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Comments on my notes

(73 comments on 49 notes)

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Red
2010 Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
4/4/2024 - Romol Likes this wine:
94 points
Decanted for 3 hours. Before decanting, the wine was very closed. From my point of view, the 3 hours were perfect. With enough air, the 2010 Chateau Haut-Bailly is already great to drink and surprisingly accessible. A great wine. 94+ pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    4/6/24, 2:28 AM - And the best thing is that the wine might even get better😀

  • Romol commented:

    4/6/24, 6:39 AM - Totally agree. In any case, I am confident about this wine. Cheers!

Comment (See all 5 comments)
Red
2018 Adega da Cartuxa Évora Vinho de Talha Alicante Bouschet
9/23/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:
92 points
Impulse buy this afternoon at Costco knowing I had my homemade sauce and linguine waiting at home for dinner. $19.89/bottle.

Pnp into the glass. Dark garnet with a nose of black fruit, brown dirt, sauteed herbs in brown butter.

Palate is a bit simple and black fruited to start but improves quickly over an hour of air. 89-90 at the outset. The wine is smooth and silky and a pleasant surprise as Alicante Bouschet (65%) is not my fav grape, but I guess the added Trincadeira (20%) and Aragonez (15%) round it out nicely. This is a $20 bottle that drinks like a $30-40/bottle. Paired very well with the meat sauce and meatballs and really paired well with the loaded garlic bread. Those grapes set off against the garlic perfectly. Great qpr buy. 92 after half a bottle. The other half under a Repour stopper on the counter, to try over the next week.

addendum: last splashes in the glass for 2+ hours had a distinct smokey/burnt ember flavor. No doubt from the barrel toast, but not appreciated early on, til the wine soaked up more air.

Addendum: finished the other half of the bottle the next night (tonight). As usual, the Repour stopper preserved the wine perfectly. Well worth the $1.50 investment in the disposable product. Over another hour or two of air the wine gained another point or two due to increased weight and glide. So now a 93+. The only down thought was just a hint of dark plummy-ness which is my least fav fruit profile, but still the quality of the wine is quite nice. Might be drinking like a $50 bottle tonight but I think that's its max.

  • Romol commented:

    11/10/23, 7:03 AM - Tank for the tasting note. I don't have much experience with wines from Portugal either, but I've had some great wines. If you like this one, you might also like the "Cartuxa Pera Manca" (unfortunately a big difference in price). Also a great wine is "Quinta do Vale Meao Douro" (any vintage, but older is certainly better) and the 2015 "Herdade do Arrepiado Velho Amma Reserva". I recently bought myself a bottle of 2011 "Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha". I'm very curious to see if the wine lives up to the expectations (and reputation). Cheers!

  • Romol commented:

    11/10/23, 10:28 AM - I hope you find one and that you like them.👍

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Red
2010 Les Forts de Latour Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
9/24/2023 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted for 3 hours. Still young (as expected), yet already a great wine. Incredible that this is a second wine. Unfortunately, the quality is also reflected in the price. 93 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    9/26/23, 10:18 AM - No problem. I am also happy when others add this information.

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Red
2005 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
6/19/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine:
97 points
This was decanted for 30 hours, to give it a chance of drinking at an early age, and it did pay dividends but this is going to get so much better, and probably push a perfect rating. The nose even now is phenomenal and could warrant 100 points with blackcurrant and blackberry prominent with with perfumed floral notes. Interestingly it is displaying mature bricking and excellent viscosity. The palate is earthy with granite notes but with the tannin still inhibiting maximum enjoyment. That said, the balance and depth are impeccable. Likewise the finish is over dominated by unresolved tannin, but magnificently pushes past 60 seconds in perfect balance. Many of the top notch 2005s are showing surprising accessibility including the Palmer with a near mirrored grape varietal make up, and I would hope that another few years will start to allow to shine. I am starting to look over my shoulder to see if I will outlive my wine or vice versa!

  • Romol commented:

    7/5/23, 2:23 PM - Thanks for the update. Wow...30 hours. I opened the first of my 6 bottles way too early (2018) and am eagerly waiting to finally try another. Too bad it will probably take even longer than I thought.

  • Romol commented:

    7/6/23, 6:15 PM - Unfortunately, probably not my 2005 (La Mission HB, Latour, Margaux, Leoville Las Cases, Cos, Pontet Canet...). It seems like they all need more time. But at least the patience will surely pay off.

