6/9/2010 - carnyc wrote:

'05 Pegau showed up big time last night. Great interplay between the fat and the tannins, then a long, layered finish that makes you pause to enjoy a while before going back to your meal. That it's a good pairing with steak would be an understatement. Powerful, restrained, balanced and complex with ample fruit and structure to go for a long time. It could use some time to soften a bit, but there's no reason not to enjoy now with a healthy decant. This really hit the sweet spot for all of us last night, and once again, '05 CdP rocks the party.

6/3/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Unique and interesting. Balanced, good length, nice fruit and acidity, a little oxidized, great food pairing. An excellent Chenin.

6/3/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Drank two over the last couple months. Really nice, but needs time. The fruit, complexity and freshness are there, but it's also very high in alcohol and a little hot at times. On day two is when this really shined. Expect this to get better in the next few years. Should prove to be quite a value.

6/2/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Very fresh and balanced; drinks well now and very much worth the price ($18)

5/31/2010 - carnyc wrote:

NZ SB is just so interesting at this price point. This one's a little over the top with the fruit, but worth the price ($14). Paired very well w/ shrimp.

5/31/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Really enjoyed this entry level Riesling. Crisp and refreshing with just a little residual sugar. Nothing too complex or long, but you can't go wrong with this for $11.

6/2/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Really nice Cali Chard showing good balance between fruit and acidity. Shows some early complexity, but it's young and will need time to come together. Very good at the price.

5/23/2010 - carnyc wrote:

A good, refreshing off-dry German Riesling, nothing too complex. Worth the price.

5/12/2010 - carnyc wrote:

No formal notes taken. WOTN in a Brunello vs. Barolo blind tasting. Definitely one of the best producers in the region for my palate.

5/17/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Day 2. Perfumed nose of cedar, earth and plums. Great texture with flavors of cassis, plum, and tobacco in a balanced, medium bodied package that beckons you the moment you put the glass down. It always mystifies me when a wine is better on a day other than the one when you pulled the cork. But why overthink it? This is such a nice wine to drink at this moment. Here's to hoping it reappears at auction.

5/5/2010 - carnyc wrote:

For the amount of pleasure it provides today to its ability to age, this is definitely a rebuy. It's showing plenty of juicy red and black fruit, good weight and texture, and nice complexity, especially at this price point. The tannins are kickin pretty hard (lotta oak influence) and the finish is a little hot. This hasn't changed much at all since I first tried it several years ago. The fruit and tannin seem to be in a wrestling match and need to learn to get along. Will easily go 10 more years. Totally understand why anyone would drink this young, but this has better days ahead. Really regret not purchasing the '06 at a similar price. Excellent modern Tempranillo.

4/18/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Easily the best wine I've had this year. Nose redolent of plums and cedar, with a gamy combo of leather and rare beef au jus on the back-end. On the palate, the fruit is ripe, round, juicy and vibrant, and the oak is used liberally but deftly. The tannins are enormous and completely mouth-drying, but despite that the finish was extremely long (probably over a minute, didn't time it) and the acidity operated nimbly in the backround exemplifying the wine's beautiful structure. Tons of pleasure to be had here, and one of those wines you wish will never end. At the Cindy price I should've bought more, as this young wine has the fruit and the structure to go easily for a quarter century or more IMO. Fantastic stuff.

4/2/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Nice sour cherry fruit and tart acidity. Tannins have relaxed and wine is drinking well now. Great value and a nice food wine.

4/2/2010 - carnyc wrote:

A spicy zin with plenty of fruit that has come into nice balance. Plenty of backbone to go many more years.

3/26/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Fantastic bottle of wine. Great weight, texture and balance. Made for an excellent pairing with salmon. Must drink more quality Chenin Blanc.

2/26/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Nose: Red fruit, blood, a metallic note, florals and a little oak; fresh and vibrant.
Palate shows similar notes as the nose with tart acidity and medium, nicely integrated tannins. Enjoyed drinking this alone, but probably even better w/ some red meat to get the interplay between the fat, acid and tannin. A no-brainer QPR at the Cindy price.

