9/3/2017 - Hawaiino wrote:

Tf f RT

9/9/2009 - Hawaiino wrote:

At Keei Cafe in Kona, Seared Scallops Salad and a Roasted Duck Breast w/pureed potatoe
Ripe with a little acridity on the nose, dark red fruits, black cherry and raspberry with smoke and
high tone. Still full of life, not young but not on the decline, it wears the 20 years lightly. The
sweet tannins and the persistence on the finish are memorable. My first tasting of a "Richebourg"
not a DRC, but I'm happy my first impression was this positive.

4/29/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

This was opened alongside a Dugat-Py Bourgogne. I wanted a reference wine, and I had just drank one of these a few months ago.
I had sworn off opening another for a year, but, plans change.
A better showing (bottle?) than in January. Light colored compared to the Dugat-Py, with a medium weight on the palate. Sweeter
fruit, tart cherrys and some dust on the finish. This wine really improved, gaining weight and balance through the 4 days it took
to finish the bottle. I think it has plenty of life left in it, and will seek out more to test the hypothesis.

4/29/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Drank alongside a E. Rouget Bourgogne Passetoutgrains. Over 4 nights, various foods (primarily Shortribs braised in wine)
Deep ruby color w/ earth, leather, and faint red fruits on the nose, but a HEAVY palate for a Bourgogne. I'd agree, this is
punching well above it's weightclass. And in balance, with more than enough fruit to mitigate the tannins. Some mentholated
cherry flavor but without the candied quality that this flavor is usually hamstrung by. It does suffer a bit of
a clipped finish, but, so what. It's long enough to not disappoint, and there is a lingering quality that smacks of it's pedigree,
Old World.
My point score reflects it's surpassing of my expectations.

4/20/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Tart cherry, smokey leather, and forest floor on the nose, limpid red, middle-weight palate with chewy tannins, not too
astringent but there. Mocha and tart cherry flavors on the finish, persistent and middle-long. This wine needs a bit more
time to gather itself and balance everything, if it can. For now, went great with a rich Osso Bucco and Pasta dinner.

4/20/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Black fruits, wet leather, menthol and iron on the nose, deep plum color with very thin rimming. Fat and sappy, almost
New World in its weight, a bit clipped on the finish. Might be in a mild dumb phase, lacking secondary flavors/nuances,
I think it's hiding. Went well with a very rich Osso Bucco and Pasta dinner.

4/16/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Creme Brulee nose(vanilla and caramel) led me to expect more oak on the palate, but no. Ripe pear and white flowers with
swirling, chartruese gold color. Medium to heavy body, sweet and long. Peaches on the finish, very good finish.
Excellent , and coming into its own, 2 more bottles won't last long.

4/15/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

A limpid garnet in the glass, light rose rim. A light pinot nose, with slight spicy notes, more tea than anything else.
Any lingering on the palate and the nose diminishs. Medium weight body, sappy cherry and cola with mildly astringent tannins,
a penetrating finish. This wine seems somewhat muted, neither overtly closed or open for business, holding something back
to me. This is the 3rd night on this bottle, when I first opened I was finishing some others , and I posted;
"... just started a Bouchard Volnay 2002, Les Caillerets 'Ancienne Cuvee Carnot', which is more reminescent of the Bachelet than the Rapet. This from a vintage that I though would be weightier, more richness to the fruit, and sweeter on the palate. But it hasn't, at least at this time. It does have a darker cherry nose, with an acridity on the palate that contrasts nicely, maybe it's closer to licorice than road tar. And it persists well. Anyway, me likee!
I'd hoped it would improve on day 2, it did, with brighter cherry and a sweet spiceness.
My score reflects and average of the 3 days, since day 2 was best I would reccomend a significant decant/aeration.

