11/9/2022 - cdunn wrote:

My last and best bottle of this great wine, enjoyed with good friends in celebration of my 75th birthday. Deep golden color with a steady stream of minuscule beads to the very end. Zesty lemon/lime on the edge of the palate, with somewhat richer white fruit and lightly roasted nuts in the core. Extremely long and scintillating finish. A seamless combination of power and elegance. Certainly one of my all-time favorite Champagnes. 1996 was a gold mine for Champagne. For my taste, the Dom, the Taittinger CdC and the Deutz WD Rose', are among the finest bubblies ever. What a treat!

11/9/2022 - cdunn Does not like this wine:

Corked. Highly disappointing.

1/7/2021 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Such a pleasure. Richly-flavored with ripe red fruit, herbs, a bit of chocolate on the finish, beautifully balanced, still very vibrant. Delicious with a rack of lamb. Last of my '01s; will need to wait awhile on my '06s.

12/2/2020 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Decanted and hour; could have used another hour. Had to coax out the aromatics (dark cherry and a bit of wet leaf) at first. Silky texture, very well-balanced and fresh. Some sweet cherry and forest floor. This is a lovely wine; just not very complex or captivating. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much.

10/30/2020 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Decanted an hour. Fragrant nose of ripe cherries and spices, but it really stood out on the palate. Full-bodied, dense, but not heavy. Silky, polished texture. Great depth of flavors; dark cherry, forest floor, herbs and notes of espresso/dark chocolate on the very long finish. This is the finest Cuvee' Papet I have tasted, and the best '07 CdP I have yet tasted. Definitely ready to drink, but with substantial life left.

7/26/2020 - cdunn wrote:

Lightly golden color. Highly aromatic with peach, quince, honey notes. Richly textured with waxy element, but not flabby at all. Nice frame of acid and light minerality. Stone fruit, lanolin at the core. Delicious wine. Paired with pecan-crusted brown trout. Fully-mature IMO, but still very vibrant.

7/26/2020 - cdunn wrote:

Corked. Grrr

5/31/2020 - cdunn wrote:

Corked

5/16/2020 - cdunn wrote:

92. Classic aged claret nose of tobacco and worn leather. On the palate, significant charm has replaced the power/energy displayed by this wine in its middle years. The palate flavors echo the nose but with an interesting, and very pleasant, finish of a slightly pungent red berry tea. A very enjoyable wine reflecting its age well.

5/9/2020 - cdunn Likes this wine:

I have had a number of bottles of Tensley's single vineyard syrahs over the years and was always impressed with the quality. But, I'd never had his regular cuvee. This was really excellent. Smoothly-textured but with a nice structure, and a rich, well-balanced palate. Mainly dark fruit, with some minor savory notes, it was delicious and paired beautifully with a smoked beef brisket. Will look for more of this.

3/28/2020 - cdunn wrote:

Seriously good Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. Slightly sweet grapefruit, stone fruit, with a well-balanced dose of minerality. Zesty, but not at all severe. Paired beautifully with a chicken pot pie, cutting through the richness on the palate without suppressing any of the delicious tastes of the pie. One of the best SBs I've had in a long time. At $18, a serious value.

3/24/2020 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Aromas of slightly sweet dark fruit, fresh herbs, a little dusty. Med/Full-bodied with a velvety texture; perfectly balanced; good depth of flavors of ripe dark fruit, herbs and notes of dark chocolate on the finish. Just a beautiful wine.

3/2/2020 - cdunn wrote:

Nose is earthy (wet forest variety), but with some ripe fruit underneath. Palate is beautifully-textured, still full-bodied but not heavy, deeply-flavored, expansive, wonderful vitality, with a nice light chocolate on the finish. A delight, and has plenty of life left. Very impressive.

12/14/2019 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Absolute stunner; my third bottle of this wine over the last 10 years and unquestionably the best. Opaque, very dark red to the rim. Decanted almost 2 hours and continued to develop for another 1 1/2 hours throughout dinner. Brooding, classic cab nose, dark fruit and savory herbs, which continued to open further as we drank. Full-bodied and richly-textured, but beautifully balanced, vibrant, with a slight brambly undertone. Serious depth of flavors, blackberries and herbs, which continue through a pronounced and long finish. Luscious but fresh and nicely-structured. This wine is drinking beautifully, but is still youthful and I'm holding on to a couple of these to drink after a few more years. The early '90s was a great era for Napa cabs, and the La Jota Anniversary releases were among the best in my experience.

12/16/2017 - cdunn wrote:

Corked

7/19/2016 - cdunn wrote:

Corked

5/23/2016 - cdunn wrote:

Corked

4/12/2016 - cdunn Does not like this wine:

like the majority of the '04 and '05 Les Preuses and Les Clos I've had over the past 5 years, this was tired, lacking freshness and depth of flavor. Fevre was one of my favorite producers for a number of years, but their severe premox issues has been a source of great irritation. Ceased buying with 2008 vintage.

