12/16/23, 12:40 PM - And is a questionable buy, even at that price.
2/22/24, 10:58 AM - You are absolutely right!!Questionable even at Costco's price.
12/6/23, 12:20 PM - Hi MXPBUY -- Do you remember whether you decanted or slo-oxed your bottle, or was it a pop n pour?
8/17/23, 1:24 PM - Hi 3 Day: If you hate unoaked Chardonnay, but you thought you'd try a wine store tasting sample (don't we all?) without knowing that it was an unoaked Chardonnay, then please give us your tasting notes. However, would you consider removing your numeric rating as it unfairly skews the wine's overall rating significantly lower than it might otherwise be (?86 - 89?)? Had you known up front that it was an unoaked Chard, you might have passed this wine by.
5/31/23, 9:09 AM - Hi Sooper65 -- I'm considering opening a bottle of the 1966 Fonseca Port in a couple of days and am encouraged that your experience in Feb. was so positive. It would be extremely helpful if you could tell me what aeration regimen you followed with your bottle to get such an enjoyable result.Thanks, VlgJeff
1/23/23, 8:58 AM - Hi OW -- I think it's just the 2013 vintage. It's rated lower on CT than the vintages either side of it and it's rated only 87 on wine-searcher which is the lowest since 1999. Your positive review was almost six years ago and most of the favorable reviews of late don't have any content, just a score. We're still big fans of their Pinot and Chards and will continue to give them good aeration (except maybe the 2013...). Cheers!
1/12/23, 11:15 AM - First of all, thank you for your detailed tasting notes as they are quite helpful. I was just checking on the progress/drinking window of the '13 Morlet Pinot Noir Coteaux Nobles and saw your two recent TNs. The TN just before yours mentioned "3 hours of air" but I didn't see any aeration mention in your TNs. Can I assume that indicates you Popped and Poured so that only the second glass would have experienced about 20 - 30 minutes of slo-ox? If so, did you notice any difference in that second glass vs. the first? Thanks, Jeff
1/15/23, 10:40 AM - RGCM -- The aeration notes in your comment response really help to clarify how best to enjoy this wine. Knowing that "Each of my bottles was opened between 90 minutes and 2 hours ahead of time" tells me that some aeration is needed to allow this wine to open and harmonize. Please include some aeration note (even PnP) in your TNs as this will enhance their helpfulness. Thanks.
1/5/23, 2:54 PM - Hi HPRPHF - if it's helpful, you can tell the time the bottle was disgorged by looking for the letter/numbers stamp on the side of the cork. The letter (A, B, C or D) tells you which quarter of the year; the two numbers should be reversed to tell you the year. Thus, B 61 indicates the second quarter of 2016. Hope this helps give you some perspective on bottle age.Also, I agree with allowing the Champagne to breathe (usually several minutes of slo-ox) like any other wine.
12/4/22, 12:15 PM - Dear Drunk..., I just reviewed the 2020 vintage of this wine then went back to see other TNs. If there are three of us on the planet, then I am #2. My purpose for putting Chard in neutral wood is to invoke SOME malo. Yes, I know that I'm at least contradictory, if not crazy, but I do like that smooth and somewhat weighty mouthfeel in my UNoaked Chard. There are times when the usual laser-focused acidity works best, but other times when a more friendly mouthfeel is preferred. Why do you prefer some neutral oak exposure in your Chard?
6/26/22, 11:29 AM - Well-deserved OldWines. Always appreciate learning from your detailed TNs.
6/19/22, 11:39 AM - OldHick95--Thanks for your comment. My experience with K Vintners Syrahs is that they have the staying power to hit the decade mark, and a bit beyond. This wine was at 13+ years old and while it was highly enjoyable, it was, admittedly, past peak. An '09 Hustler Syrah that I opened in July 2021 (11+ yrs old) was also just past peak. So, if you're holding 2005 (16+ yrs old) to 2010 (11+ yrs old) Syrahs, I would suggest you begin to open them now -- oldest first -- and enjoy them all within the next year or so. Cheers!
5/26/22, 2:22 PM - Hi Mike -- your Tasting Note says that this was an '06, but it is listed under the '05, can you double check. Thanks
5/27/22, 5:46 PM - Thanks for the correction. I've got a couple of bottles and I'm wondering when to open and whether to decant. Thanks for the detailed TNs -- they really help.