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Red
2006 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
6/2/2023 - Romol wrote:
flawed
Flawed. Recently purchased bottle. Unfortunately, I have once again not adhered to my principles (for older bottles I have 1-2 vendors I trust). Unfortunately, the bottle was oxidized. Very sad.

  • Romol commented:

    6/8/23, 1:49 AM - Well, that can happen. I keep my fingers crossed that your bottle will be good.

  • Romol commented:

    6/8/23, 8:49 AM - Fortunately, not always🤞😅. And finally, the good ones are remembered longer.

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Red
2019 Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
3/29/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote:
100 points
Mouton Rothschild hasn't skipped a beat since the sublime 2009 vintage! 2019 continues their winning streak with one of the wines of the vintage. Almost opaque in color, the nose resonates with its showy display of Asian spices, cigar wrapper, fresh herbs, cigar box, blackberries, crushed stone and cassis. Full-bodied, richly concentrated, opulent, and equally refined, the multi-layered display of flawlessly ripe berries, elegant textures, balance, freshness and flamboyance is what the great vintages of Mouton are all about. The finish crosses the 60 second mark with ease. Drink from 2035-2070.

  • Romol commented:

    9/2/22, 12:46 PM - Hi Jeff, first of all thanks for your many helpful reviews. I love that you are now adding the drinking window as well. Thanks for all your work.

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Red
2019 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
8/28/2022 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Consumed over 2 days. The first day I decanted half of the bottle for 2h and followed during 2 hours. The wine had a lot of tannins, was not so much fun. The second day (decanted another 2+ hours) the wine was much more accessible. I think the 2019 Pontet Canet will need a lot of time to develop its full potential. BUT from my point of view, the wine has great potential. 93 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    8/30/22, 8:23 AM - My pleasure 🙂. I ordered a case + a bottle (an oddity of mine) because I like to taste the wines (especially Bordeaux) young, so I can follow the evolution of the wine. I look forward to when this beauty has fully developed. Cheers!

  • Romol commented:

    9/1/22, 3:41 AM - As I said, it's a oddity of mine. 😅 Isn't it nice to know that there is still a whole case? But I don't do that with all wines.

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Red
2015 Clos Erasmus Priorat Grenache Blend, Grenache
1/24/2020 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 2,5 hours. Still pretty young (as expected). I guess this needs at least 5-7 years more in the cellar. 93(-) pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    4/8/22, 12:02 AM - Hi gteran76, thanks for your comment. I never thought about it that way before. My rating always reflects the current state (without potential). When I write "+" or "-" I mean that the rating is slightly higher or slightly lower than the score described. It's probably because I have many wines in a similar score range (for finer division). Sorry that wasn't clear. In any case, the Clos Erasmus still has a long life ahead of it and is more likely to get better.

  • Romol commented:

    4/9/22, 1:03 AM - Thank you for pointing this out. It may well be that the wine is still quite young. But since you have more than one bottle, you could follow the evolution (I always find it very interesting). Cheers!

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Red
2008 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
12/8/2021 - aquacongas wrote:
97 points
blind
I was suprised about the delicacy of this wine. Profound, primary aromas are dominating but with nice secondary notes. Elegant and powerful likewise. It is typical left bank but I thought 2000. At leat 10-15 years ahead but in a great drinking window. 97

  • Romol commented:

    2/9/22, 9:54 AM - Hallo aquacongas, vielen Dank für die Infos. Nach Ihrer Notiz spiele mit dem Gedanken auch eine erste Flasche zu probieren. Darf ich fragen ob Sie den Wein dekantiert haben? Und falls ja wie lange? Lg

  • Romol commented:

    2/9/22, 10:02 PM - Super, vielen Dank für die Rückmeldung.

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Red
2016 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
1/22/2022 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
From 375ml bottle. Not decanted. Consumed over 3 hours. This bottle seemed pretty closed, I would recommend to decant it a few hours. Nevertheless a very good wine. I think this will be even better with more age. 92 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    1/24/22, 1:56 AM - I expected a very young wine. But I was curious because I never had the 2016 Domaine de Chevalier before. I will not touch any of my 2016 for at least 5 more years.

  • Romol commented:

    1/24/22, 10:37 AM - Thanks for your comment. It might be because of the format. I assume that you had a normal bottle(?). I had a small bottle, maybe this was even more closed than yours. But don't get me wrong...it still was a very good wine and I'm sure it will be even better with more age.