12/26/2015 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Wonderfully rich aromatics of ripe peach with a slight petrol note. On the palate, crisp limestone with peach and apple, a bit of peach peel on the finish, which is quite long. Delightful pairing with large, tender scallops, seared, and sauced with a ginger/satsuma beurre blanc.

12/25/2015 - cdunn wrote:

On the downward slope. Pleasant earthy aromas, tobacco. Losing its vitality on the palate, not much structure nor depth. A significant step down from my previous bottle a few years ago.

12/25/2015 - cdunn wrote:

Corked, down the drain

4/30/2015 - cdunn wrote:

Another pre-moxed '04 Les Clos. So bad that we poured it out. This was the last of a case, with 9 seriously pre-moxed. Several '02s and '05s as well. Once I get through my '08s, I plan never to taste another Fevre.

9/9/2014 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Notwithstanding reviews over the past several years regarding the bricking and likely early maturity of this wine, this bottle was decidedly, and surprisingly, not in decline. The nose was sharp and spicy, opening considerably over the next 1-2 hours. It is light-medium bodied, with a vibrant structure; flavors of spice and a touch of orange peel, along with some pungent cherry. This needs at least an hour of air time. Paired beautifully with a sautéed chicken breast with mushroom/rosemary sauce.

5/5/2014 - cdunn wrote:

Flawed. Volatile acidity to the degree of effervescence.

4/7/2014 - cdunn wrote:

This was the first bottle of the '01 I have had in 5 years, and it has developed dramatically into a truly stellar wine. Prior tastings were more monolithic and dense. Decanted for 4 hours, filtering out a surprising amount of sediment. The nose was abundant but refined, with pipe tobacco, dark fruit and some slate. Very powerful on the palate, but not at all heavy. A complex array of flavors, including, strangely enough, a strong sense of the seacoast on a foggy day; not something I associate with Cab. Really delicious. Big finish, more of a crescendo than the usual fade-out. I've always enjoyed David's wines, but this one is very special and has a lot of life left. I'm looking forward to my remaining 5 bottles over the next several years.

1/19/2014 - cdunn Likes this wine:

Muted nose initially, but it opened considerably to wet forest floor and floral notes after an hour in decanter. Very smooth texture; some of the past minerality has become more subdued. Round, but not at all fat, very well-balanced, with good depth of earthy flavors, less prominent floral and menthol notes. This is my 10th bottle out of a case over the past 5 years and decidedly the best. It exceeded my expectations for complexity and sheer enjoyment. I believe it is at its peak and I will be drinking my last 2 over the next 2 years.

11/13/2013 - cdunn wrote:

Abundant aromatics of dark chocolate and savory herbs. A well-structured, refined, velvety-textured, wine on the palate. Immediately expands in mouth with a wonderful depth of flavors of dark chocolate-covered cherries, wet rocks and herbs. Big and complex finish. My score may be conservative. Paired beautifully with a grilled pork tenderloin, which had been marinaded in a rosemary and juniper berry concoction.

11/6/2013 - cdunn wrote:

First sign of problem was the dark golden, almost amber, color. Then the nose was dominated by a burnt caramel aroma. Blind, I would have guessed an aged gewurztraminer. There was still plenty of zest at the edges, but with a heavy, creamy center. It definitely was atypical to the point of seeming flawed. Has been stored impeccably. I have one more bottle and will try it soon.

10/25/2013 - cdunn Likes this wine:

I share the sentiments of a recent reviewer who lamented this being his last bottle from a case of 24 375s. One of the very best values I have acquired. It has been beautifully balanced since year 4, has the silky elegance and depth of red cherry and minerals of premier Chambolle, and the half bottle was perfect for a guiltless splurge when I wanted something special at the last minute. I still have 4 left and will cherish each. The best Magnien I have tasted (out of many).

1/24/2013 - cdunn wrote:

Badly Corked

11/27/2012 - cdunn wrote:

As with most of the '04 Fevres I have had in the past year, from my cellar and others, this one was sadly pre-moxed. Little liveliness, blandly monolithic. We poured it down the drain. Unfortunately, I still have a lot of Fevres from 2002 through '08, but I've made my last purchase from what used to be one of my favorite producers.

4/22/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Rich core of ripe fruit; lacking in minerality and structure. In a blind tasting, I think this would be mistaken for a mature village Meursault. A very good wine on the palate, but without the vitality I expect (or used to) from Fevre GCs. I suspect that in 3 years this wine will be flat. Part of the continuum of disappointing, premoxing Fevres from '02 and '04.