3/22/22, 10:58 AM - We did think they were joking!! We fully expected Allen Funt's granddaughter to jump out and say "You're on Candid Camera!". But then the Pizza guy pointed to the CVS across the parking lot and off we went.
2/12/22, 1:47 PM - Hello Red Don--Glad you liked my TNs for the Franciacorta Satén. Astor was also my source for the NV Lantieri De Paratico Franciacorta Satén, but it is not the only source, and Lantieri De Paratico is not the only producer.I went to Wine-Searcher and queried 'NV saten franciacorta docg Italy', then limited the seller universe to the state of California, and the result was 13 retailers that are either located in CA, or ship to CA, including Deacant SF and Solano Cellars in the San Fran/Berk area. Their offerings span 9 or 10 different Franciacorta Satens ranging from $30 to $50 per bottle. You can certainly run the available producers against current CT listings - of which there are 87 NV Franciacorta Satens with almost 30 of them scoring 88 or higher - to find one you might like. After trying a couple, help the rest of us out by writing up TNs in CT.Thanks, and have fun tasting!
1/2/22, 8:44 AM - Thanks, Dave. I will keep this in mind for the next Hanzell Chard. Just means that I'll have to remember to open the wine 2 hours before dinner, then have the patience to not drink it...
8/18/21, 2:57 PM - Hi Mark -- Thanks for your insights into the 2017 vintage re: Turley Zin. Usually these wine age well, and are brought to life with an appropriate amount of air up front, but we will take note that the '17s may be an exception.
8/17/21, 1:49 PM - Do you think this wine is ready to go, or a bit more time in the cellar??
8/2/21, 11:49 AM - Hey Mark -- The 2007 Tignanello was superb. If you're serious, our friends at Wine-Searcher.com say there are two retail sources for this wine - both of which will ship to FL. Definitely not cheap, but if there's a special occasion coming up...Thanks again for your supporting comments on my TNs. Seems our palates differ a bit though as we're not big cabernet people. We do have several cases of mixed 2005 Bordeaux (our last en primeur) that we might begin to sample this winter.Stay healthy and keep drinkin'.
7/17/21, 9:54 AM - Hi Dezel - Was thinking of buying a bottle of the 2020 vintage of this wine and was looking through TNs to get some feel for it. I read your TN and noticed a couple of items that may need to be edited, and as an engineer (which is also my training) I'm sure you'd want to have these be correct.This is copied and pasted from Wine-Searcher:Müller-Thurgau is a white wine grape variety used predominantly in Germany. A crossing of Riesling and Madeleine Royale, it was created in 1882 by Dr. Herman Müller (of Thurgau, Switzerland), after whom it is named.Cheers, and keep sipping poetry...VlgJeff
7/14/21, 10:09 AM - The K Vintners (Charles Smith) wines, especially the Syrahs, are well worth a try -- especially the Royal City, but NOT the Boom Boom. Try to drink them in the 7 to 10 years after vintage window, with decant, for best results.
7/13/21, 3:07 PM - She's definitely worth a try -- just be ready for a darkly fruitier version of Pinot than you expect from Oregon, and give it lots of air. Cheers.
6/28/21, 2:19 PM - Are you certain that you meant to score this wine at 50 given your somewhat positive Tasting Note?
6/20/21, 9:43 AM - Thanks, Hoservin. Do you really think that the '03 Guiraud will achieve better balance over time? If this happens due to fading fruit, then we may get balance, but we'll lose the gorgeous flavor profile.Appreciate you taking the time to write full and helpful Tasting Notes -- wish all members did.
4/4/21, 9:20 AM - Hi markcic -- Thanks for the comment. I'll repeat a comment I made last Dec. on a bottle of 2008 Saxum Booker:This wine, in fact virtually all Saxum wines, need AIR! To drink these wines on a PnP is a waste of great wine, and the loss of a wonderfully satisfying experience.I finally made it to Saxum's allocation list last year and queried them as to "drink windows". The response said that Justin prefers to drink his Saxum wine between 10 and 15 years after vintage, and with enough decanter time to allow the wine to come alive. My limited experience tells me that these wines require at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours of decanter time. Cheers!