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Red
2003 Château Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
5/13/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
Decanted 3 hours. Cork and level were perfect, the bottle not. It was still pretty good and improved during the dinner, but it never reached the heights of my first two bottles (96 and 98 pts).

  • Romol commented:

    9/16/21, 1:09 AM - I'm not sure if my bottle was closed or just bottle variation. Fingers crossed for the next one. Cheers!

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2010 Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
7/15/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
Decanted 3,5 hours. Young as expected. All there for a very good wine, it was just slightly muted. Nevertheless a good wine. I think this will be even better with more age. 92+ pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    7/18/21, 12:37 AM - I know patience is required with Bordeaux. It's interessting to see how these wines envolve over the years🙂

  • Romol commented:

    7/18/21, 8:36 PM - As I said. I did not expect that it will be ready. But it's interessting to see how the wines envolve over the years. It is a very good wine it's just not 'there' yet but...nevertheless a very good wine.

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Red
2015 Herdade do Arrepiado Velho Alentejo Amma Reserva Red Blend
7/13/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 2+ hours. Still very young. Elegant wine. Despite the 15.5 ABV no sings of heat. Good acidity to keep all in balance. I think this will improve with more age (5-7 more years) and has a long life ahead. 93 (-) pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    7/14/21, 1:12 PM - Hi Canoehead, see my comment in your TN below. I think your wine was not the "Amma". The Amma is (at leas for me) better.

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Red
2015 Herdade do Arrepiado Velho Alentejo Amma Reserva Red Blend
6/3/2020 - Canoehead wrote:
89 points
Decanted 1hr. Muted nose of darker fruits, olive and liquorice. Medium+ palate with similar fruits and savoury elements. Low acidity and still young tannins. Very dry finish. Not quite integrated yet. Needs 3-4 more years. Not a QPR wine.

  • Romol commented:

    7/13/21, 1:46 PM - Hi Canoehead, are you sure that you tried the "Reserva"? There are different wines from this producer. Some of the fotos in Cellartracker are labels of other wines (not the Reserva).

  • Romol commented:

    7/14/21, 1:09 PM - Hi Canoehead, according your descripion I think your bottle is the "2015 herdade do Arrepiado Velho collection red" (it's also in Cellartacker if you spell it like this). This wine here is the "Amma" and it is (at least for me) on a different level of quality. The label looks like the first foto in Cellartracker. I checked again the label, the Amma has 15.5 ABV. I don't have a lot of experience with wines from Portugal but there are some I really like. Quinta do Vale Meao Douro (for me one of the best wines of Portugal) an other very speacial wine is the "Adega da Cartuxa Pera Manca". The "Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro C.V. ("Curriculum Vitae")" is also pretty good. I hope this helps.

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Red
2016 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch
6/23/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 2+ hours. Very young and tannic. This will need a few years but I'm sure that it will be really something special with more age. A very good wine. 93 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    6/29/21, 12:03 AM - Thanks 🙂

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Red
2016 Fattoria Petrolo Galatrona Val d'Arno di Sopra Merlot
4/29/2020 - Romol Likes this wine:
91 points
Not decanted. Opened 2 hours before dinner. Small bottle. Young (as expected) and tannic. Consumed over 2,5 hours. It improved with every minute. Pretty good wine but it will need at least 5-7 more years. I would recommend to decant it at least 2-3 hours if you open a bottle (but better wait a few years). Not as good as other Merlot Tuscans (e.g. Masseto, Redigaffi or Conde Massera) but it is also much cheaper. 91+ pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    6/25/21, 10:55 PM - Hi srh, thanks for the link!

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Red
2003 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
3/24/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
95 points
Decanted 3 hours. This bottle seemed less ready than previous bottles but nevertheless very good. Still has a long life ahead. 95 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    3/26/21, 1:19 AM - At least "only" one of my 2003 Cos bottles was flawed so far🤞 I'm not sure if it's the vintage (in my case). My 2003 Cos d'Estournel bottles are not all from the same source (early days of collecting)...that might be the main reason for bottle variation. That is why I bought the last few years only from 2-3 different (trusted) dealers.

