5/21/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Medium yellow, pear, bruised fruits, red apple skins and granny smith tartness. Lots of mineral. Extremely acidic on the palate, wakes you up immediately. Better after a decant or in our case on the second day.

Needs 10-20 years.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour and served from Riedel Bdx glass
Garnet with slight bricking at rim
Sweet, kirschy, chinotto, amaretto, christmas spice, almond and celery salt.
Medium + acid, medium - tannin, high alcohol, though integrates after about 30 minutes.
Outstanding long finish. Love how these old amarones almost turn into burgundies.
Still lots of life left.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

From riedel Bdx glass. From a freshly opened OWC, cellared since release.
Garnet to rim, no fading at all.
Nose of roasted earth/soil, cherry liqueur, cassis, menthol, anise, burned hazelnut.
After two hours decant this is perfectly seamless on the palate, great mouthfeel, medium+ acid, medium but integrated tanning and long finish.
Incredible, would suggest 1 hour decant for maximum pleasure.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Similar to prior notes, this is just great stuff.
Golden color
Pineapple, lemon rind, tropical fruits and oak.
Full bodied, medium+ acid, medium alcohol, long finish.
Really great QPR for high quality white burg IMO.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

From riedel riesling glass
Straw color
Explosive florality, white flowers, orange blossoms, peach, stonefruit, almonds.
Very fresh on the palate, refreshing, a touch oily but not in the overly heavy way of roussanne/marsanne. Medium + acidity, medium finish, low alcohol.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

From Riedel Bdx glass
Deep garnet to rim, no signs of age.
Jammy red and black fruits, volcanic dark mineral, flinty, graphite and herbs on the nose.
On the palate this is still intense, young and bright. Medium acid, medium + tannin, medium + alcohol, medium+ finish.
Purchased on release at the winery, this is just showing so youthfully still. The one big detractor is the heat which is why I can't give it more than 90 pts. Without the heat or if you don't mind it, this is really a great wine. If storage is good, I'd see this going another 5-10 years easy.

5/20/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

From Krug glass
Golden color, few tiny bubbles
Oxidative nose, marzipan, lemon curd, huge florality, like burying your nose in a flower and brioche.
On the palate still very alive, huge acidity still present and primary flavors are flowers and brioche.
Stylistically I'd like this about 5 years younger, but still very enjoyable at this age, and many will in fact prefer it if you like some oxidation on your champs.

5/8/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Riedel syrah stem, ruby garnet to rim.
Very intense right out of the bottle, with a nose of raspberry, cherry, blackberry kirsch. Menthol, black licorice and hoisin sauce/spice.
Palate is very kirschy with huge fruit still, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin and high alcohol. Finish is 20-30 seconds. Actually find this wine quite hot, the finish is a bit out of balance. I struggle to decide if this would be better younger or older than it is now.
I think this still has ways to go and would suggest a few hour decant if drinking now, or hold 5-10 years.
Great pairing with a chinese five spice marinated pork tenderloin and hoisin sauce.

5/7/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Drank from Riedel Syrah stem, 2 hour decant, initially a bit of funk and did not enjoy the finish. This improved after decanting.
Garnet purple to rim
Classic Cayuse nose of cherry, roasted meats, tar, olive, smoke, and floral. Also a bit of graphite/darkness. Intense, but not as big as some vintages, and the Armada is quite refined.
Palate is also very restrained for a Cayuse, black/red fruits, smoke, meat, olive, tar, medium+ acid, medium alcohol, medium tannin. 20-30 second finish.
Some might criticize this vintage, but it comes off as very restrained and low alcohol at 13.5%. Actually keeps great balance because of this.
Can drink now with a decant or in next 5 years, maybe 10.

5/3/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Drank from Riedel syrah glass
Ruby-garnet to rim.
Beautiful ripe red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, roses, roasted meat, mineral, leafy note and some graphite. Also a touch of celery salt and white pepper.
Medium + acid, medium tannin, medium alcohol.
Overall a very elegant and bright wine, very light on its feet.
Perfect pairing of tonight's courses was cassoulet with white beans, bacon lardons, thyme, and the accents provided by small celery pieces.
Excellent. Drink now-2030.

5/3/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Perfection in a glass.
Orange color with an beautiful gradient through the glass.
Intense apricot, peach, stonefruit, marmalade and botrytis on the nose.
Incredible explosiveness of fruit on the palate followed by searing acidity that carries the finish forever. No alcohol. A tiny sip will last 5 minutes, this wine is breathtaking, the only perfect score I've ever given a wine in over 10K bottles.