3/24/21, 3:02 PM - Hi - Did you air this out at all or was it a pop-n-pour?
3/21/21, 2:49 PM - Thanks for your comment, Blue Shorts. Yes, of the three Tablas Creek White Blends, we prefer the Patelin because its main grape is Grenache Blanc, a high acid grape. As you probably know, the Esprit's main grape is Roussanne which is a mid-acid grape; and the Cotes' main grape is Viognier which is a low-acid grape, and neither of these seem to comfort our palates. But, all in all, Tablas Creek has a wonderful line-up of wines and it's been quite easy to fulfill our Vindependent requirement for each of the past 8 years. Every so often we'll get another Esprit Blanc -- just to recheck our palates. Cheers!
3/19/21, 1:43 PM - Hi Annapolis -- Did you decant the wine? If not, please do so and taste every half-hour until the wine is smooth and the tannins resolved (which I believe will happen). With two cases in your cellar, that's too much wine to not enjoy.
2/1/21, 1:31 PM - Hi. This appears to be a duplicate entry - if so you may want to delete it. BTW, if the $175 you paid was for a magnum, then you're in the ballpark.
1/20/21, 3:27 PM - Thanks for the comment, and for the completeness of your TNs.
12/16/20, 10:26 AM - Hi 2020 -- After several comments asking if anyone on CT knew how to determine the disgorgement date, I finally received a comment from arvidpalmqvist explaining that on the side of the cork there is stamped a letter, followed by two numbers, followed by two letters - i.e., C71EY. This code reveals that the wine was disgorged in the third quarter (C) of 2017 (71) - no info about the EY. I've not been able to verify this info, but so far, it seems to fit the bottles that I've opened.In your comments you've stated that you are "new to wine and wanting to learn", for which I applaud your 415 comments (actually conversations). But with only 16 TNs it doesn't seem as if you are putting this education to use. Popping corks is the best way to learn. Good luck on your journey.
11/3/20, 10:42 AM - Thanks for your comment. This is my first experience with any Flowers Chardonnay and it was quite positive. I do agree with your assessment of the "ripeness of the fruit", but found the acidity to be quite "juicy and balancing", making me less skeptical about its ability to age -- at least for another couple of years. I respect that you "would rather drink it now" and completely agree that "Time will tell... ".As to the stated drinking window of this, or any wine, it's just one person's best guess -- usually stated to guide other drinkers, or themselves if they have additional bottles in their cellar.Looking back now over the TNs for past vintages of this wine, it has always continued to please drinkers for at least 6 years past vintage, which is basically what my TN "projects", and possibly what your TN on 12/10/19 (about one year ago) projected as well: "... Not built to age; drink now and over the next few years". Again, only time will tell...Congratulations on deciding to take on the WSET Level 4 Diploma. I passed the Level 3 at about the same time as you - in April of 2011, as well as the Certified Specialist of Wine designation with the Society of Wine Educators, and have been doing a bit of part-time wine education in my semi-retired state. Best of luck to you as you continue your wine journey!
11/3/20, 12:53 PM - Our interests do seem to overlap here and there, and this will probably increase as we continue our explorations. Also, thank you for writing full TNs as they are most helpful.BTW, while I haven't tried the 1998 E. Guigal La Mouline, I have had the 1997 and it was an experience not to be missed.
9/9/20, 10:11 AM - Thank you for your wonderfully detailed, and spot on, Tasting Note of 8/26/20, but you may be a bit off the mark on one point... Hanzell Chardonnay does go through a partial malolactic fermentation - generally about 25%, although more recently it has ranged from 27% to 38%. This portion of the wine is barrel fermented, with lees stirring, while the balance is fermented in stainless steel. This fermentation combination is what leads to the medium to plus body, while maintaining the crisp acidity. Cheers.
8/29/20, 9:54 AM - Thank you for the wide ranging tasting note. Was there the presence of any fruit?