  • Romol commented:

    3/26/21, 3:44 AM - Thank you. All the best for you (and your bottles). 🙂

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Red
2009 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
1/28/2021 - Romol Likes this wine:
94 points
Decantes 3 hours. This bottle was not as good as my last one (95 pts). Nevertheless very good. And I'm sure it will be even better with more age. 94 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    1/31/21, 9:33 PM - Hi Mark, it's worth to pop a bottle now but it I think it will be even better in 5 (and 10) years.

  • Romol commented:

    2/1/21, 12:11 PM - I think patience is well rewarded. 5 years sound like a good plan.👍

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Red
2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
12/22/2020 - Romol Likes this wine:
91 points
Decanted 2 hours. I was a bit surprised, it was lighter than expected. It's not a typical Chateauneuf (or at least not like others I had so far). A pretty good wine. 91 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    12/25/20, 1:52 PM - Hi srh, thanks for your message. Sure no problem. It was without food (~1 hour after the dinner).

  • Romol commented:

    12/25/20, 11:49 PM - Thank you srh, it's very interessting.

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Red
2000 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
11/26/2020 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine:
This never really opened even after a 4 hour decant, stuck with some leather notes and that’s about it, but as the bottom of the cork crumbled seems more the case of a poorly stored bottle which radically aged it. “There are no good wines, just good bottles”.

  • Romol commented:

    12/4/20, 12:12 PM - Sometimes collecting wines is a sh... hobby. If you open a special bottle on a special occasion and then...this. I'm so sorry.

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Red
2003 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
11/26/2020 - Romol wrote:
flawed
Flawed. My first bad bottle of this wonderful wine.

  • Romol commented:

    11/29/20, 1:08 AM - Yes it's a shame🙄. I had many very good bottles so far. I hope my remaninig bottles are as good as the previous.

  • Romol commented:

    11/30/20, 3:23 AM - I haven't had much problems so far with Bordeaux wines. Fingers crossed 😁

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Red
2000 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
10/5/2020 - Romol Likes this wine:
98 points
Decanted 4 hours. Wow, a very good wine. Improved during the dinner (2+ hours). Now it's much more open than my last bottle 2 years ago. Still young and primary but really worth to pop a bottle (if you have a few). I would recommend to decant it 4 hours (huge difference!). I bet this will be even better in 5 and 10 years. 98 pts. at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    10/6/20, 10:18 AM - I'm sorry😅. It's really good right now but you'll better be patient and wait 5 more years. Or buy a another😉

  • Romol commented:

    10/10/20, 10:44 AM - This will be a special dinner! Cheers!

  • Romol commented:

    11/23/20, 2:54 AM - Hi Lord of the bottles, thanks for your message. For this particular bottle 4 hours in the decanter were perfect...and it still improved during the ~2 hours of the dinner (~6 hours). The wine is still pretty young (i guess it will be even better in 5 or 10 years), but it was delicious. My bottles are stored by 13°C (55.4 °F) so maybe slow development. I would recommend to open it 4 hours before dinner. Try it, if it feels still very young and/or closed decant it, if it's already very good wait with the decant until 2 hours before the dinner. I hope this helps. All the best for you're birthday! Cheers

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Red
2016 Château Léoville Poyferré St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
8/17/2020 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
From 375 ml bottle. Decanted 1+ hour, consumed over 2 hours. Again a very good 2016 Bordeaux. Much better after 2 hours. Potential up to 95+ pts. with 10 more years in the cellar.

  • Romol commented:

    8/17/20, 11:24 PM - Hi Mark, thanks for your comment. The 2016 are very good, even this young. I'm sure they will be even better with more age. Fingers crossed ;)

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Red
2010 Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
6/30/2020 - strytten wrote:
flawed
We opened our first bottle of Dominus Estate 2010 and it was dead. No flavor, no life. It was stored properly and there was no sign of damage to cork or seal. Any theories what might have happened to this bottle? We have one bottle left. Any suggestions about how to look for problems with it? Thanks!

  • Romol commented:

    7/17/20, 11:45 AM - Did you decant the bottle? It seems as if it needs a lot of air right now (see e.g. the tasting note of Arguseyes6).

Comment
Red
2006 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
1/12/2020 - Yourmajesty wrote:
92 points
Olor a Porto un poco. No lo repetirá

  • Romol commented:

    5/28/20, 12:08 PM - Qué pena. Tal vez estaba defecto. Hasta ahora nunca tuve un Haut Brion que olía a Proto.