5/3/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served with poulet au vin jaune, the perfect pairing.
Straw color
Nose is intensely nutty with sea foam, bitter walnut, baked apple and caramel. Touch of salty cheese rind like pecorino.
Palate - walnut, green apple, sea foam, high acid, medium alcohol, and incredibly long finish of oily almonds and walnuts.
Love this stuff.

5/3/2020 - cmbond Likes this wine:

A perfectly clean bottle of 45 year old Rioja.
Drank out of Riedel burgundy glass, virtually no reductive elements when popped and poured and minimal sediment.
Bricking color but still a pure garnet core.
Nose of strawberry, dried cherry, roses, saddle leather, spice and perhaps a touch of lifted crab apple or menthol.
Palate still plenty of fruit considering the age with strawberry, cherry, cut wood, roses, fennel seed and cinnamon.
Medium acid, tannin fully resolved, virtually no alcohol, long finish.
Awesome, can't believe how clean this bottle was. Drinking in its prime.

4/28/2020 - cmbond wrote:

Medium gold
Nose of pineapple, lemon, brioche, creamy vanilla oak
Palate creamy, lemon curd, mineral, oak, wood is present but not obtrusive.
High acid, long finish, excellent value white burg, absolute bargain at $60 CAD.
Drinking window easy 5-10 years, maybe longer.

4/28/2020 - cmbond wrote:

Popped and poured into Riedel syrah stem
Purple
Nose is funky, bramble fruit, raspberry, blackberry, flowers, white pepper and mineral on the nose, chalky iron soil note.
Palate is boisterous with ripe and jammy red and blue fruit, raspberry jam is most pronounced, but also blackberry, boysenberry, great white pepper note, non-specific floral/herb quality and touch of bitterness, ?whole cluster. Medium+ acid and tannin, medium alcohol. Medium + finish.
I really adore the Gallety wines from the bottom to the top, they're all great. The criticism could be a touch of excessive sweetness and jamminess. The Clos Latin is truly spectacular if you can ever find it.

4/28/2020 - cmbond wrote:

Stood upright 24 hours, drank from Riedel Bdx glass
Clear + clean, garnet, slight brick at rim
No sediment in bottle at all
Nose of cherry, burnt soil/tuscan earth, graphite, cracked pepper and spice
Palate tart cherry, scorched earth, spice, tight grained wood finish. Med plus acid, medium tannin, long finish.
Paired with tomato+basil salad, gnocchi with mushroom/thyme and lamb shank. Best pairing was gnocchi, mushroom really enhanced both the wine and food, tomato+basil second best, lamb shank least good.

A very good wine and an excellent showing, preferred with food to on its own when it came off a tiny bit thin and acidic on the finish. Overall still great, 92-93 pts. Can still hold up to 5 years, but will probably encounter the standard riserva issue of excessive oak shining through over the fruit as time goes by.

9/12/2017 - cmbond wrote:

Sold to DSL for $60

9/12/2017 - cmbond wrote:

No formal notes, but this is in a great spot right now and the 03 vintage was great for Solaia despite the 01/04 hype (both of those are great too)

9/12/2017 - cmbond wrote:

Bretty AF

9/4/2016 - cmbond wrote:

Really enjoyed this compared with the 2002 Winston which we've had a bunch this year and I feel is lacking in acidity (like many WCs)
Lemon, apple, bracing acidity, medium toast, develops nuttiness with air. Long finish.
Excellent now and will improve.

3/4/2015 - cmbond wrote:

Cork smelled like TCA and wine was brown/oxidized. Double fucked.

2/3/2015 - cmbond wrote:

Purchased from winery and... Corked.

Fucker!

11/30/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Part of our multi-day horizontal of 2009 Bdx. From 375 mL.

Garnet to rim.
Nose: Black cherry, cassis, lots of herb and chocolate. The most herbal and greenest of any 09 we have tasted.
Palate similar to nose, tons of herb, a bit bitter on finish, overall unimpressed considering price point compared with many other 09s.

11/30/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

C: Ruby-garnet, transparent
N: Cherry, raspberry, black raspberry, earth, vanilla, flowers, mineral
P: Raspberry and black raspberry, sweet fruit, juicy, not extracted or jammy, earth, vanilla, flowers, medium alcohol, medium acid, little tannin.

Overall an amazing wine, intoxicating nose, great palate, easily drinkable but complex and awesome. In a great spot right now. Immediately will be buying more of this, especially considering the 2012 vintage is current.

