10/2/18, 2:58 AM - I see where you're coming from. The sherry cask definitely takes the edge off (whether that's good or bad- de gustibus non est disputandum). Have you tried adding a bit of water to the 10? Like, perhaps a few droplets from an eye dropper? It's bottled at nearly 46%, so you've got a little wiggle room to dilute it down slightly.If that doesn't work, I'd strongly recommend the Talisker 18 Years Old. Actually, I'd strongly recommend the 18 in any situation. It's legendary. I've not tried the Port Ruighe; as a general rule I tend to avoid their NAS bottlings based on persistently poor reviews. You can read some here: https://tinyurl.com/TaliskerVertical
10/3/18, 3:48 AM - Speaking of sherry cask finishes, just read this review of the Ledaig 13 Years Old Amontillado Cask finish, which seems like it might be up your alley: https://tinyurl.com/LedaigAmontillado
5/29/18, 1:22 PM - Thanks for the responses. I am a longtime Dunn fan and have had spectacular bottles from the 1980's with 25+ years on them, so I am inclined towards maximum patience with these babies.
1/11/18, 8:20 AM - Good note, Carl. I still have a magnum of this lying around, earmarked for next Thanksgiving. For what it's worth, I recently had a magnum of the 2008 WS Ferrington Vineyard and found it very similar to what you described here- densely fruity, smooth, but one-dimensional.
12/1/17, 7:37 PM - Marcel Proust, de retour des morts! C'est un miracle!
8/11/17, 11:04 AM - Ha! Classically Scottish service. I once had a meal in Scotland where the server brought four main dishes that nobody at the table had ordered. When informed of his error, he responded, "Oh, well, can you eat them anyway?" Superb.
6/19/17, 6:51 AM - "Oh, actually all Champagne is French, it's named after the region. Otherwise it's sparkling white wine. Americans of course don't recognize the convention so it becomes that thing of calling all of their sparkling white champagne, even though by definition they're not."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4NyXL5JAQ
12/22/16, 7:13 PM - No need to apologize. It can evolve different nuances since I tasted it three years ago. Also, this is all highly subjective and not at all scientific. Also, it's a sparkling wine from Michigan, so I feel like I already went above and beyond by 1) giving it serious consideration and 2) saying something nice about it. On a fun note, I drank this at a Rodriguez concert. Ever heard of him? You should see "Searching for Sugar Man." It's great. Almost as good as a sweet pear.
11/15/16, 6:04 AM - Looks like there is some inventory of the 15 Year Old at http://www.bcliquorstores.com/Budget price, too (near US$80)- my competitively-priced local liquor superstore is asking $100. Relief may be at hand!
9/30/16, 5:37 AM - Can you smell the glove?
9/13/16, 3:56 PM - I have had issues with several reconditioned Jaboulet bottles- not just this one, but the Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage as well. At the best, they have some serious quality control issues. At the worst, they are foisting bad merchandise off on unsuspecting buyers under the guise of "perfect provenance." Either way, I am not wasting any more money on Jaboulet wines. Chapoutier is better, anyway.
9/10/16, 2:09 PM - Are you recommending it for drinking, or for cooking - or, indeed, for drinking while cooking?
8/15/16, 9:09 AM - "Oh, actually all champagne is French, it's named after the region. Otherwise it's sparkling white wine. Americans of course don't recognize the convention, so it becomes that thing of calling all of their sparkling white 'champagne,' even though by definition they're not... It's a lot like 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' In many ways it's superior but will never be as recognized as the original."
8/15/16, 10:13 AM - Don't beat yourself up about it. Tia Carrere made the same mistake:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4NyXL5JAQ
7/7/16, 5:08 PM - Revisiting this, the nose has become dominated by the new American oak aromas. There is also an intrusive sulfurous aroma, likely from the components of the blend matured in sherry casks that impart the reddish hue. It's beginning to become clear what corners were cut in order for Suntory to do away with the age statement. This is falling farther away from the benchmark Hibiki 12 Years Old; today's tasting would warrant a few points of downgrade to my original score.
4/17/16, 10:09 AM - Revisiting this, having allowed it an hour to breathe in the glass. What a difference! The nose is in full-on Christmas mode, with ample aromas of pine resin. This also has a sweetly oaky note, a bit like maple syrup. Fully expressing the Hakushu's woodland location, this has become much more interesting and probably warrants a score of 94-95.
