8/10/2012 - MightyMilburn wrote:

This wine has the full bodied style of a new world wine - with an evenly huge aftertaste (classic Rhone nose of white board markers!) but with the complexity of a great Rhone wine. I can to some extent follow previous comments about the cough syrup (but NOT as extreme as others have stated) so in my mind this wasnt as intrusive as one might fear.

When all that is said and done, this vintage isnt quite there yet (in my opinion). I decanted it 5+ hours prior to tasting - it still didnt quite manage to open up fully before consumption. You could feel it lingering just underneath the surface.

Luckily I still have one bottle left, and will leave that for a few more (min. 5+) years before opening it. Cant wait to taste it again - though...

7/18/2012 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Considering that this is the entry level CdP for CSJ - it is a gorgeous wine. Give it some air (1-2 hours decant) and it will unfold into a good (solid) tasting experience - and a good value (price-wise)!!. Lots of black berries with the classic hint of pepper from the Grenache. Wish I had more bottles left than the two I have right now..

7/18/2012 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Drank this at a couple dinners with the "fudgiest" of chocolate cakes - and it held its own. Classic recioto taste with sweet raisin. A solid desert wine!

2/15/2012 - MightyMilburn Likes this wine:

Classic Veneto style recioto. Enjoy their Amarone as well.

11/6/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Having read the other tasting notes given on this wine so far, I must admit that I simply don't agree. This is an amazing wine which can be consumed right now (with the proper "preparation")! Tried this in a vertical tasting (00-09 Vieilles Vignes), and it might be the bombardment of alcohol from the previous 8 bottles (small tasting samples) that impacted this tasting note - but I choose not to believe so.

This is a young wine and therefore it was double decanted 4 hours prior to tasting, and WOW what a wine!! No other word for it! WOW! It beat the 07 (by a small margin but still..) and this was the opinion of everybody at the table. I gave it 99 pts but maybe this a bit conservative and it should be bumped up 1 pt more. It is tour de force of 'Neuf! Nothing less. Wine of the night - maybe wine of the vintage??

Tasting notes: classic dark berries (blueberry, blackberry), anis, crushed pepper. 60 sec finish. It had it all.

Bought 6 bottles - and luckily still have 5 left! Maybe I should go out and buy a few more before others snap them up.

9/18/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

This dolcetto defies belief. Bought at the vineyard in May 2011 - and it is a best buy dolcetto of perhaps all Piemonte.. it is actually that good! It will not ever compete with the giants of this area, nor is it my favourite wine style, but at 15 EUROs it will be difficult to find anything at similar quality/value..

One of the reasons for this outstanding quality is that the grapes are actually grown on the south side (single field) of the vineyard (which is normally reserved for the Nebbiolo grapes).

Despite having tried it on a few occasions I dont have a detailed tasting description, but it is an easy drinking wine at a more than decent quality level - at an outstanding price. Strong buy!

8/6/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Have tried other vintages of this great wine - so had fairly high expectations prior to consumption. Opened and decanted it one hour prior to tasting - maybe a bit short (in hindsight).

The nose was big and fruity - with a smell of wood. Initial taste impression were blackberry and creme de cassis, but as other people have stated this wine hasnt quite opened up yet. You could feel it lingering under the surface - without truly coming out.

The tannins were slightly noticeable - by no means intrusive on the overall taste experience, and this is a good wine - no doubt about it. However, have to agree with others that it will definitely require a few more years in the cellar before reaching its true potential - then it could be a 95+ bottle for sure. Unsure if one more year is enough (Parker states it should be ready from 2012) so personal guess is that it should be kept for 2 years more.

Only drank 1/3 of bottle - re-corked the remainder and will try it again tonight. Looking forward to seeing if one additional day will have opened it up a bit more.

6/14/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Tasted blind against Alban Reva 05 & 06. Incredible how close it actually comes to those two (however, once all three had been tasted it did stand out a bit), but this is an outstanding wine. Didnt write down any tasting notes, but it more than held its own against both Reva's - with the 06 being the best (most approachable at present). One of the best Grenache wines I have had the pleasure of tasting.

6/14/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Classic aussie shiraz. Nose: Heavy alcoholic sent when first opened. Recorked it again and drank the remainder over a couple of days - and the alcoholic characteristics did fade eventually. Taste: Blackberries, pepper.