Best pinot we've had in a long time, from any country.

10/19/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Dirk/Camille and I by Rob:

C: Garnet to rim.
N: Beautiful, complex nose of cassis, blackberry, herb, wet forest floor, cedar, tobacco leaf.
P: Rich, intense, congruent with nose, med+ acid, med+ tannin, long finish, excellent balance, smooth transitions across palate.

Overall, all three of us guessed a 2005 St. Julien wine, so this definitely has some character of the region. Camille the Barton, me the Las Cases and Dirk the Poyferre. We were shocked to see this was a 2003 as it is so classic in its aromas, palate and balance. It doesn't have the jammy fruit that many 2003s (eg. the Poyferre) have and doesn't reflect the heat of the vintage IMO. A fantastic wine and huge value here. If you see this, buy. Very impressive wine from Barton.

10/19/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Rob/Dirk with Iberico Ham :)

C: Garnet with slight bricking at rim.
N: Lots of fruit, blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, spice, cinnamon, earth. Medium oak
P: Congruent with nose. Intensed, Med+ acid, med+ tannin, nicely integrated. Good balance.

Overall an excellent wine, completely different from Spanish Tempranillo as it has so much fruit and the acidity isn't nearly as sharp as something like a Lopez de Heredia wine. Also doesn't have the leather/stink of many classic Riojas. However, it was tremendously well received by everyone, Dirk included (he loved it and had more than two ounces, so you know it's good). Would def buy more.

10/19/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Dirk/Rob at our place

C: Amber
N: Slight lemon curd, but fruit mostly gone, butterscotch, almond, madeirized slightly.
P: More fruit on palate than nose, apple, pear, lemon, butterscotch, almond. Medium- acid, no tannin, medium- alcohol.

Overall a very interesting wine. Slightly sherried/madeirized which is expected given the age, but not overly so. We agreed that many 96 white burgs are much worse in terms of prem-ox. Paired great with food (sous vide salmon), based on its manzanilla (minus the acid) quality. Palate is much better than the nose, and this was more enjoyable to drink than 89 points, but on a technical score, it has to be marked down.

10/19/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Camille and I by Dirk: Decanted 2 hours, drank over another 2-3 hours.

C: Garnet to rim, clear
N: Blackberry, chocolate, herb, bell pepper, vanilla, intense. Moderate oak.
P: Congruent with nose, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, angularity of acid on mid-back palate transition was obtrusive and also slightly hot.

Guesses: Old world, Right bank Bdx vs. supertuscan, I guessed a 98 or 2001 Ornellaia, Camille a Cheval-Blanc.
Overall, vastly overpriced and completely absurd that people pay so much for this wine. 4th Masseto (1998, 2000, 2004, 2006) and we all agreed that Ornellaia is actually a superior wine for 1/4 the price, and that if both Ornellaia and Masseto were priced the same, we'd prefer Ornellaia. It's crazy to me that a $500+/bottle wine can't at least be perfectly balanced. That is a minimum requirement at this price. Furthermore, Galatrona is a far better QPR for 100% Italian merlot, although it is a different style and flashier than Masseto.

10/8/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Camille, her notes:

C: Garnet, slight rusting at rim
N: Creme de cassis, coconut, herbal, forest floor.
P: Congruent with nose, medium acid, medium tannin, medium+ finish, smooth, supple tannin, well integrated and balanced. At least 12 months new french oak.

Guess: Old world, cab sauv + merlot (actually cab franc/merlot), Bordeaux, 2005. Guessed a Margaux, actually St. Emilion.

Great value at $35, ready to drink now-next 5 years but don't see it getting a lot better than right now.

9/27/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Yay, I did a perfect! I did a perfect!

Served blind to me by Camille, my notes.

C:Garnet to rim, no bricking.
N:Cassis, wet forest floor, earth, bell pepper and white rice (two classic bolgheri notes for me)
P: Intense, full body, medium+ acid and medium+ tannin, perfectly balanced, seamless, long finish.

My guess: Italian, Cab sauv based, maybe cab franc/merlot blended, Bolgheri, 2004, Solaia.
Value: $150, paid $134.

Boom, nailed it. Yay!

9/19/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Served blind to Camille, her notes.

C:Light straw, clear.
N:Pretty, floral, white flowers, mineral, stonefruit, peach and lemon.
P:Dry, light, very clean, bright, lemon juice, minerals, peach blossom, medium acid. Medium minus body. Not much oak. Finish medium.

