3/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Probably my second favorite 1966 Medoc wine behind Chateau Latour and perhaps on par with Gruaud-Larose.
Mis-shoulder fill, cork in good condition given the age.
Exquisite balance in this wine with beautiful evolved fruit, tobacco, cigarbox and gravel elements.
Will continue to drink well par years still.

3/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

High mid-shoulder fill.
Cork came out mostly in one piece.
Decanted, though I will not decant remaining bottles.
Hue is quite good for a 48 year old bottle.
Still quite a bit of fruit, but earthy element is quite strong.
Held up for an hour or so before the tough tannin element came through.
Don't decant. Drink over next 5 years.

3/26/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

Clear influence of botrytis.
Based on this wine, a below average vintage.
The aromas are pleasant if somewhat subdued: some petrol notes, candied citrus fruit and botrytis elements. Short aand fairly simple on palate. Well past its peak already...

3/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Light and crisp.
Clean but without much interest.
Decent alternative to prosecco.

3/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

The first of the re-corked bottles showed very well.
Obviously an aged character but good freshness and balance.
Very nice texture from this unknown producer long gone.

3/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Nice bottle of Champagne but nothing outstanding.
Seems dominated by Chardonnay with citrus fruit and a fairly linear appearance. No overabundance of autolysis character, but more on the elegant side.
Quite enjoyable.

3/22/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

On its last legs; starting to fade.
Nose still enjoyable, just lacks freshness

3/22/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

A nice bottle of Crozes.
As expected, it doesn't have the class of a Hermitage wine, but was still very enjoyable with dinner.
almost more of a southern Rhone wine in its balance with little cool climate character, more generous nature but also less complexity and length.
Surely at or just past its peak at this point.

3/14/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

First bottle of chateau Taillefer tasted.
Mid-shoulder fill. Loose cork which fell in when removing foil.
deep, saturated hue.
cold when opened; gradually warming up.
Not decanted given age and fill level.
Excellent ripeness, soft and round as you would expect from merlot in a very ripe vintage. Excellent balance and texture with fruit still quite prominent. Only drawback is that it's relatively short, which could be closure related.
Still an excellent experience.

3/11/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

First Gaglioppo wine tasted; a very goof experience.
Very youthful wine at 25 years with excellent deep hue and no signs of aging.
Great fruit intensity accompanied by earthy and spicy elements. Noticeable tannin structure for a wine of this age; must have been a tannic beast early on. Excellent balance and liveliness with noticeable volcanic influence.
This wine would easily have aged another 10+ years.
Very interesting wine for food pairings

3/7/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Late decision to open this bottle, so it needed a little time to warm up.
Nice hue showing nice color and very little aged character.
Aromatics were both complex and intense.
Along with fairly strong blueberry and plum fruit, there are interesting savory, earthy and spicy notes; quite unlike other red vinifera wines.
The balance is excellent with good acidity and moderate alcohol.
This wine seemed fairly close to its peak and delivered a lot of pleasure
It showed even better the next day with soft, ripe tannins , excellent complexity and savory notes

3/3/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

First bottle from this producer.
A very well balanced wine with soft tannins, decent acidity, no excessive alcohol and plenty of complexity.
In my opinion, this wine will continue to drink well for many years but is so delicious now.

2/26/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Starting to drop off a little bit but still very enjoyable.
An underrated Burgundy producer, which is a rarity.

2/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

First of 4 bottles.
Much better settled than the "regular" 61 and also kept its color better.
Excellent fill height and cork in decent, not great, condition.
Brought up cold, so needed to warm up.
This must have been a tannic beast early on as it still retains quite a bit of structure.
Beautiful classic Barolo aromas: red fruit remnants, roses, spices and earthy quality. Quite pale as expected for an aged Barolo; not a meaningful quality indicator on its own.
Beautiful balance: lively acidity, still excellent fruit, intense spicy quality and a long, complex finish; everything I want in an aged Barolo...
Must have been stored in a great cellar.
No hurry to drink.

2/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

A very pleasant style of Pinot Noir.
Makes for a nice dinner wine.
Yes, limited structure and complexity but this is all preferable to excess as you find too often. Doesn't fall into the trap of excess of oak, alcohol and actually delivers a decent balance with a nice acidity.