7/12/20, 2:30 PM - Hi 2020 -- For a simple answer... yes. I'll make a very broad statement (that will probably evoke many responses) that all "good" Chablis is similar. If you like Chablis for the way it expresses Chardonnay, then I would suggest that you try different producers -- Moreau, Brocard, Bichot, La Chablisienne, Billaud, Droin, Piuze, Picq, Billaud-Simon, and of course, Fevre to name a few -- to see which version of Chablis fits your palate best. You will experience some differences, but only you can determine if the result is "better" or "worse".If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can seek out Dauvissat (Rene & Vincent). If you're willing to spend a lot more, you can seek out Raveneau. Enjoy your explorations in Chablis!Personal note: Aside from Raveneau... William Fevre is our favorite Chablis producer -- especially since the early 2010s when they solved their significant premox problem.
7/10/20, 8:50 AM - Hi AllRed -- Correcting a true mistake in a tasting note is not being a jerk. It is enhancing the information, and the value, of that TN for future readers. So, thank you for your comment.However, before correcting an existing TN it is imperative that the correcting information is itself correct. Please return to the winery's website and double check the tech sheet for this wine and you will find that it is, in fact, a 100% Sauvignon Blanc wine.Having been trained as an engineer, I always try to "measure twice (even three times), cut once".
7/10/20, 10:50 AM - No problem -- and thanks for the palate comment...
7/9/20, 11:27 AM - Thanks for the info - I'll keep it in mind. This is why it is so helpful for those who actually write Tasting Notes to include info on aeration.
2/23/20, 2:25 PM - Thanks, oldwines. I'll give it a try with our next bottle.As you know, older vintages are tricky in that you don't want to give the wine too much air and wind up losing fruit -- although this seems to happen more with reds than whites -- and being left with a hollow acid bomb. I wish that more TNs had real informational content (as yours do) so we could all learn from each other about drink windows, aeration, etc., and maximize our enjoyment.
1/12/20, 10:18 AM - Hi. Is it possible that your comment "...Being 86% Cab Sauv …" may have been a mis-type?
12/18/19, 7:11 PM - Not sure what kind of occasion you're saving this wine for, but if this is the kind of pinot that you like, don't worry about it fading anytime soon. The fruit is solid and should hold for at least another two years. It's the acidity that is a tad lacking, and acidity doesn't fade away.
12/12/19, 11:38 AM - Arvid -- the crown has the numbers 08 under the LP. The neck has the following: C71EY. How does this help?? Thanks
12/12/19, 1:18 PM - That's very helpful--Thank you!Very sneaky of them to reverse the two year digits...Also means that you cannot tell the dg date until after you've bought the bottle, and opened it. There should be more transparency!!
8/31/19, 9:05 AM - Looking at TNs from earlier vintages and it appears the "sweet spot" for this wine is 4 to 5 years after vintage. Will try to hold off on the next bottle.
6/28/19, 9:42 AM - Hi. Thanks for your TN. Are you certain that you meant to mark this wine as "flawed" given that your TN says "smooth and well blended"?
6/1/19, 11:09 AM - Thanks Dave. Good to know about Hanzell's pinot. My surprise in the tasting was how the wine turned from red and bright, to dark and brooding in a relatively short period of time. This info helps us decide where on the aging continuum we prefer to drink.
5/18/19, 4:51 PM - Thanks. Good to know as I have one more bottle, which I will open sooner than later.
1/20/19, 12:35 PM - Merci for writing your tasting note in English.
1/5/19, 11:18 AM - Hi AV2012 -- How do you know when your bottle was disgorged?? Is there some indication on the front or back label, or on the bottle itself??Many of us have been trying to discern this info -- can you help us??Many thanks.
1/6/19, 11:39 AM - Thanks for the info as I'll be keen to inspect the corks from future L-P champagnes (as this bottle's cork is long gone).
12/26/18, 7:51 PM - I recognize that allowing a bottle of champagne to "breathe" seems to be letting the bubbles escape. But with almost 50 million bubbles per bottle, it's OK to sacrifice some to allow the wine to blossom. Happy New Year!
12/26/18, 10:48 AM - Thank you Jason. Will do.
9/28/18, 1:22 PM - This bottle was "coravined" shortly after I bought the unit that Fall, and is the oldest coravined bottle I have opened so far. I am a believer, and would recommend the Coravin, especially for those tracking the development of wine that requires long aging.
3/17/18, 12:24 PM - Thank you for the tasting note, but might it be misplaced?
7/17/17, 12:12 PM - Thanks WMWG, I was beginning to think that it was me.....
Thanks for letting us know about this problem. We will review your comments and be in touch soon with an update.
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