2/22/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Nose of black currant, vanilla, mocha, soil, and cigar box; big aromatics happening here.
Palate brings big, ripe red and black fruit on the initial attack, followed by notes of tobacco and a nice dose of spice that carries through to the finish; full bodied with good weight and texture; very extracted; big, silky tannins that are well concealed; plenty of structure to age for years; a little heat on the end and a little imbalanced right now. This is classic Napa cab and very well made.

Two days later, everything was toned down and more balanced. The tannins were still dominant, but the wine came together and was really enjoyable. This has years to go. 92+ right now

2/19/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Showed classic Barolo traits but a little austere at this stage. Probably should've waited a bit longer before opening.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Tasted Non-blind
Reminded me of fresh pear juice. Hints of apricot. Refreshing. Thanks to Jacques for his generocity.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Tasted Non-blind
A much more accessible and straightforward wine than the '07 Bouchard Corton, reflecting both its age and the vintage. Lower acidity, more percepible oak treament; a tiny bit flabby. A good wine that doesn't seem to need to age further IMO. Around 90pts. Always a pleasure to taste GC Burgs!

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Nose: Bigger fruit than the Cantemerle, green peppercorn, cedar
Palate: Plums, cedar, good balance, nice acidity and tannin; mature but plenty of life left. Screamed right bank, screamed Pomerol. My guess: 1998 Pomerol. :D
This wine got better as the night progressed, showing excellent balance and complexity. Another wine I'd be more than happy to have in the cellar, and one you can enjoy now with a proper decant, or 5+ years down the road. WOTN candidate.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Nose: Plums, herbs, clearly a more mature wine.
Palate: Soft red fruit, a bit vegetal, very mellow. My guess: 1995 Right Bank Bordeaux
This was a very satisfying result. This may seem a bit arrogant, but I gotta give credit where credit is due :D. This was the first time I've been able to idenfity a wine in a blind tasting to this degree and it felt pretty darn good. With some air, this wine woke up a bit and displayed a weightier version of itself. A good wine that has probably peaked. Drink up.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Big and ripe, the nose doesn't strike you as French as much as it does California. However, little to no perceptible oak treatment and subtle savory and earthy notes make this very difficult to peg. Luckily, I brought this one. The palate is also big and ripe, but combines elegance and restraint; tannins are almost non-existent and the finish is decent but not that long, likely due to low acidity. A very tasty wine nearing maturity, but lacking structure and a sense of place. Easy to see why this garners big scores from the WA, but it seemed a little out of place at this tasting, where the other wines were leaner, more subtle, and complex. I could see this being a big winner in a luxury cuvee taste-off, but not so much in this setting. Certainly a 90+ pt wine, but not as good as I remember.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Classic CdP nose. Palate delivered lots of red fruit, spice and underbrush. Big, ripping tannins; an obviously young wine. Was 100% this was a CdP and was leaning 2005, but was swayed by my fellow tasters and settled on a guess of 2003 CdP. A lesson in standing by your convictions! This was pegged as a CdP by all, and while still a bit young at this stage, is a very enjoyable wine that I'd be happy to have in my cellar at the going rate.

2/16/2010 - carnyc wrote:

France Blind at Capsouto Freres: Bright, elegant nose of red fruit and earth. Very balanced on the palate and drinking in its prime. My guess: 2000 Cote de Nuits. Surprised that this was CdP, but something about the Burgundy guess seemed dubious. An elegant CdP and WOTN candidate. Blind tastings can be pretty humbling.

2/13/2010 - carnyc wrote:

A different bottle than last (1-5-08). Nose of surmaturite plums and blackberries that, while not ncessarily a negative, didn't have the complexity of the previous bottle. Ripe fruit on the palate as well, but didn't seem to be old or tired; nice restraint and complexity; paired well w/ sirloin and beef cheek lasagna. Still a very good syrah, but not quite how I remember it.

2/14/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Enjoyed w/ the Rho's at Metro.