5/2/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Decanted it 3 hours prior to tasting. The nose was classic big australian shiraz big, bold and fruity. The taste the same - yet refined (for an aussie shiraz from barosso..). Taste of blackberries, pepper and licorice. Thoroughly enjoyed drinking this one. Will enjoy drinking the remaining I have at present.

4/27/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

96-97 points. Opened the bottle and poured a small glass immediately to try it before decanting it. Big alcoholic nose and fairly closed = I wasnt that impressed (from 99+pp). Left it in the decanter for 3-4 hours and had it again - with food - and it made a huge difference. Still a big wine but much more open and very drinkable with a long after taste. Taste of licorice, blackberries and smoked meat. Still have 6 bottles left - which I look forward to tasting in the coming years.

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

A cool and more refined syrah from Chile. Not as big as the Australian versions of this grape, but it will easily stand up to a good steak.

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Growing more and more fund of the Grenache grape - and this Herman Story is a very very good representative of this grape's best sides. It is big and strong but not as fruity as some shiraz (another favorite grape of mine). This is a best buy wine - in my world.

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

On the nose classic new world (Chilean) berry smell with a hit of pepper - taste was cabernet sauv-like with a bit of bite. A good carmenere wine for people who havent tried that grape before.

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Drank a small sip of this wine and was extremely disappointed. Bought it some years ago, and perhaps it has not been stored correctly - but it was appalling. Poured out nearly the entire bottle - and opened a Stefano Accordini Amarone (06) instead.. Outrageous that both wines are actually categorized as amarones because there was a universe of difference in taste and smell.. will never buy this wine again..

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

One of the best amarones I have tried (at such a relative low price). No tasting note as it has been a while since I drank it. Have one bottle left and very much looking forward to drinking (and focusing more on the nose/taste).

4/13/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Opened one day in advance (to drink at first but didnt finished it on the first day). First day: On the nose very Australian classic shiraz (big and bold). Taste big black barries with a rather alcoholic taste but a fairly soft finish (probably due to the voignier). Second day: Still big and australian on the nose, but the taste was not as alcoholic on the second day. Have tried many aussie shirazs and this is a good average wine that can be drunk - at a fairly low cost.

2/7/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Tried it at the same as the Lilian Syrah 06 in a blind tasting - and the Grand Reve won hands down!! The Grand Reve 07 (my first taste of Washington wine) is a strong big bold shiraz with very good complexity - and a solid shot of tannins. Definitely needs some years in the bottle to fully evolve and it should increase a few more points on the rating as a consequence. Really looking forward to tasting it again in a few years time.

1/31/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

This is the second time I have tried this wine. It is big and bold an can truly understand why the voignier grape is mixed with several shiraz mixes today (it is that biiig). Not as "marzipany (sweet)" as many chardonnays tend to be. One of the best white wines I have tried. Absolutely love it! (sorry cannot rate a white higher than 94-95).

12/29/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Good strong taste with notes of vanilla (from the american oak), good body and a good finish

1/4/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Good nose and easy to drink wine, but lacking body and does not have a long finish.

1/9/2011 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Spectucular in every sense.

12/8/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Alcohol, spicy, and a strong taste of cassis or stewed plumbs (as other have stated) - not as good as other Alban's I have had (2004). Tried the wine with deer tenderloin w/bacon, a creamy cantarel sauce - and it did not match in any way.. a bit of a disappointment really and might have affected my score negatively. Sincerely enjoyed drinking the wine by itself though.

12/11/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Taste of elderflower, full, and "semi-sweet" - lacked a good long finish though (if you can demand that from a white wine..). Having said that it is one of the best white wines I have tried. Different to other Voigniers I have tried - much more "body" to it.. Looking forward to drinking the last two bottles I have!!

12/1/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Let it sit in the glass app. 1-2 hours. Spicy heavy plum taste. Very good.

11/1/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Good, round and classic new world fruity taste. Have tried decanting and without decanting. Opened up after some time in the glass/decanter. An excellent wine for a piece of red meat!

10/27/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Big, strong powerful - best malbec ever tasted!!

10/27/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Kraftig, men sød (desertvin-agtig/Recioto).

10/27/2010 - MightyMilburn wrote:

Stadig lukket.