Overall, palate not as nice as nose. Super clean, feels like you just brushed your teeth after drinking it.
Camille's guess: Old world, alsatian riesling, value = $35.

9/15/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Camille, her notes (2.5 hour decant)

C: Dark garnet, opaque.
N: Black fruit, cassis and dark cherry, light mineral/stone, light spice, non-specific, earth, forest floor, oak present but not over the top vanilla.
P: Congruent with nose tasting notes. Very balanced, medium acid, medium tannin, lovely smooth tannins, medium+ finish. Medium EtOH. Non-obtrusive oak, but present.

Camille's Guess: Old world, Cab Sauvignon and Merlot with hint of Cab Franc, no petit verdot. (Actual blend is 70/20/10 of those, so pretty good :)
France, left bank, Pauillac vs. St. Julien, tastes like Leoville-Poyferre.
Vintage guess = 2001 or 2003.
Would pay $175.

9/14/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Served blind to Camille, her notes:

C: Garnet, bricking rim. Transparent.
N: Red fruit, cherry, graphite, slate, spice, cinnamon, straight tight grained oak, leather, menthol
P: Light cherry, spice, cinnamon, cloves, menthol, finely grained wood tannin.
Medium body, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, medium+ EtOH, age >10 years old.

Camille's guess: Old world, syrah, ?GSM/CDP, > 10 years, value $80-100.

9/10/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Opened this because we were angry about the disappointing 2002 Potel Clos de la Roche.

C: Ruby to rim with faint bricking.
N: Raspberry, cream, sweet pea flowers
P: Creamy raspberry, bright, medium body, medium plus acidity, medium tannin, medium EtOH, significant life left in this, impressive for their entry level Pinot offering.

Better than the 02' Potel. Sadness ensues.

9/10/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Served blind to Chris, his notes:

C:Med garnet, bricking at rim
N:Tart cherry, floral, earth, orange rind, celery leaf, pretty but stinky.
P:Tart cherry, floral, earth, angular, a bit disjointed, medium acid, medium minus body, tannin fully integrated. Acidity of a wine past its prime.

Overall I thought this was pinot noir, old world vs. older oregon style (eg. DDO). Value for me is $50 but I think past prime. Shocked by this wine given a great vintage, produced and Grand Cru vineyard.

Best pairing = Quail terrine, fantastic, elevates the wine a couple of points.

9/8/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Served blind to Camille, her notes:

C: Ruby to rim, transparent, clear.
N: Sweet pea flower, light creamy cherry, non-specific spice and mineral, hint of oak.
P: More strawberry than cherry on palate, florals, vanilla, some new oak. Medium acid, medium tannin, medium EtOH, medium finish. Easily drinkable, a very light wine on the palate.

Overall this is fairly simple, quite light but has some elegance/finesse typical of Volnay. Camille thought it was a Bourgogne level wine though, and would value at $30, so for $115, this is terrible QPR.
Bought this because it would be an early drinker, which it is, but it's just not that complex or interesting.

Buy some 2005/09/10 Bourgogne instead for the same experience at a fraction of the cost.

9/7/2014 - cmbond Does not like this wine:

Served blind to Camille, her notes:

Ruby-garnet to rim.
N: Jammy red fruit, strawberry, red currant, spice, vanilla, heavy oak, almost confected.
P: Red currant, strawberry, spice, heavy oak, medium plus acid, medium plus tannin, harsh tannin quality, overpowers delicate nature of fruit. Hot, alcoholic. Short, bitter finish.

Camille's guess: New world, Washington, atypical grape, but could be merlot or syrah. Hot, young, heavily oaked. Would not buy, value marked at $0, hahaha.

Actually 100% Lemberger (like Hogue from WA State) which is the only other Lemberger she's had. This suffers from every usual Lemberger flaw, overoaked, hot and unbalanced. Would not buy.

9/7/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Camille, her tasting note and guess:

C:Medium-dark straw color. Clear.
N:Stonefruit, peach, mineral, slate, flinty, green grass, moderate intensity.
P:Congruent with nose, lots of minerality, medium plus acid, medium body, medium alcohol, finishes with some oaky notes. Well balanced from start to finish.

Camille's Guess: Old world, France, Loire, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009.

Actually a 2008 100% Chenin Blanc, not Sauvignon. Tons of Loire valley qualities, especially the flint, and minerality from the gravel soils of Saumur. I also would have guessed Sauv blind, the distinguishing characteristic may be the use of oak, which is noticeable on the finish, and comes from the 30% new oak used in the wine. Probably less likely to find any oak in the stainless fermented Loire Sauv Blanc.