Nose: Cassis, sweet tobacco, blackberry, vanilla, herbs, dried flowers.
Palate: Notes of blue and black fruit and vanilla; lots of spice and tobacco notes on the mid-palate; very intense, long finish; a dense wine for sure but with the beautiful restraint great cabs often display. Nicely balanced for a young wine. Great stuff.

2/15/2010 - carnyc wrote:

The freshest nose I can remember in some time. Roses, cranberry, cherry, sea breeze; I could smell this all day. Tart and linear on the palate, showing cranberry, minerals and just a hint of oak. Young and backwards, this needs time to put on some weight and come together. Nose > Palate on this day. 91.

2/15/2010 - carnyc wrote:

An excellent young wine with intense minerality and zingy acidity to go with the fleshy, full fruit. More approachable now than the Chevalier, but also needs plenty of time. Excellent. 93-94.

2/15/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Lean with laser-like acidity; much less approachable at first than the Corton Charlemagne. Became much richer and fleshier as it approached room temperature, with buttery and toasty notes accompanying the fruit. Certainly needs time, but tons of potential. A pleasure to taste. 93-95.

2/15/2010 - carnyc wrote:

A very interesting wine that put on weight about an hour after opening. Nose of plum, cedar, dried flowers. Balanced on the palate; not too complex; plenty of acidity and integrated tannin; fruit has faded some; overall an interesting experience. Drank younger than 28 years old.

2/11/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Darker and denser than the '07 Clos Brusquieres; more complex and less approachable. Good now, but needs time. No score, but I liked it more than the Brusquieres, so probably 92 with potential for higher in a few years.

2/9/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Nose of strawberry-rhubarb pie, bramble fruit, black pepper, dried flowers and minerals
The palate mirrors many of the aromas on the nose, but with a darker profile. Peppery mid-palate and med. length finish. Dusty tannins are a little bitter but not offensive; very fresh throughout. Hard to resist in its youth but looking forward to its development. Fantastic entry level CdP. I hope the rest of the '07's drink this well. 91+

2/9/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Past its peak. Not much appeal left. Saving the rest for cooking.

2/3/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Nose of plums, white pepper, earth, mocha and mint; very nice.
Palate is forward and rich, with tons of black fruit accompanied by notes of black pepper and earth. Low/med acidity and heavy tannin on the med/long finish, this wine has years to go but is drinking really well right now. Sorry this is my last one. Easily the best of the three.

2/2/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Classic CdP aromas and flavors in a medium bodied package. Red fruit, spices, some florals and underbrush. Plenty of structure to lay down and revisit in 5 or 10 years. An entry-level CdP steal at $20. 90-91

1/31/2010 - carnyc wrote:

A nice wine for the price. Unapologetically new world in style, good balance, lots of fruit. Was one of my first QPR wines and continues to deliver.

1/30/2010 - carnyc wrote:

Impressions two hours after opening. Nose: Lots of black fruit, vanilla, pyrazines and licorice. On the palate, this wine is very enjoyable. Tons of black fruit, a peppery mid-palate and medium finish with low/med acidity. I was surprised by how low the tannin level was, and the body was more medium than full. Tasted blind, I might mistake this wine for a syrah predominated southern Rhone blend or an inexpensive Cali blend. IMO, this is not worth $38 on futures, but if I paid $20 I might rebuy. Doesn't seem like a long term ager. Will wait a year to revisit.

12/25/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Enjoyed on Xmas eve with smoked sable and sturgeon.
Nose: Lemon zest, minerals, yeast, bread; bright and fresh
Palate: Flavors mirrored the nose; superb acidity; clean and balanced. An amazing pairing with the smoked fish. First time trying this producer, and very impressed. Solid QPR.

12/23/2009 - carnyc wrote:

A nose of black tea and blackberry; a hint of cedar and a sort of citrus component as well.
On the palate, dark fruit and flavors that mirror the nose; medium bodied with decent richness on the midpalate leading to a short/medium finish; nice acidic zing on the back end; more of a food wine. Not bad for the price.

12/19/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Tasted at Clo:

A big, burly Grenache that will get better as it comes into balance. 91+ now with definite room for improvement. QPR.