3/13/16, 6:38 PM - Thanks for the update. Faiveley's wines have historically been impossible to drink without at least 25 years of age on them. Wonder what the recent stylistic shift of the house will mean for future vintages?
3/13/16, 6:08 PM - How do you say "incorrect" in Danish?
3/6/16, 9:15 AM - 70+ years sounds like a stretch, but then again the tasting notes for the 1925 and 1945 Château Figeac on CellarTracker seem to indicate that these vintages are still enjoyable. The nice thing about Bordeaux is there's usually plenty of it around if you're willing to pay. If I revisit this in 2025 and it changes my life, I'll certainly be able to find another bottle at auction.
5/13/15, 11:19 AM - I attended a dinner in 2008, hosted by Mr. Vatelot, where we tasted Reignac (2003 and 2004) and Balthus (2003 and 2004) blind against Lafite-Rothschild (2004), Haut-Brion (2003), Cheval Blanc (2003), and Dominus (2004). By consensus, the 2003 Balthus and Reignac beat out offerings from the same vintage from Haut-Brion and Cheval Blanc. Lafite and Dominus were preferred, though Reignac certainly wasn't embarrassed by the comparison. Considering that Reignac and Balthus sold for $20-30/bottle, it was a triumph that they held their own against wines >10x more expensive. Astute observers will note that all these wines were a maximum of 5 years old at the time. The real test, in my opinion, is whether Reignac will age for multiple decades. Reignac shows well in its youth, but I have difficulty believing that it will be as vivacious in 30+ (or even 60+) years in the way that First Growth Bordeaux from the superlative vintages are. Time, as always, will tell.To that end, I have a vertical of Reignac (1998 and 2001-2005) that I've been meaning to taste through. Notes to come, once I get around to it.
2/25/16, 3:02 PM - Finally got around to the Reignac vertical. You can view the results here: https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=30723
2/18/16, 6:23 AM - Short answer: I was splitting hairs.Long answer: Of course one can find differences between the wines. That's true not only between vineyards, but between bottles from the same vineyard. My source of disappointment is that the "house style" always seems to override any vineyard-specific characteristics. Again, this begs the question: why bother making 21 wines? If this was a standard $25-40/bottle New World Pinot Noir, I wouldn't be complaining. But you've got a range of price points from $40 to $100+/bottle, which puts these wines in competition with 1er Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy. Those wines can express incredibly wide variation between appellations and lieu-dits, with vineyards separated by a few hundred feet having totally different aromatic and flavor profiles. Williams Selyem's wines, by comparison, seem homogeneous and boring. These aren't bad wines; they are pleasant and enjoyable. They're just kind of a rip off. You're paying classified Burgundy prices without getting any of the magical nuances that make classified Burgundy worth paying up for. I don't know if the deficiency is with the terroir, or the vines, or the winemaker. That's for them to sort out; they should do it soon, lest they lose other devoted customers who wise up.
7/21/15, 1:21 PM - Would be interested to hear more thoughts on this. I have drunk Williams Selyem wines with up to 14 years' age on them, but didn't have enough of a frame of reference then to reach an educated conclusion. Does the longevity increase as one migrates up the range in price?
6/8/15, 7:15 AM - This is a widespread, incorrect belief- a review of the technical sheets from the winery shows clearly that they use oak barrels as well as foudre across a number of their wines.
6/8/15, 9:24 AM - You contend that Brocard never uses oak on its Chablis, despite the vintner's having provided evidence to the contrary. Is it possible that they may have used some oak for this wine in this vintage? Regardless, this $25 bottle of Village-level Chablis doesn't merit ongoing rancorous debate. It's a free country; if you disagree strongly, I'd encourage you to add your own tasting note to correct any misapprehensions caused by my review.
5/28/15, 12:49 PM - Consumed the remainder of this bottle a few days later. Room temperature and some air notably improved this. The acidity was more forceful, lending structure to what had previously been a rather flaccid mouthfeel. I also noticed greater depth to the nose and palate. Would probably upgrade this to an 88. Recommend allowing this to warm up and breathe before enjoying.
4/22/15, 7:13 AM - Thoughts on a drinking window? I have a case of these that I am struggling to stay out of.
2/22/15, 11:05 AM - Please re-read my tasting note attentively. At no point did I indicate that the wine was corked. On the contrary, this was full-throttle. However the vigorously alcoholic and extracted style combined with injudicious use of oak made this wine unpleasant to drink. I didn't rate it "flawed" because it wasn't flawed; I rated it 70 because it sucked.