4/17/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Round, relatively lifeless, probably pre-moxed but without much deep coloring or caramelization. This is my last bottle of a very disappointing vintage of BdM. I know some have had mixed reactions based on assumed bottle variation, and that is likely true, but my 4 bottles, bought upon release, were consistently bland. I had the '05 a few weeks ago, which was considerably better, but clearly not up to past quality in terms of depth and vitality. No more purchases of Bonneau du Martray for me.

3/2/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Decanted over 3 hours. Brooding nose of wet earth and black fruit, somewhat subdued. Medium to full-bodied, brambly-textured, still very youthful. Dense but not heavy, nice balancing structure. A lot of fruit, notes of coffee, graphite. Much better with the lamb dish which softened the wine. This wine needs another 5 years, but should have an exciting future.

3/1/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Decanted for 3 hours. Nose of earth and sweet cherries, somewhat struggling to surface. On the palate, velvety, still dense and structured, but not unpleasantly so. It is beautifully balanced by ripe red fruit, coffee, dried herbs, a forest floor component, and a lively level of minerality and tannins. We all were surprised by the continuing youthfulness of this 22 year old wine. It should definitely morph into a wine of more subtlety with an abundance of tertiary notes, but, I must say, it is a gorgeously complex wine now and was magical with the braised lamb's neck at Herbsaint.

3/1/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Formal nose of red fruit and mousse, which broadened as it warmed in the glass. Tart strawberries, warm nuts and brioche flavors with a nice balancing of acid. A gorgeous wine that was considerably improved by 30 minutes of air time. This bottle was far better than the one I had 3 years ago.

2/25/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Strange bug spray note on the nose at first; later some orange peel and earthiness. Very dense, full-bodied, wet leaf, licorice. An apparent aberration. We attributed the oddness to youth, but those of us familiar with Burguet's wines were perplexed. Some thought it was a Chateauneuf. I'll wait several years and see what happens.

2/4/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Deep gold color (ugh), slightly oxidized nose, over-ripe, somewhat caramelized fruit. Just over the hill.

2/4/2012 - cdunn wrote:

At Brigtsen's with friends. Deep golden, viscous, incipient oxidation, tropical fruit, some stone fruit on finish (apricot peel), not much vitality but not flabby. I assume it's had better days.

2/1/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Corked

1/19/2012 - cdunn wrote:

Gorgeous nose of rich dark fruit with a significant eucalyptus note. Beautiful silky texture, superb balance and purity. Elegant and seemingly opulent at the same time. Cassis, dark fruit and a light dose of licorice. Wonderful depth. This definitely exceeds my expectations for a '99 Napa cab and demonstrates just how talented the Harlan team is.

11/12/2011 - cdunn wrote:

On decline. Little verve, rich but rather flat.

10/24/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Very dense, rich, dark fruit, coffee, big finish. Sappy, but delicious. Needs a hefty piece of meat to balance it. In a blind tasting, I would have guessed California Central Coast, which isn't bad, just not my favorite style. This was a very good value at $17.

10/19/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Decanted for 3 hours. Nose of garrique, minerals, anise. Medium-bodied, texture more polished and precise than I expected, beautifully balanced. Excellent depth of flavor, herbaceous, dark cherry, mild licorice note, wet leaves. Very lively, not as brooding as Donjon frequently is. Persistent, clean finish. Compared very favorably to the '99, which was tasted beside it, and which lacked the balance and polish of the '01. This is perhaps the best Donjon I've ever tasted.

10/13/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Decanted for an hour. Rather muted nose at first, but after a half hour in the glass, became very fragrant with white flowers, citrus and slate. On the palate, medium bodied, rich core but delineated structure. Again, after another 30 minutes or so, the flavors were very pronounced, mainly those of gardenias and mild tropical fruit, with an edge of lemon or grapefruit. Good depth and persistent but mild finish. This exceeded my expectation for an '03 Corton Charlie.

9/27/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Corked!!

9/27/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Muted nose at first, but opened to a spicy, earthy, somewhat sweet profile after an hour. Medium bodied, elegant and well-balanced, precise flavors of red fruit, some Asian spice box. Good depth and complexity after an hour. Very clean, fresh finish. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this more than the "En Haut".

9/18/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Over the hill. Little structure, muted earth flavors. Glad it was my last bottle.

8/19/2011 - cdunn wrote:

Light golden color; tropical fruit and peach on nose. Viscous, fruit dominant, acidity is fading. Banana, peach, pineapple, some minerality. At this point, more suited as an aperitif.

8/16/2011 - cdunn wrote:

White flowers, ripe peaches, slate and caramel on the nose. Medium-bodied with a rich core of ripe pineapple and peach, with an obvious oak component, but a lacy structure of fine minerals and acid to balance it. The oak is definitely there, but not obtrusive IMO. A very good value and was delicious with sauteed speckled trout.