Comments on my notes

Red

2012 Domaine du Gros 'Noré Bandol Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre

4/9/2020 - VoVo Likes this wine:

94 points

This is an incredible wine with an impressive QPR. Deep, dark fruit, with some tobacco and licorice. Tannins still strong and will continue to mellow, but it's definitely ready to drink now. It still has another 5 years easily. We drank it over three days and enjoyed how it smoothed out and deepened in complexity.

papabluez commented:

4/10/20, 9:33 AM - We just opened an 012 as well, with reaction almost identical to yours. It's always a great wine, but needs 8-10 years to come into its own. Their rose' is classic as well. Don't miss a visit there if you get to southern France. Beautiful scenery and terrific owners/winemakers. It was one of our favorite properties after a few days of traveling from Beaune down through the Rhone Valley to the Riviera. Bandol is gorgeous!

Comment

Red

2016 Holocene Pinot Noir Apocrypha Willamette Valley

5/30/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Full fruited. Kinda tastes like a Napa cab maker made Pinot in Oregon. But not in a bad way. Just in kinda a big way. Creamy on the palate. Long.

papabluez commented:

5/16/19, 8:39 AM - Good guess! Made by Todd Alexander of Force Majeure....former wine maker at famous cabernet house, Bryant in California.

Comment

Red

2010 Château Boutisse St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend

1/31/2019 - Angle Gold Likes this wine:

91 points

Rich fruit, smooth, oaky and not overly earthy. Mild chocolate.

papabluez commented:

2/3/19, 8:47 PM - Glad you like it.....I think I have two resting!

Comment

Red

2009 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Corvina Blend, Corvina

10/24/2018 - papabluez Does not like this wine:

89 points

Plenty of big prune like chocolate fruit left, but this bottle was corked......overly oxidized. a big disappointment!

papabluez commented:

10/30/18, 10:08 PM - Good Point! I debated that as well. But I have had several vintages of this and have always been pleased, so thought I would be somewhat kind to them. There was enough "good" going on that I thought i would offer some positives.

Comment (See all 2 comments)

Red

2006 Glaetzer Shiraz Amon-Ra Barossa Valley

8/24/2018 - papabluez wrote:

94 points

Number one wine of six syrahs at a blind high end tasting. Beautiful nose, taste, & finish. So smooth and velvety. Plenty of fruit with nicely resolved tannins & long finish. Black to red fruit, with forest floor, menthol, mocha, light pepper, etc. so glad I waited on this one!!

papabluez commented:

8/27/18, 11:07 PM - California and Washington are really coming on as producers of Syrah based grapes. Washington has terroir very much similar to the Rhone Valley in France. Because of climate change, I believe that Washington will become as important as California has been.
I am a little unsure about how many of these wines will age as well as the Glaetzer and some of your other top wines i.e. Penfolds, Clarendon Hills, Chris Ringland, Noon, Two Hands, etc. but........
In Washington, these are the top names to look for (some are only available mail order direct from winery): Cayuse (& No Girls & Horsepower), Reynvaan, K Vintners, Sequel by Long Shadows, Gramercy, Gorman, Owen Roe, etc.
In California, the following are considered among the new "Rhone Rangers": Booker, Torrin, Law Estate, Ojai, Shafer, Tensley, Herman Story, Keplinger, etc.
I possess or have tried many of these wines after ten years in the cellar and none have disappointed. I still have a 2004 Ojai White Hawk Vineyard Syrah that I know is still exquisite.
Hope this helps!

Comment (See all 3 comments)

Red

2012 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley Red Bordeaux Blend

7/13/2017 - Angle Gold Likes this wine:

92 points

Dark fruit, chocolate, earth. Very nice.

papabluez commented:

7/13/17, 9:52 PM - Agree.......nice drinking window right now. Thanks for bringing to tasting tonight.

Comment

Red

2001 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command Barossa

12/18/2014 - papabluez wrote:

94 points

One of 10 bottles consumed tonight at our "blind tasting." 3 1/2 hour decant. Folks loved the wine, but no one guessed it as shiraz! Still plenty of life left -- could hold a few more years. Fruit, oak, tannins well integrated. Nose: muted black fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco, anise, etc.
Velvety texture. The group missed the age as well, with no one guessing old enough to be 2001. This is an elegant wine that can stand with the best from any from the new or old world. This is another reminder that one should remain comitted to collecting and trying some of Australia's best.

papabluez commented:

12/19/14, 8:27 AM - Robert,
Enjoyed your note! I look forward to new arrivals from Australia to add to those in my cellar from Two Hands, Clarendon Hills, Glaetzer, John Duvall, Elderton, etc. Your favorites?

Comment (See all 3 comments)

Red

2008 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Windhill Willamette Valley

8/17/2014 - papabluez wrote:

86 points

Popped and poured right out of passive cellar. Very closed initially, the nose opened up as temperature and air assisted.
I will monitor over next couple of days, but right now the wine is dark, has typical but muted ore pinot nose, and has very little fruit showing.
Bitter and tannic on the end. Hard to tell if it is still young, but given the loss of fruit, I would not expect this to get much better.
Several hours later. Wine is beginning to come around. Dark Cherry, cola, chocolate. A bit thin on entry, but acid takes over and provides for very full mid-palate and finish. Finish is long, not too fruity, and a little bitter at the end. Would re-score at 89

papabluez commented:

8/17/14, 11:02 PM - Several hours later. Wine is beginning to come around. Dark Cherry, cola, chocolate. A bit thin on entry, but acid takes over and provides for very full mid-palate and finish. Finish is long, not too fruity, and a little bitter at the end. Would re-score at 89

Comment

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

Search

Report a Problem

(8 comments on 8 notes)

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

papabluez commented:

Search

Report a Problem

Your report has been submitted!