4/14/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

The rating reflects my optimism for the future, at the moment it's holding its cards close. Rich nose of wet leather, red fruits, and Volnay spice.
The palate feels the weight, but the flavors are somewhat muted, giving it a New World quality. But the future seems bright, the
sweetness is shadowed by the minerality, and the lengthy finish promises a complex and enjoyable future. I'll wait a couple of years for my
next.

4/14/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Drank this bottle side by side with same vintage Rapet Corton Grand Cru. It suffered by comparison,
but it was not embarrassed. Light in color, and in weight, but a good minerality balanced with
red fruits and Gevrey dust. Not the finish of the Corton, but good length for its class. I really
enjoyed this bottle for it's own sake, and look forward to the 2 more I have over the next
couple of years. I don't think it has a lot of upside over what it's showing right now, so enjoy!

4/14/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Wow, finally getting some traction with my burgs. I've had such a meager benefit for my costs .
I admit the choices were dictated by relative drinkability, and this was one of my first purchases of immediate drinkers.
And it could go many more years, at least a few more till it is completely accessible (I'm guessing).
Power and elegance in the mouth, bright nose of tart cherry, some floral elements. A suprisingly lighter color than the palate
reveals, with cut and penetration equal to the weight. My first Grand Cru that was worth the dough. Now I'm doomed.

1/3/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Opened on New Years, Italian foods with Grilled Lamb and Roast Chicked featured. Paired alongside a '97 Falesco Montiano, new world/old world thing going with the Merlot. This was singing from the beginning, deep powerful red chocolate flavors wowed everyone. Soft and fully approachable, with a depth on the finish that made up for it's merlot like length. I agree the flavors were monolithic, but well constructed and more polished than previous note.

1/3/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

This was consumed over 3 nights, and got successively better. On night 1 it was tight, with little nose, and shy red fruits on the palate. By night 3 it had gained weight and was much rounder, the tightness was gone and the fruits were sweeter and fuller. I'll wait another year before the next one. A very good performance for the level.

1/3/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Bright red with sweet, stony aromas on the nose. A Vosne nose. Some bite on the palate, a middle weight with bright red
fruits and very fine grained tannins. Needs more time to round out the bite with the fruit. Good persistence on
the finish. My first 1er from Potel, I'll wait a year to pull the next cork, and have it with a meal instead of at a party.

1/3/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Garnet with a little bricking on the edge, nose slightly medicinal with some tightness that didn't relax with swirling. Medium depth on palate, raspberry and
strawberry flavors with good penetration. Fine tannins and some persistence on the finish. Drink now, but not declining. Tasted side-by-side with Rasteau '90, this was easier to enjoy,
but not as stimulating to reflect upon. Both were started with a Brined Roast Chicken w/Parsley Butter as dinner, both were complementry w/ the '90 especially
nice.

1/3/2007 - Hawaiino wrote:

Deep muted purple color, bricking on the rim that seemed to lessen over time. Initial nose of sous bois and some red fruits, coaxing provided little additional aromas.
Later the nose muted and gave off some forest floor. Wide and soft on the palate, with body and concentration, jellied cranberry flavors. Finish a little short for the
initial power promised, fully mature and perhaps on the descent. The slightly dry feeling on the finish was more like tart fruits than wood. Drank side by side w/ Soumade
CdR Rasteau '98.

11/14/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

Consumed alongside a '96 Roty G-C 'Clos Priuer'. Suffered in comparison.
First night, insignificant nose, minerally on the palate, not much discernable fruit. One of those 1er Burgs that leaves you looking at the frog.
Did not improve on the 2nd night, fine to cleanse the palate, the Oxtail stew was very enjoyable.
3rd night, not as good as 2nd night.
My score reflects a sense that perhaps my palate is not quite up to the challanges of an aged Burg. It did provide some intellectual challange, and I really tried to sharpen my palate while sniffing, swirling, swishing, and swallowing.