12/19/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Tasted at Clo:

Everything that the 1998 La Fleur Petrus was, only toned down. Overall, a really nice experience and the wine seems to have plenty of time left.

12/19/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Tasted at Clo:

A balanced, silky, elegant Pomerol drinking beautifully right now. Multi-dimensional, powerful, lithe, delicious; offered something new each time you smelled and tasted. Very pleased to be able to get this by the taste at a wine bar.

12/19/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Nose: Plum, herbs, eucalyptus, earth tones, sour cherry. Some florals emerged after a couple hours in the decanter.
Palate: Sour cherry, blackberry, earth and a hint of spice; very juicy; finish is tannic and acidic, which makes this not quite ideal as a stand-alone drinker. Overall, pretty good but a little tough on the finish where the tannin and acid are a little too much at this point. But enjoying this with Polder Gold 1 Year Goat Gouda and Parmigiano Reggiano right now is the way to go, especially the Parmigiano. The cheese tames the tannins and acid, enhances the fruit and rounds it out. 89-90 without cheese, 90-91+ with. Willl leave the last bottle to sleep for a few more years.

12/10/2009 - carnyc wrote:

The tannins have mostly fallen out and the fruit has faded leaving a mature, balanced wine. Still a nice presence of soft, red fruit and some earth tones. Seems a little past its peak and beginning its gradual decline, but drinks very well right now and would pair with a variety of dishes. Probably best to drink within the next year based on this bottle. A nice QPR for $10.

12/4/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Drank at Dylan Prime during free BYO promotion a few months ago.

Nose: Very earthy, showing damp leaves, herbs and dried flowers.
Palate: Sour cherry and bell pepper predominate. Silky and full in the mouth. Flavors more vegetal than fruity. Bright and focused with excellent balance between tannin, remaining fruit and acid. Walks the tightrope of fullness and lightweightedness well. This being my first I may not be qualified to say, but seems to be drinking in its prime right now. Excellent wine and excellent with steak.

11/20/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Really nice tempranillo. Great concentration of red fruit and savory notes on the palate; good complexity; medium, well concealed tannins; pretty accessible now but can age ten years or more; low/med acid, which should become more pronounced as the wine reaches maturity; med finish. Don't agree with 97 WE, but it is certainly an excellent wine that is worth the price. 92+

11/5/2009 - carnyc wrote:

My first Keller. His reputation preceded him.
The nose offers crushed stone, minerals, lime, a little earth and a hint of lychee. Fresh and clean.
The palate is dry and minerally, but with pleasurable lime and lychee fruit and tangy acidity. The mouthfeel has a sort of full, creaminess to it; unexpected for a dry riesling. But perhaps the most notable aspect of this beautiful dry wine is the sense of terrior that the nose and palate convey. You can sense the soil in which the grapes were grown to a degree I've not experienced in other riesling. Subtle and complex, this wine drinks way better than its $17 price tag. Try this. You will not be disappointed.

11/1/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Color: Opaque purple becoming translucent purple at the rim. Not yet showing any signs of age.
Nose: All sorts of wonderful scents emanate from the glass: strawberries, florals, earth, pencil lead, tobacco and meat juice. Very savory. An intoxicating bouquet.

On the palate, flavors of red fruit, earth, game and florals. An excellent combination of sweet and savory; silky with good weight. Medium bodied, med acid, med+ tannin and med/long finish. On the young side of its prime drinking window. Drink or hold, as it may still improve a bit once the tannins subside. As good as it was more than two years ago, this bottle performed even better. And at less than $30, this is something I would have loved to bought a case of in retrospect. Looking to source the '04 as soon as possible. One of the better QPRs I've had in some time. 92+

8/5/2009 - carnyc wrote:

Flavors of red fruit sprinkled with black pepper and combined with melted licorice. Elegance and balance combined with intensity and length that reached its peak with a few hours of air. A modern-styled CdP with plenty of structure to go for years. Just a hint below the '05 Le Vieux Donjon. 93-94 pts with room for improvement. Great stuff.