Comment
Red
2010 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz Blend, Syrah
2/25/2020 - Cailles wrote:
94 points
This is another disappointing vintage of Astralis. Not that the stuffing wouldn‘t be there, not that it was quite enjoyable to drink but this wine is already past it‘s peak! Insanity... The third vintage I taste which showing too old too early. Drink up, no doubt about that.

TN: Dark fruit, spices, slightly tertiary aromas of leather and tobacco with some unwanted soy sauce, mustiness, slightly milky texture and opaque color. Good freshness and round, fine tannins. Very dark and with some weight. Very good length.

Decanting: As this seems slightly over the hill, I would be very careful not to decant it too long.

  • Romol commented:

    3/15/20, 7:57 AM - Strange. My bottle seemed still pretty young. Maybe a bad bottle?

  • Romol commented:

    3/15/20, 9:29 AM - Hmm..maybe bottle variation. I hope your remaining bottles are better!

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Red
2016 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero P.S. Tempranillo
4/17/2019 - Cailles wrote:
93 points
Informal dinner. Not detailed notes. Followed over 90 minutes. Well-made red wine which appeals to a wide audience. Good balance of (rather generic) sweet red fruit and an earthy/leathery component. Not overly complex. Tannins slightly noticeable but smooth enough, good acidity to make it a harmonious wine. Doesn't have the stuffing to play in the 95+ points category but still a wine I would order off restaurant lists.

  • Romol commented:

    8/20/19, 6:39 AM - Die Weine von Aalto sind meistens erst mit 10 Jahren bereit (manchmal auch länger z.B die beiden aussergewöhnlichen Jahre 2004 und 2005). Für mich immer ein Wein den ich gerne trinke. Probier (wenn du kannst) mal einen älteren Jahrgang, am besten 2004/05 ;)

Comment
Red
2009 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
6/2/2019 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
Not decanted. Consumed over 2 days. Pretty young but already a very good wine. This might be even better with more age. 92+ pts

  • Romol commented:

    6/3/19, 11:02 PM - Hi Genghis88, thanks for your comment. It's young but if you have a case, it's worth to pop a bottle now. Else I would recommend to wait 3-5 years.

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Red
2016 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
5/30/2019 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 3 hours. Consumed over 3 hours. Wow...this is the best young Leoville Barton I have ever tried. This will be fantastic in 10+ years. 93 pts now. with potential up to 96 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    6/1/19, 7:19 AM - Thanks for your comment. It is delicious right now. I hope you have a few bottles in your cellar to try it with more age. I bet it will be fantastic once mature. Cheers!

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Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
4/18/2019 - Romol Likes this wine:
No rating. Not a perfect bottle. Drinkable but slightly corked. I hope my remaining bottles are better.

  • Romol commented:

    4/20/19, 5:39 AM - Hi djhammond, I love the 1989 Lynch Bages. My last bottle was fantastic. This one seemed perfect too (bottle level and cork) and in fact it was still pretty good despite the slightly cork taste.

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Red
2004 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
2/22/2019 - Romol Likes this wine:
94 points
Decanted 3 hours. Still very young and seemed a bit closed at the moment. I guess this needs a few more years in the cellar. I will wait 2-4 years before I open the next bottle. 93-94 pts now

  • Romol commented:

    2/25/19, 11:54 AM - Hi MC2, thanks for your comment. I expected that it's young. But I was curious how it is and with the reviews of other members below I thougt it's worth to pop a bottle now. It's (as you mentioned) a question of personal preference. I will wait a few years with my next bottle...but not 30 ;)

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Red
1990 Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
8/11/2018 - tbabes wrote:
90 points
The fill was into the neck and the cork was sound; opened 3 hours before dinner, with no decant. A healthy dark ruby core with some bricking. Rather muted on the nose upon opening, which improved somewhat with air. Notes of dried black fruits (currant) with hints of black truffle and cedar. Medium bodied, a bit flat on the mid palate; not as velvety or mult-layered as previous bottles. The 1990 LLC is probably my favorite wine for current consumption, but it was not a good showing with this bottle.

  • Romol commented:

    1/4/19, 4:19 PM - Hi TBABES, sounds like a flawed bottle to me, no? Particularly beacause your previous rating was 100 pts.