11/14/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

Drank over 3 nights with a long lasting Oxtail Bourgogne , side by side w/ '93 Camille Giroud Aloxe-Corton.
A little forest on the nose, some spice. First night, some red fruits, sweet tannins, of it's time. Finishs bright.
2nd night, fuller in the mouth, darker fruits , good with the Oxtail, some persistence on the finish.
3rd night, faded but still good.

11/8/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

This is a Grand Cru Burg! I remark because of some recent letdowns, the '97 vintage has uniformly disappointed, and the '98's very uneven. I grabbed this because I wanted to show the differences to friends and family between Cali and France Pinots. A Martinelli BSR reped the Golden State. This showed a more aromatic nose, muted red fruits and musty forest floor scents, good weight on the palate, plush and silky, red cherry and crushed stones, the pinot mouthfeel that is irreplaceable! What texture. The finish was long, with nuanced fruit, minerals, and whatever else gets mixed into "terroir". Shows the structure to last, but can be enjoyed now with controllable guilt.
Really outshined the BSR, to all at the table (mostly a $2chuck/f'en merlot group!!)

11/8/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

Enjoyed with family and friends at Kaikodo, Hilo's best white linen tablecloth place. Decanted for an hour, ripe nose, rich red fruits, washs across the palate with dense, sweet, lingering red cherry and raspberry. Warm finish, the high alcohol seems cloaked by the balance between the fruits and the oak. A touch simplistic for it's profile, I've enjoyed other Martinellis much more, at various times. This was my first BSR, expectations were high. The score reflects that it suffered by comparison, it was served with a '01 Clos de Lambrays.

11/8/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

The color is "burgundy", especially when compared to a Raphet C-M 'Les Busseires', enjoyed at the same time. Purple-red, with no bricking. Shy pinot nose, dense fruit with weight on the palate. Red cherries, cola, just a slight tartness, sweet oak. Tannic structure suggest holding, with more than enough fruit to carry forward. Drink now with pleasure, or hold.

11/8/2006 - Hawaiino wrote:

Ruby red, with the slightest color break on the rim, not bricking. Aromaticly tight, swirling and coaxing to little avail. Good weight on the palate, sappy and almost bright. Tart red cherries surrounded by almost resolved tannins, just a little more to go. Still enough fruit to warrant holding, but drink now with pleasure.

12/25/2005 - Hawaiino wrote:

After numerous Dubouefs this was my first '03 from another producer. Man, what a step up in plushness, balance, finish.
Classic nose, bright red fruits, silky mouthfeel, burgundian complexity, a finish that belies the varietal. The best Beaujolais
I've ever had, and I look forward to my other bottles. This was followed by a '99 B. Ambroise Bourgogne Rouge, and then a
'00 l'Arlot NSG Forets (too young) and this is BY FAR the memorable bottle. 95 points for surpassing it's breeding, an EXTRAordinary
Beaujolais.

7/9/2005 - Hawaiino wrote:

This was drank side by side with Cote de Baleau '01, to show some newbies the difference (huge) between food wines and quaffing wines. The Baleau really belonged with the grilled lamb, creamed spinach and bulgur with forest mushrooms, while this belonged with itself. That said, I drank it before sitting down (my privlege) and it was a BOMB of a cabernet. Highly extracted, so much fruit that the tannins were unoticeable, a medium finish, somewhat one dimensional. Couldn't wait for the next sip, cause this is a "drinkers" wine, very hedonistic. I scored it the same as the Baleau, from a parallel universe!

7/9/2005 - Hawaiino wrote:

Poured to a disadvantage with a Henrys Drive Reserve C.S. '01. Tight out of the bottle so splash decanted and refilled bottle for the table. Butterflied leg of lamb, grilled with rosemary/thyme smoke off the coals, allowed the Baleau to show its pedigree, the black fruits/lead/road smells turned to some sweet tannins with blackberry/pencil shavings on the palate. Got silky near the end, I think it far outshined the HD as a food wine, as it was meant to.