story on how Ray acquired the wine direct from the winery. He had purchased these in 1988 direct from the winery after Parker had given it 100 points. According to Ray the first California Cab to receive such a score. Kinda cool that the bottle was signed by both Nils Venge and the owner of Groth. This really tasted younger than it was as Ray likes a super cold cellar. Medium bodied wine that was incredibly balanced.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: This is the third time I have had this in the last three moneths and this was just as good as the other bottles. Dead ringer for Bordeaux and a testament to the great wines Mondavi used to make. Didn't quite have that silky mouth feel that I've experienced in other bottles or vintages of this wine, but this was a much younger tasting example. Cedar, cigar box and just a touch vegetal, but not enough to turn me off like the Togni cabs.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: I must preface this with the knowledge that I do not enjoy Togni's wine. I just don't like herbaceous characters in my cabs and this always has it in spades. Right from the nose to the finish this was like cooked asparagus or green peppers. We opened both the 1996 and 1992 and both were downright unenjoyable. I am not a fan of most Spring Mountain cabs.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: I must preface this with the knowledge that I do not enjoy Togni's wine. I just don't like herbaceous characters in my cabs and this always has it in spades. Right from the nose to the finish this was like cooked asparagus or green peppers. We opened both the 1996 and 1992 and both were downright unenjoyable. I am not a fan of most Spring Mountain cabs.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: A medium bodied wine that got better as the evening progressed. Not decanted just popped and poured. I spent the least amount of time tasting this but recall thinking I must buy more Haut Brion. This needs another 10 years or more.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: Amazing that this wine had been stored in my girlfriends closet for seven years. I expected it to be done, but it was still young and powerful. Classic cedar and sandalwood nose with lead shavings on the palate. If I had more I would not open another for 15 years. I can't imagine how slowly properly aged bottles would be progressing.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: This was was opened at 4 o'clock for an 8 o'clock dinner. When I first opened this I thought this was gone, not corked just dead. Well I left it in the decanter and took it to the restaurant for the others to try. Well I couldn't believe how much weight it put on after being decanted for 4-5 hours. Most thought I was crazy for opening a bottle this old that soon, but trust me if I hadn't this wine would not have been as enjoyable. Not much fruit left, but still enjoyable. At the end of the evening the wine had developed some additional weight and Ray commented that you could see the power of the vintage.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: WOW, this wine was dark like midnight and smelled like a New World Shiraz or Zinfandel. Some thought I had replaced the wine with a Turley Hayne, until they tasted it. Incredible minerality and loads of licorice on the finish. This wine was just unreal and it will be hard to keep my hands off my remaining stash. There was one dissenter at the table who thought the wine was just too freakish and not what he thought a Chave Hermitage should be.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: This Chave was right between the three we had tonight. Not just in vintage but also in style. While no where near as flamboyant as the 2003, it was immensely more pleasurable than the 1985. I don't think that a few more years of aging would hurt this wine, but based on table consensus we all felt that it would not get better. Medium bodied with a moderate finish. This wine was probably handicapped by being served in the company of the 2003.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: This was very lean and compact and for me not very enjoyable. I do not care for wines that are austere like this and was looking for the dump bucket fast.

1/11/2007 - DelYap wrote:

Wine Pot Luck 03 Chave, 90 Lafite, 85 Groth Reserve et al: We opened this at the table and JP poured a bit to test it. His initial comment was "oh it's bitter" and I thought oh great it's corked. What he meant was oh wow it's bitter in a great aged Sauternes way. This wine was just gorgeous. The nose was baked caramel, on the palate this was like bitter condensed Grand Marnier.