Comment
Red
2000 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
11/28/2018 - Collector1855 wrote:
96 points
Chateau Latour - 30 year vertical (1983-2010) tasted blind (Switzerland): Very closed nose, underneath there is lots of hidden stuff. Complex with underbrush, toast, farmyard. The palate is dense, structurally still demanding, the wine feels young also from the color. Not much pleasure now. What will this be once finished? I wrote. Good potential but probably one for after 2025. Like the Leoville Las Cases, I think the 2000's have gone back to sleep. Wait. 96+

  • Romol commented:

    12/27/18, 12:52 PM - Hallo Collector1855, vielen Dank für das (wie immer) hilfreicheiche Review. Ich habe eben erst realisiert, dass Sie aus Luxenburg sind, daher erlaube ich mir nun auf Deutsch zu schreiben. Dürfte ich Sie mal wieder um Ihren Rat fragen? Sie haben einiges mehr an Erfahrung vorzuweisen als ich. Ich möchte mir mal wieder eine teurere Kiste Wein leisten. Er sollte noch lange halten 20+ Jahre und in absehbarer Zeit (10 Jahre) einmal geöffnet werden können. Nun bin ich hin- und hergerissen zwischen verschiedenen Varianten.
    Eine davon ist der 2000 Latour. Besteht bei dem Jahrhang (vielleich sogar im allgemeinen) die Gefahr, dass er sich nie zu dem entwickelt was viele Kritiker einmal vermutet haben?
    Eine andere Idee wäre der 2003 Latour, bei dem habe Sie aber geschrieben, dass er mit einem Ami verwechselt werden könnte. Ich mag zwar auch Dominus und co, aber die sind einfach etwas anderes als Bordeaux.
    Eine weitere Option wäre der 2009 Haut Brion. Was denken Sie wann man es riskieren könnte eine Flasche zu öffnen? Vereinzelt waren mir einige 2009er teilweise zu weit weg von Bordeaux (sprich eher Napa), trift das beim 2009 Haut Brion auch zu? Last but not least wäre der 2005 LMHB (von dem habe ich bereits eine Kiste...das wäre die sichere Wahl). Habe Sie vielleich einen Tipp für mich? Oder allenfalls sogar einen Wein den Sie diesen vorziehen würden? Vielen Dank im Voraus.

  • Romol commented:

    12/28/18, 2:16 PM - Vielen Dank für die rasche und hilfreiche Antwort. An die 2015/16er Jahrgänge hatte ich auch schon gedacht, insbesondere weil die im Vergleich zu den 2009/10 Jahrgängen teilweise doch markant günstiger sind. Ich befürchte aber, dass ich bei denen noch etwas länger als 10 Jahre warten muss. Das mit den Magnums macht sicher Sinn. Ein guter Wein wird noch besser, wenn man ihn teilt :)
    Mein "Problem" dabei ist aber, dass ich nur zwei Freunde habe, welche solche Weine zu schätzen wissen (bzw. überhaupt einen Unterschied zu einem Wein aus dem Supermarkt merken). Bei 2-3 Leuten reichen daher normale Flaschen. Von den älteren Jahrgängen habe ich einige schon probiert...wirklich tolle Weine. Vielen Dank für die vielen Tipps!

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2009 Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
8/10/2018 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
Decanted 3 hours. I was curious how it is. It's already a very good wine but it's still pretty young. I guess 5 more years will add a lot. 92-93 pts at the moment.

  • Romol commented:

    8/14/18, 10:54 PM - Hi Dave, the wine opened up in the decanter and improved during the dinner. I would recommend to decant it 3 hours. Cheers!

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2003 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
7/7/2018 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 2 hours. Very good bottle. Ready to drink with enough air. But no hurry the 2003 Pontet Canet still has many years left. 93+ pts.

  • Romol commented:

    7/8/18, 3:24 AM - Hi Mark, thanks for your comment. Maybe i will try it the next time. Cheers!

  • Romol commented:

    7/8/18, 8:08 AM - Funny to hear that�� I often have the same problem with my wines.

  • Romol commented:

    7/8/18, 8:55 AM - LOL...yes passionate wine drinkers are a bit crazy when it comes to wine.��
    My experience is that 'more casual wine drinkers' often prefer other wines. That is ok...and much cheaper. Anyway, I'm happy to enjoy wines like this...and for me it's worth the money. Cheers!