Overall a very enjoyable wine, Camille valued at $35, which was exact retail.

9/2/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Bottle from Cellarraiders, purchased in August 2014.

Served blind to Camille with Wonton soup at home. The umami from the shiitake's is literally the best pairing ever with good Cab. Far superior to the standard bullshit steak pairing. Better than lamb which I love as well with good aged Cab.

Camille's blind notes:

C: Garnet with bricking at rim.
N: Red/black fruit, cherry, cassis, tons of tobacco, wet forest floor, cedar. White rice and bell pepper came later ~1 hour after opening.
P: Congruent fruit and non-fruit flavors with nose. Seamless, balanced, med acidity, fully integrated tannin, long finish.

Camille's guess: Cab/merlot blend, 1980s, Napa.

Overall this is awesome stuff, I would have guessed Bordeaux and it would be a great ringer for a blind tasting. I wonder if my bottle had warmer storage than some of the notes on CT, but I would definitely drink this now, I don't see much improvement coming. It is fantastic now.

9/1/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Labor Day = Grange Day for Camille and I. Served non-blind.
Opened at 830 AM, beautiful aromatics right off the bat.
Initial PnP note
C: Nearly purple
N: Blackberry, cassis, leather, tobacco, graphite, meat, vanilla, hint of eucalyptus. More depth to nose than 10 hours later.
P: Massive, super intense full bodied wine. Fresh fruit, not jammy tough. Very high acid and huge tannin. New oak. Long finish 60+seconds

10 hours decanting later:
N: Classic Grange creamy cassis, blackberry, vanilla, hint eucalyptus, soy sauce, cinnamon.
P: Dense, dark, concentrated, still massive. Sweet ripe fruit. Creamy blackberry/cassis, dark chocolate/cocoa, vanilla. Acid and tannin have smoothed out considerably but still huge. High alcohol.

Overall awesome stuff, will try the 2nd half of bottle tomorrow and post updated note.
Preferred the initial nose, right on opening it, but at 10 hours it was more drinkable. This is just huge, awesome stuff. Needs 20+ years I think. Probably will still be huge at 10 years.

Day 2:
After 2 hour decant on day two, this finally came up with what we consider the classic Grange nose: Creamy vanilla cassis, eucalyptus, black licorice. Beautiful stuff. Still quite hot though if you drink without food. I find the heat slightly obtrusive, but there is a lot of everything stuffed into this wine, so it should all integrate nicely. At least I hope so, considering how much I'm going to have to drink.

8/29/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind to Camille, her notes:

C: Ruby with pale edge, no bricking. Clear
N: Loads of ripe field strawberry, clover, fresh cut meadow, hint of slate, cinnamon. Fruit is fresh and ripe but not jammy. Low EtOH, low-medim intensity. Neutral oak. (Actually 3-4 year old barrels)
P:Light on the attack, field strawberry, spices and cinnamon. Med+acid, light body, tannin completely resolved. Concentration picks up on finish and there is a bit of heat after.

Camille's guess: Cool-moderate climate at elevation, old world, gamay, Beaujolais Nouveau.

We had a 2012 version of this last week and it was similarly aromatic/perfumed but way more intense. I would drink my 08s now and think this likely peaked about 2 years ago. Will try the 2012s again in 2016.

8/26/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Drank with Andrew and Camille at Anju (Calgary)

C: Gold-green, fine bubbles
N: Initially Granny Smith apple skins was pretty much all you could smell. No toast/oak, little else. Very primary. After 1 hour, toast/brioche became evident and fruit became caramelized apple, like a candy apple.
P:Searing acidity and green apple skins at first, the most acid I have ever tasted in a wine outside of a Sercial Madeira. The blazing acid carried the finish for at least a full minute, but again very primary. The candy apply and toast came out later but still great acid and wonderful finish.

Overall this is just super young. Would definitely decant for 1-2 hours next bottle. Really cool stuff, great evolution, and definitely identifiable based on the acidity and finish. Overall still prefer 96 Dom to this, but their prices are getting ever closer.

8/26/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

From half-bottle, served to Camille blind alongside 2009 Giulia Negri La Tartufaia
Camille's blind note below, tasted over 2-3 hours.

