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Tasting Notes for no oak

(53 notes on 53 wines)

1 - 50 of 53 Sort order
Red
2/14/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
94 points
The last of 4 bottles consumed over the years, and the first three were closed down. In contrast, the wine had sprung to life in this final bottle and had bloomed into an excellent Cote Rotie. Popped and poured into a decanter, and the wine showed at its best immediately after pouring. Notes of smoke, bacon fat, coffee, violets, and black fruits. The intensity of the nose and palate had faded after being open 1 hour. The wine is at or close to full maturity. No need to wait any longer.
Red
1/20/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
We had a bottle of this wine 2 years ago, and it was still fairly closed and tannic. Tonight, upon opening, the wine hand an unpleasantly funky nose and was light bodied. However, after being decanted for 1 hour, it was a totally different wine. It had put on significant weight and had become full bodied. On the palate, the wine comes across as thick and viscous, and tastes like a combination of cherry liquor with a splash of black currents. Subtle notes of licorice on the finish. The tannins had softened considerably since we last tasted the wine 2 years ago. An excellent wine and very, very enjoyable now for its beautiful fruit, but secondary characteristics have yet to evolve.
Red
1/19/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
Medium bodied. After being opened for 30 minutes, this wine showed red fruits, earth, barnyard, saddle leather, herbs, chocolate, and licorice. While it is an entry level Gigondas for St. Damien, it is nonetheless an excellent wine, and at a superb QPR.
White
1/18/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
Classic gewurztraminer characteristics of grapefruit, rose petals, and lychee nuts. Paired well with Thai food (basil duck, and squid with cashews in a spicy sauce).
Red
1/2/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
A nice glass of Chateauneuf du Pape on a cold winter's night. Kirsch liquor and spices are present. Just pop and pour. Good QPR.
Red
1/1/2024 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
Notes of olives, earth, blueberries, and a touch of smoke. Some acidity remains so the wine might continue to evolve with additional cellaring. A good La Chapelle, but not a great one.
Red - Fortified
1/1/2024 - no oak wrote:
85 points
I have had this wine many, many times over the years and it's one of my all-time favorite ports. We opened 2 bottles this weekend that I had recently purchased from a dealer (found via Wine-Searcher) that acquires and sells private wine cellars. These 2 bottles were a shadow of what this wine should be. One was undrinkable, and the other was merely serviceable. As we all know, when you buy a 46-year-old wine, you're at the mercy of the storage history of the bottle. Judging from the other tasting notes here, that is the likely explanation rather than the wine being at the end of its life, so don't be alarmed by my review if you know for a fact that you have well stored bottles.
Red
2007 Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
12/31/2023 - no oak wrote:
92 points
Is this a good wine? Yes. Is this a wine that is worthy of its 98-point Wine Advocate rating and $300 price tag? No, not at the moment. Next bottle in ~5 years.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
12/25/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
A smooth glass of wine, but at 25 years of age, it doesn't have much complexity.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red - Fortified
12/25/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
96 points
An elegant, well-balanced port that is drinking well. Probably has years of evolution ahead of it so there is no need to rush. I would not be surprised to see this wine meriting a score in the upper 90's several years from now.
White - Sweet/Dessert
11/3/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
Deep caramel in color, this wine is reminiscent of the raisin-like character of a Pedro Ximenez Sherry, albeit with a much lower alcohol level. Showing well now. Hold or drink.
White
11/3/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
While enjoyable now, this wine is nowhere near its prime drinking window. Without a doubt, the most fruit-forward white Ermitage I've ever tasted. Notes of white fruits, flowers, and hazelnuts are present. No secondary characteristics yet. Next bottle in 5 to 10 years.
White
10/21/2023 - no oak wrote:
87 points
This wine is very, very heavy on the palate but has very little complexity. Perhaps the wine will improve with further aging??
Red
9/1/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
A smooth drinking wine that was well balanced on the palate. Cinnamon and nutmeg dominated both the nose and palate, but not much else. The bold cabernet fruit characteristics of this wine did not shine through as well as I recall in earlier vintages. No secondary or tertiary characteristics yet. Hold.
Red
8/23/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
A beautiful glass of wine. Although the tannins have not fully resolved. The wine is still loaded with red fruit and is well-balanced. In a good spot now, but secondary nuances are not well developed. Probably has some upside ahead of it.
White
8/12/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
94 points
Subtle nose of flowers, with tangerines, minerals, flowers, and pears on the palate with a noticeable effervescence on the attack. A long finish, and the wine still has decent acidity. A very enjoyable wine indeed.
Red
8/6/2023 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
Classic Syrah. Smoke, meat, dark fruit, and olives. The wine is still deeply colored and looks like a much younger wine. While it is enjoyable, it is not anywhere near its apogee. This may very well be a 40+ year wine.
White
4/26/2023 - no oak wrote:
80 points
First bottle of 6. Upon opening, the aroma is an awful mix of damp socks and sherry gone bad. After keeping the wine open for several days, while the palate firmed up significantly, the nose did not improve so my low score is primarily based on this. The palate contains flavors of buttered popcorn, hazelnuts, minerals, figs, and oak. Best on day 3. After being open for 5 days, the wine had faded away. Now I've got to figure out when to open the remaining 5 bottles. Will the nose ever flesh out?
Red
12/31/2022 - no oak wrote:
91 points
Tasted immediately after opening, the wine showed classic Hermitage smoke, black fruits, and spices, and left me with great anticipation that this was going to be a monumental drinking experience after some decanting. However, after being open for 30 minutes, the wine had had become muted but quite smooth on the palate. A puzzling experience, which left me scratching my head on when to open our remaining bottles.
Red
12/28/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
A fully mature, delicious bottle of wine.
Red
1990 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
12/25/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
94 points
Last of 3 bottles purchased upon release, and this was the best showing to date. The wine was decanted ~30 minutes before drinking. The tannins have softened, the wine remains deep in color, and the fruit is intact. Classic left bank Bordeaux with cedar and black currants, but no tertiary flavors/aromas yet. Very drinkable now, but I believe the wine will be even better in a few years. This bottle was definitely worthy of the Chateau's 2nd growth stature.
White
11/19/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
My first experience with this producer, and it was a good one. Honeyed tangerines on the nose, with white fruits, lemons, and minerals on the palate. A very nice wine and an excellent value for the money.
Red
11/23/2022 - no oak wrote:
92 points
Decanted 2 hours. Unmistakable Syrah smoke as well as minerals on the nose and palate. The wine is unevolved and needs several more years of cellaring.
Red
2003 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
11/24/2022 - no oak wrote:
90 points
Decanted 2 hours. Cinnamon on the nose and palate but otherwise, the wine was unyielding. Needs additional time in the cellar.
Red
9/14/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
Bottle opened (but not poured into a decanter) 1 hour before serving. A very enjoyable Barbera. Notes of cherries, leather, earth, and oak, with sufficient grip to pair well with Calamari Fra Diavolo.
Red
9/10/2022 - no oak Does not like this wine:
60 points
After reading many alarming reviews of this wine on this website, we decided to pop a bottle. Awful! Then we popped a 2nd bottle. Equally awful! Both bottles smelled and tasted oxidized and dirty, even though the corks and fills looked fine. Do yourself a favor: If you open a bottle and the nose turns you off, don't taste it. It will ruin your palate for the night. This wine was a complete waste of money, and there is no excuse for that at this price point.
White
9/1/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
95 points
Unlike many white hermitages, this one has merely a touch of sherry that does not overpower the wine. Notes of yellow fruits, almonds, minerals, and flowers are also present in the nose and palate. A very enjoyable wine that drinks very easy, and this is one of those few white hermitages that might actually qualify as being a "crowd pleaser. I don't think it has reached its peak yet, but as afficionados know, the evolution of white hermitage is difficult to quantify. Will it ever justify the Parker 100-point rating, or the stratospheric price tag???
Red
2000 Château Grand-Pontet St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
8/13/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
This wine is drinking well after a 20 minute decant. Still dark purple in color, with a very perfumed nose. Cinnamon, cloves, and red fruits on the nose and palate. Very enjoyable at the moment. It still has some structure left, but I'm not sure whether it will continue to improve.
Red
1990 Château Troplong Mondot St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
8/6/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
Purchased upon release in 1993 for $20/bottle. At that time, the 1990 Troplong Mondot, L'Angelus, and Montrose where the greatest young Bordeaux wines I have ever tasted. A couple of years later, they all shut down.