Comment (See all 7 comments)
Red
2000 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
6/17/2018 - Romol Likes this wine:
96 points
Decanted 4 hours. Consumed over 2+ hours. Very good bottle but this was still very young. First bottle of my case. I guess i will wait until 2020 with my next bottle. The 2000 Château Haut Brion has a very long life ahead. 96 pts at the moment with potential up to 100 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    6/17/18, 2:34 PM - Hi Mark, thanks for your comment. Well...i don't regret it. It was delicious. But this will be even better with more age.

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2013 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
9/2/2016 - Collector1855 wrote:
91 points
During a merchant tasting, decanted for 2h. Medium purple. Expressive nose of dark fruit, pine, forest floor. Good aromatics but a bit watery on the palate, structure cannot properly follow up on the nose. A modest Leo Barton. I actually preferred the Langoa Barton in this tasting. 91-92

  • Romol commented:

    4/29/18, 2:30 AM - Hi Collector1855, thanks for your note.
    May I ask you a something unusual? A friend asked me to give him an advise. He would like to buy a wine of the birthyear of his first child (2013). Normally my first recommendation is Bordeaux (and my first thought was Leoville Barton) but it seems as if the 2013 Bordeaux vintage in general is not able for cellaring 18+ years. Another handicap is that he don’t want to spend more than 50-100 dollars per bottle. I know that e.g. Barolo wines are able to age (but I’am not a big fan of Barolo wines) another idea might be a wine from Tuscany (but I don’t have a lot of experience how they age). Could you give me an advise witch country/region might be a good choice?

  • Romol commented:

    5/1/18, 8:54 AM - Hi Collector1855, many thanks for the detailed answer. My friend actually wants to buy a case (not only a bottle). Your concerns regarding his cellar are justified. I already told him that this is very important. But your advice was really helpful. Thank you very much!

Comment (See all 4 comments)
Red
2010 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
3/19/2013 - Collector1855 wrote:
96 points
Bordeaux 2009 vs. 2010 - Check in on 50 well known Chateaux: I make it a habit to taste the freshly bottled Bordeaux when they arrive before I lay them down in my storage facilities. Having read lots of praise about this wine I was still sceptical. Leoville Bartons are very classical wines and rarely do well before they have many years under their belt, and unfortunately, even then they remain on the tannic side, especially for people who only occasionally drink Bordeaux... This is the second vintage of the new maitre de chais Francois Brehant. I don't want to offend anyone of the past but it confirmed what I always thought. While Leoville Barton was a great wine it significantly underperformed in respect of the terroir's potential. Tasting the 2010 it looks like this is a thing of the past. This wine is fresh, fruity with lively black currant and other appealing aromas, no joke, you can actually drink it right now so soft are the tannins although it will probably close down. I have never had a Leo Barton tasting this good when it was young. Wow! I am really looking forward how this wine will do when mature. A no brainer on your Bdx shopping list! 96+

  • Romol commented:

    2/7/18, 2:04 AM - Hi COLLECTOR1885, thanks for your helpful tasting note. What drinking window would you recommend for this vintage? Might it be earlier ready than other vintages of this producer?

  • Romol commented:

    2/7/18, 3:36 AM - Thanks for your detailed answer! I hoped the 2010 vintage would be earlier ready than usual.

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2009 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero Tinto Fino, Tempranillo
7/23/2017 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
Not decanted. Consumed over 2 nights. This bottle was even better than the last one. First night (91 pts) and it improved the second night (92 pts).

  • Romol commented:

    2/6/18, 12:14 PM - Well...this happens normally because my wife does not like wine (the only characteristic i don't like ��) and when i don't finish the bottle the same day. If i do this i store the bottle in the fridge and reduce the air with a pump. Younger wines often even improve like this the second day. You might be right if you store the bottle at room temperature without reducing the air.

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2014 Bodegas Garmón Tempranillo Garmón Tinto Ribera del Duero
9/10/2017 - Romol Likes this wine:
92 points
Not decanted. Consumed over 2 nights. Deep almost black color. Young at the moment but it's worth to pop a bottle now. I would recommend to decant it 1-2 hours. Did not change much the second night. Very good. 92 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    1/31/18, 10:36 PM - Hi macaujames, thanks for your comment! I have to admit that i dont' remeber. But think the wine goes well with many dishes. I guess typical spanish food e.g. Tapas and Churrasco (Grill) would be a very good choice. Cheers!