2/18/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Far better showing for this bottle.
Decent fill level at about 5 cm.
Cork in good condition.
Good hue given that this is a 33 year old Riesling; light golden hue.
The aromas show both excellent intensity and complexity reflecting the outstanding vintage and a very good site.
Prominent petrol nose but complemented by intense candied citrus fruit and spicy elements. The aromas are still bright and focused.
Slight astringency on finish; a great dinner wine.
I feel sorry for wine drinkers who too readily dismiss Riesling.

2/18/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

Disappointing only because of the high level of enjoyment the aged Ravenswood Zinfandel wines usually offer. Cork was crumbly but came out in one piece.
dusty tannins, faded fruit. Could be cork related.

2/18/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

Marginally better, but still faded

2/16/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Still stunning,
Decanted in Restaurant.
Just a monumental rendition of Syrah in the South of France.
By now the tannins have softened, the aromas are fully developed and the texture and finish are just exquisite...
Still have one in the cellar.

2/16/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Not my preferred style of Chablis.
Clearly leading with textural richness, which is something I expect (and want) in a Cotes de Beaune; not so much in a Chablis.
Lacks acidity and minerality and the aromatics are rather simple and short.
Underwhelming.

2/16/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

Not impressed by this Champagne.
It lacked freshness and intensity; rather soft and dull.
Surely Pinot Meunier based...

2/12/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

Frankly disappointing!
It tasted tired, unbalanced and disjointed...
slightly excessive alcohol, not much of the structure expected and just short on interest and complexity.
Certainly not worth the price...

2/12/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

The wine of the night in a strong line-up.
Good fill level into neck, cork in good condition.
This was clearly stored very well.
Bright red color with little browning; excellent clarity
stunning aromatics combining red fruit with cedar and spices; vibrant with great complexity and length even at this age.
Well kept bottles will drink well for another 10+ years

2/12/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

decent fill level at about 4 cm. Cork in ok condition.
Slightly cloudy and very pale (tawny) in the glass.
The wine was dominated by acidity, a weedy character and an oxidative character; not a lot of redeeming qualities.
My first 72 Red Burgundy and most likely my last; not even close to 1971

2/12/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

First time trying this AOC.
Label indicated barrel aged.
Bought as part of an auction lot; not individually.
Supposedly a blend of Petit and Gros Manseng.
Golden hue but still appropriate for a white wine after 18 years.
The aromas were a little muted and mostly dominated by the barrel character.
I expected and wanted more freshness and acidity. Overall lacked interest; surely well past its peak

2/12/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Still a stunning bottle of Riesling.
If well kept, this should last for another 3-5 years

2/12/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Outstanding showing for a 13 year old FL Pinot Gris.
Bright aromatics with excellent intensity and complexity.
No undue signs of aging.
i would have liked a little more acidity on the palate but still an excellent showing.

2/12/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Hadn't tasted it for a while.
It showed better than expected.
Harmonious with decent autolysis character and a little citrus fruit.
Clearly lacking a little in length and complexity but otherwise fine.

2/11/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

French label, so presumably bottled in France.
Mid-shoulder fill when opened; high shoulder before it was shipped to me...
Loose but whole (and short) cork.
Hue is that of an old Tawny; not surprising since it was aged in cask for a long time. In terms of categories, I would think this should be labeled "Colheita".
some cloudiness,
Very intense aromas on the oxidative side : wood, figs, dates, baking spices. Shows little adverse effect of closure, which confirms that these wines are a little more "forgiving".
Very smooth texture despite a relatively high alcohol level. Excellent harmony and a very long finish.
Really enjoyable.

2/4/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Still drinking beautifully without any adverse aging.
Great with pineapple upside-down cake...

2/4/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

A late decision to open this bottle which didn't help.
Good fill level at 3 cm and cork in reasonably good condition.
The wine was fairly turbid and should have been left upright for a few days.
Very pale hue, but the wine still showed fairly rich texture, good acidity and a considerable amount of fruit.
Rose aromas, still noticeable tannin and good acidity all expected from an older Barolo. It could have used a little more structure and complexity but still enjoyable even if a little below expectations.