1/6/15, 3:42 PM - Darren, I'd suggest trying some older vintages for perspective. These wines are built to last, making them somewhat inaccessible in their youth. I recently had a 1995 Tignanello at Cantinetta Antinori (the vintner's restaurant) in Zurich, and it was mind-blowing. Very lovely, subtle flavors of truffles and sous-bois. It's not necessarily classically Tuscan (I find it lacking the "red rocks" flavor that distinguishes the region) but these do tend to suggest elegant, mature Bordeaux as they get older. Terroir extremists (terroirists?) may scorn this, but that just leaves more for the open-minded.
7/31/14, 3:37 PM - Best CellarTracker review ever.
7/17/14, 6:50 PM - Pretty sure it wasn't flawed. It didn't taste stewed or funky or corked or anything- just dull. As I said, I had this several years back and recall a similar impression, despite generally being a big fan of Dominique Ay's wines. I'll certainly try again in the future.
7/11/14, 2:08 PM - Very helpful, thank you!
7/7/14, 9:13 AM - Kindly indicate exactly which Sauvignon Blancs taste like Les Clos, because I'd immediately buy a case.
5/31/14, 9:32 PM - (2014-1982=32)
1/29/14, 3:34 PM - Did you purchase them from different sources? Sounds like a case that was left out in the sun. I've had three bottles of this in the past month that were all excellent, with nary a sign of the rotten smells you note. Maybe you should press the seller for a refund.
12/30/13, 9:39 AM - Exactly my point, ArtF: my willingness to pay this much is going to be based on whether I have comparable or better alternatives for a similar or lower price. At $150/bottle, I'd argue that I do. In addition to the French wines mentioned above, Harlan's neighbor Dominus sells their first wine for roughly that much. As I said, I like the Harlan folks and I enjoy their wine, and I would like to patronize their enterprise through fat and lean years. However, I'm going to be less inclined to purchase consistently in the lesser vintages (2011: I'm looking at you) at $150/bottle, whereas I would probably put in a three-bottle order every year at $75/bottle, just to support the team.They know how to run their business better than I do, and I'm sure there is no shortage of takers for every drop they have to offer. I'm not claiming to be anything more than a lone, plaintive voice in the wilderness. I believe the point deserves to be made, nonetheless.
11/14/13, 11:10 AM - It's nearly impossible to judge these wines in their youth as they are built to age, with so much structural support in the form of the prominent tannins you mentioned. I'd suggest trying some of the late 1980's or early 1990's vintages. Even at 20+ years, they are still vivacious and evolving positively. While Dunn's wines lack accessibility, they reward the patient, and at a fraction of the cost of similarly high-quality wines.
10/16/13, 6:14 AM - Chatters, to first answer succinctly: Coravin is way more than a novelty gadget or a fancy corkscrew. It has its ups and downs, however. On the positive side, it performs as advertised, as far as I can tell from a few months of using it. Wine in the bottle stays fresh over several weeks' time. I like that it allows me to have a single glass of wine (on a weeknight, say) without having to commit to an entire bottle, or resorting to a chaper bottle with half poured down the drain or saved for cooking. It's also fun to have friends over and to be able to offer them a taste of anything in the cellar. Drawbacks are few, but here they are: it's an expensive piece of kit, at nearly $300. With time and economies of scale, I wonder if the price won't come down? The argon gas also has an associated cost- at $10/capsule and 15 glasses per capsule, it adds about $4 to the cost of a bottle of wine. Thus if you think the convenience is worth, say, a 10% premium, it only really makes sense to use on bottles that are $40 and up. Another drawback is that it doesn't allow older wine to aerate and mature, which is sometimes key to enjoying it. I have been underwhelmed by some older bottles at first but, after decanting, they really start to bloom. The downside of the wine remaining fresh is that it stays exactly that way- fresh. I guess you could use the Coravin to decant half a bottle, or to allow the glasses to sit and aerate a while. I also had a problem with two bottles- both Fichet Meursault- where everything seemed fine at first. However, the next day I noticed that the cork was soaked through with wine, and the wine had oxidized. I tried this with a second bottle of the same wine and encountered the same issue. I don't know if this is specific to the type of cork Fichet used, but it was irritating to lose a whole bottle and have to drink the entire second one straightaway. That said, I have used this dozens of times on various wines and this is the only issue I have had. However, it makes me a little nervous about using the device on a seriously special bottle. In all, I'm a satisfied customer and would recommend this.