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Red
2005 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
5/29/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote:
98 points
Powerful, tannic, bold, firm and structured, this is perhaps the quintessential example of the fist inside the iron glove. This is incredibly powerful, focused and precise. It's also quite structured, dense and tannic.

  • Romol commented:

    6/19/17, 11:03 AM - Thanks for your helpful note. Is it worth to pop a bottle? I have a few bottles and i'm curious how it is. What would you recommend? Do you expect that this wine ever reaches perfection?

  • Romol commented:

    6/20/17, 9:57 AM - Thanks for your answer. I'll think about it. I'm not sure if i'm patient enough to wait 6 more years :)

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Red
2001 Penfolds Grange South Australia Shiraz Blend, Syrah
4/28/2017 - Romol Likes this wine:
97 points
Decanted 3 hours. Was not long enough. The wine improved during the dinner. One hour later it was even better. This wine is really something special. Very good now. No hurry to drink. 97+ pts.

  • Romol commented:

    4/29/17, 6:07 AM - Hi chatters, thanks for your comment. In my opinion its worth to pop a bottle now (with enough air). It was delicious :)

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2010 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva Puente Alto Red Bordeaux Blend
11/25/2016 - Romol Likes this wine:
94 points
Decanted 2+ hours. Very good wine. Still pretty young. At the moment it needs 2.5 hours in the decanter. Will only get better with more time in the cellar. 94+ pts.

  • Romol commented:

    4/11/17, 10:50 PM - Hi wineotim, thanks for your comment. It is a very good wine and it has a good QPR. I bet you wouldn't regret it.

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2012 Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
12/29/2016 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
I tasted already a glass in march this year (without decanting) and i was curious how it will be with a few hours in the decanter. I have a few bottles so i decided to try one...even if its much too early.
Decanted 4 hours. Very good wine. A lot of fruit now. Big potential but it defently needs a few years. I guess at least 5 years. A the moment 93 pts. Future potential 93-95 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    12/31/16, 1:57 AM - Hi JoshuaSonOfNun, thanks for your comment. You're right at the moment i needs a lot of air. I will wait a few years with my next bottle.

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2012 Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
5/15/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote:
96 points
Deep ruby in color, with secondary aromas already peeking out of the perfume with its truffle, tobacco, leaf, cedar wood, vanilla, cassis, blackberry and peppery nose. Full bodied, lush and velvety, with a long, palate caressing finish, this is another winner in a long line of wines for Philippe Dhalluin. Made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the grapes were picked on the late side from October 1 to October 15.

  • Romol commented:

    10/16/16, 10:02 AM - Hi Jeff, thanks for your helpful TN. What drinking window do you expect for this vintage?

  • Romol commented:

    10/16/16, 1:41 PM - Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I hoped this vintage would be earlier ready. Well...again patience is the key.

Comment (See all 4 comments)
Red
2003 Château Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
10/5/2016 - Romol Likes this wine:
98 points
Decanted 3+ hours. Wow...what a wine. Impressive. Still pretty youg. At the moment 98(-). With potential up to 100 pts. Very good.

  • Romol commented:

    10/6/16, 1:10 AM - Thanks for your comment Arch57. Yes its not always easy as a Bordeaux-Fan. But it was worth to wait. I don't regret it. And it will only get better.

Comment (See all 2 comments)
Red
2007 Seña Aconcagua Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
12/17/2015 - Romol Likes this wine:
93 points
Decanted 2.5 hours. Still young, but i liked it. I think it will improve with a few more years in the bottle. 93+

  • Romol commented:

    12/22/15, 3:38 AM - Hi BuzzzzOff, thanks for your comment. Your're right. But it's not always easy to be patient ;)

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2005 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
5/2/2015 - Romol Likes this wine:
98 points
Decanted 3,5 hours. Stunning nose. Dark in colour. Very elegant wine. I love the 2003, but the 2005 is even better. 98 pts. now with potential up to 100 pts.

  • Romol commented:

    5/3/15, 7:42 AM - Thanks for your comment.
    Let it breathe for a few hours....and you won't regret it :)

Comment (See all 3 comments)
Red
2007 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
1/21/2015 - Romol Likes this wine:
91 points
What a suprise...already pretty approachable. Will never reach the complexity of an 2003, but a very nice Bordeaux anyway.
91 pts now, with potential up to 92-93.

  • Romol commented:

    1/24/15, 9:05 AM - A suprise that it's already approachable. I thought it would be more closed.

Comment (See all 3 comments)
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