2/4/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

First wine from this producer that I had never heard of before.
Unusual packaging with leather hood over cork and an incredibly dense, nearly impenetrable concrete like layer over cork, that had to be chiseled away. Cork in decent shape and good fill level at about 3 cm.
Decanted as the cork eventually sank in.
The hue was very respectable given the age of the wine.
somewhat on the soy side but still with some fruit and spice remnants.
Tannins fully resolved. Fairly good clarity.
Slightly cold when served and improved over dinner, developing a little more complexity and texture.
Interesting without providing an outstanding drinking experience.

2/4/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Reflecting both a great site and a very ripe vintage.
Very concentrated; surely a little skin contact with a slightly deeper hue; not oxidized just extracted.
Very impressive texture and concentration. I would have liked a little more acidity to provide a little more tension but still a very nice wine.

2/4/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

This is a Cotes des Bar Champagne, so surely more Pinot Meunier.
This is a softer, fruitier style of Champagne; lighter body and more immediate appeal.
Very satisfying.

2/2/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

TCA
Cork visibly dried up though it came out in one piece

2/1/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Pleasant, cool climate style of Pinot Noir; still preferable to "big" clumsy style.
It did lack a little texture and complexity but ok.

1/28/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Nice to open a bottle with a good cork...
Top shoulder fill level.
The cork didn't inspire confidence but was at least not a TCA source.
Fairly evolved hue as you would expect from sangiovese.
Beautiful nose: great complexity combining over-ripe evolved fruit, spices, tobacco, cedar and leather.
Tannins fully resolved but they have held the wine together nicely.
Great mouthfeel, length and finish. Chianti doesn't get much better than this..
Drink over the next few years.

1/23/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

It really hasn't changed that much over the last 6 years, which is quite remarkable.
Decanted for about 3 hours prior to serving.
top shoulder fill. Cork came out in one piece but no longer inspires confidence.
The hue was that of a 10-15 year old Medoc wine with little to no amber.
This wine, not surprisingly, needed several hours to open up. Between the character of the 75 vintage and the traditions of Montrose anything else would have been a surprise.
This will never be a truly round, inviting wine. It has softened enough to make for an excellent dinner wine, but it will probably always remain on the restrained side. That is not a problem in a World of wine where this almost never happens anymore.

1/22/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Yet another confirmation of Zinfandel's potential for aging.
A little on the "big" side but still relatively well balanced.
Enough acidity to keep it lively, plenty of berry fruit and tannins mostly resolved. No particular hurry to drink this.
The texture of aged well made Zinfandel is often exquisite...
I will drink this over a big Napa Cab any day.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone wrote:

The aromas are quite nice with their leafy and faint fruity character.
the combination of grippy tannins and high acidity a little less so.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Very interesting blend of Gamay Noir and Lagrein.
The Lagrein seems to add a little more palate weight and intensity.
the aromas are both complex and show good intensity with a combination of fruity, smoky and savory notes.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

The nose shows very good typicity with leafy and fruity character.
noticeable acidity. Leaner texture but that's from I would expect from Gamay in a cool climate such a this.
Could use a little more length and intensity.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Really shows the cool climate character; even in what must be considered a warmer vintage. Could use a little more aromatic intensity and complexity with a little citrus fruit coming through.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Very pleasant floral and fruity nose with all of the subtleness and elegance expected from Pinot Blanc. Very tart finish.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

One of the better American Gruner Veltliner wines that I have tried.
combines nice savory and herbal notes with excellent intensity and complexity. buttery finish?

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Very nice rare American Kerner.
Combines nice floral and fruity notes with a rich texture.
seems to show a little RS on the finish but very enjoyable.

1/19/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Very nice Riesling. first one tried from this producer.
Really nice Riesling nose with stone fruit and floral notes. Excellent acidity and balance. The balance is very good; could just use a little for length and complexity.

1/13/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Wow!
This wine was absolutely beautiful at the restaurant last night.
Decanted, as it should be, this wine is probably close to its peak though in no danger of dropping off. Minimal browning in hue, great intensity and complexity.
Clearly a full-bodied wine but without being heavy. Sufficient acidity to keep a nice focus. Just stunning...

1/13/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Very nice Nahe Riesling from a very ripe vintage.
Probably close to its peak right now, this wine shows great ripeness, rich texture and is a little on the soft side. The aromas are drifting a little towards the lanolin but are still very nice

1/3/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Still drinking extremely well.
No signs of aging and improving texture.
amazing value in ageworthy wines