C:Garnet-purple to the rim. Nearly opaque.
N:Blueberry, blackberry, jammy fruit, vanilla, bit of black pepper, menthol, not much earthiness, driven by super intense fruit. Intense on the nose. Heavy oak, new world style.
P:Blueberry jam, vanilla, little bit of pepper. Dry, full bodied, medium acid, medium plus alcohol, medium plus tannin, medium plus finish.

Camille's guess: New world, Aussie or California Syrah.

Overall an intense, oaky, new world but well balanced wine. Perfect if you're in the mood for a big monster. Surprised since this is 9 years old and came from half-bottle (maybe it's the cold cellar). Tastes like a hot vintage that Michel Rolland got a hold of. Have had other 05 CNDPs lately (Vieux Donjon, Telegraphe, Clos des Papes) and this one is the least characteristic of the location of any of them. Great if you're in the mood for Aussie Syrah, but we were both pretty shocked by this one, especially having had many Beaucastels in the past.

8/25/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Served blind to Camille

C: Garnet with hint of brown at rim but not bricking. Transparent.
N: Red cherry, rose petal, hint of violet, bit of earth, rosemary stems, partial new oak
P: Similar flavors to nose, red fruit, roses, tar. Dry, high acid, medium alcohol, fine and grippy tannin, finish medium length.

Camille's guesses: Old world, moderate climate, grape(s) nebbiolo vs. tempranillo, age=old.

Worth = $50

8/23/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Served blind for Camille along with 2012 Burgaud Gamay

Color: Garnet-purple, deep.

Nose: Sweet blue-black fruit. Blueberry, cassis. Intense nose making us think the wine would be quite alcoholic.
Roasted black pepper meat shop is dominant non-fruit character. New oak, vanilla, creamy. (20% new French for 18-20 months)

Palate: Much lighter/less intense than expected given the nose. Raspberry, blueberry, roasted meats, black pepper.
Dry, medium acid, medium + body. Medium alcohol, well-balanced, no heat. Fine tannin, medium finish.

Camille's guess: Moderate climate, syrah, Cote-Rotie, no Viognier co-ferment. High quality.

Overall: Very high quality stuff in its youth. Super intense nose but a light/balanced palate. Weakness is that it's a bit light in the mid-palate, but overall very solid wine. Price point guess was $125, so a good deal at $85.

8/23/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Opened blind for Camille alongside 2011 Voge Cornas.

Color: Ruby garnet to rim. Transparent.

Nose: Explosive, amazing nose. One of the best we've smelled in years.
Black-red fruit, sour cherry, raspberry, briar fruits. Fresh, not dried.
Floral with red roses, violets and moss. Cloves. Also has a nice minerality.

Palate: Congruent flavor profile with nose. Dry, medium plus acid, high alcohol with heat on finish. Coarse tannin, medium plus. Medium finish.

Camille's guess: Old world, moderate climate, pinot noir vs. grenache vs. gamay.

Overall a fantastic wine and would pay closer to $100 for this than the $35 retail. Great buy. Main detractor is the heat and palate is not as good as the nose. For a pinot noir with a nose this good I'd probably be paying Vogue/DRC prices though.

6/27/2014 - cmbond wrote:

Madeirized, bricking edge, muted fruit. Very strange for this wine/vintage.

6/10/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Drank a few weeks ago so no formal note, but this is still intense, concentrated and full of tannin. No rush to drink this, should easily go another 5-10 years.

6/10/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:

Garnet with bricking at rim. Nose of cassis, earth, touches of eucalyptus and stewed fruit. Palate is still huge, with dark intense cassis, chocolate and again a tiny bit stewy. Still has great acidity and slightly grippy tannin. Overall very impressed by all the 1987 Napa Cabs of the past 6 months, the vintage produced structured, balanced wines that are still drinking well today. If there were no stewy component, this would have scored even higher. Hopefully the next bottle won't have that.
Best pairing was mushrooms, as both the beef carpaccio course with truffle oil and an egg en cocotte with chanterelles enhanced the wine. Good but not great with lamb and beef tenderloin.

9/23/2013 - cmbond wrote:

Had at The Herbfarm in Seattle.
Decanted 2 hours, but really started to shine after 4.5 hours. Tasted over 5 hours with dinner.
Color: Garnet with faint bricking at rim.
Nose: Cherry, strawberry, tar, roses and touch of soy sauce.
Palate: Bright cherry and strawberry, very floral, tons of roses. No mushroom or tea yet. Massive acidity, very fine, tight grained tannin.
Overall: Still in its youth, an incredible wine with plenty of years ahead. Classic Barolo in every way. 96 pts. non blind.