10/17/13, 7:00 AM - The Fichets were both 2005. I have used this on older wines (e.g. this C.V.N.E., which I tried again last night, with no issues) that have been just fine. I am thinking now that this is attributable to cork problems with that vintner and vintage, but will check back in if the issues recur with other wines.
8/20/13, 6:25 AM - I myself was surprised, given that other reviewers seemed to really enjoy this. It's entirely possible that it was an off bottle. I have two more bottles in the cellar, so will certainly be revisiting this with high hopes. The foie gras suggestion is a good one; I was thinking this might be a nice substitute for heavier sweet wines like Sauternes, for when a lighter pairing is required.
8/19/13, 7:40 PM - Had another glass of this three days on, again accessed using Coravin. Showing more depth, with charcoal and tobacco flavors emerging on the palate. Fruit flavors tending towards the darker side: plum, blackberry and so forth. Better than the 2009 Sonoma Coast.
8/18/13, 7:05 PM - Decanted overnight, this is far more expressive. Candied red apple, cinnamon sigar and sweet oak aromas dominate the nose. The palate is darker, with ripe black fruit and a persistent sweet/spicy note on the long finish. Tannins are more integrated, indicating this may benefit from extended decanting. I reiterate my prior assessment that this represents good value for the price.
7/7/13, 5:27 PM - 24 hours later, a bit more expressive on the palate. This has a lovely, dark, brooding taste. Still diificult to score, but would be leaning towards 90-92+. Worth revisiting, to be sure.
5/7/13, 6:49 PM - Decanted overnight, on day two the fruit scents on the nose have deepened. This also takes on a gamey nose of roast venison, complimented by herbaceous anise and thyme aromas. On the palate this is more broad to start, but retains tart tightness and dry minerality on the finish, indicating a good few years of life in this one, yet. Superlative.
4/22/13, 11:41 AM - Decanted this overnight, on day two the wine is much more smooth while not losing any power or concentration. The nose now has a pronounced aroma of chocolate. The palate broadens out to incorporate more deep, rich fruit flavors. If this gives any indication of the maturation potential, there may well be upside to my 91 point score.
3/10/13, 9:24 AM - Decanted this overnight, hoping for improvement. If anything, it was more dull than on day one, with the aromas and flavors becoming muddled together into an indistinct whole. A real shame.
2/19/13, 6:19 AM - Should note that the flavor profile of this "darkened" significantly after a few hours' decanting. Started to be dominated by tar, ash, and cigar aromas and flavors. In truth, I liked it a little better "fresh" out of the bottle, or with some modest decanting. Still, good quality overall.
2/14/13, 12:29 PM - Great story, and a great review. Happy anniversary- hope it won't be your last (or, indeed, your last bottle of Haut-Brion!)
2/6/13, 7:14 PM - Decanted overnight, this is a bit beefier on day two. The nose and palate have darkened significantly, with a stony/cacao aroma and more woodsy, black fruit flavors. Still not much tannic assertion here, but enough smells and tastes to warrant more than superficial consideration. I reiterate that this is good value for the money.
1/29/13, 6:43 AM - Tasted again after 24 hours of being open. The nose is darker and richer now, which piqued my hopes for some improvement on the palate. Alas, the fruit remains bound up and stunted. Maybe this is a tremendous late bloomer? Given how forward comparable wines from this vintage are, I have my doubts. Would echo the disappointment of the other tasting notes.
1/15/13, 11:47 AM - Good info Champagneinhand, thanks. In your experience with the Bouchard, do the individual elements (the principal characteristics of each vineyard, say) ever start to assert themselves in a discernible way? Because the big disappointment here was how everything got muddled together, the way you can mix all the colors of paint and end up with brown. I bought 6 bottles of this without tasting, so I'll have ample opportunity to revisit it, I'm afraid. Watch this space.
1/15/13, 5:21 PM - Decanted overnight, this has a bit more depth on the nose. Some darker aromas emerging, like mocha and espresso. There's a brandied cherry or kirschwasser quality to this now as well, with a very pronounced acetone note. Palate hasn't really evolved much, though the tannins have asserted themselves with a bit more of a tart finish. I'll guess an' fear for a few years before I try any of the remaining bottles.
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