Now 32 years old, the bottle of Troplong Mondot that we opened had a hint of being a little tired on the nose, but not unpleasantly so since the wine remains aromatic. However, there is a big disconnect between the palate and the nose. The wine is still tannic and tastes much younger than its age. A very pleasant wine to drink, while it has emerged from the closed state, it still does not appear to be at its peak.

Note: another commenter responded to my post that the wine becomes special after a 3 to 4 hour decant. We left the bottle for 5 hours before consuming and my review was based on that. Of course, at this age, there is certainly going to be some bottle-to-bottle and cellar-to-cellar variation.
2 people found this helpful Comments (3)
Red
Recently purchased 2 bottles from a source I have never used before, so the conditions in which the wine has been stored are unknown. Upon opening, the cork of 1 bottle disintegrated but the other cork was fine. Both bottles tasted dirty and tired. The wine is over the hill and is not at all enjoyable.
Red
7/16/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
Purchased the wine directly from the Chateau back in 2010 and have cellared it properly in the interim. The wine is tannic upon opening but settles down with time. Overall, an enjoyable wine, but I don't think it has peaked yet as there was not much in terms of secondary characteristics. If you have multiple bottles, you won't commit infanticide if you try one now. I will wait at least 3 more years before popping open another bottle.
White
2/20/2022 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
1st bottle was so-so. The 2nd bottle (which my score is based on after being open for 1 day in the fridge) was fantastic. Most good vintages of this wine seem to be akin to buttered pineapples, but the 2019 had notes of vanilla-nutmeg custard, with the tropical fruit components being somewhat less obvious. At $17/bottle, I can't imagine finding a better deal on a Cali Chardonnay.
Red
1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
12/31/2021 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
When first opened, the wine had aromas and flavors of olives, smoke, and meat. Indeed, if tasted blind, I would have mistaken it for a Rhone! After being opened for an hour, the wine put on weight and developed much more of a cabernet characteristic. In my opinion, the wine has not peaked yet. It is still dark in color with little legs, and still has a good amount of tannin, acid, and fruit. Secondary characteristics were not prominent. At this stage, I'm not convinced that the wine will ever merit its perfect 100-point Parker score.
3 people found this helpful Comment
Red
5/15/2021 - no oak Likes this wine:
90 points
In contrast to many of the other tasters here, I do not think this wine is ready yet. While it will never be a full-throttle CDP, it still needs to put on some weight. If you touch it now, you may find yourself consuming a wine that is showing below what you would expect at this price point. Will try the next bottle in a few years.
Red
3/27/2021 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
The wine is deep and dark in color, which made me think that we were going to be treated to a terrific cab. Tasted immediately upon pouring, the wine was a full bodied fruit bomb with a cherry finish, but the nose was a bit tight. The wine did NOT improve after 2 hours of decanting and both nose and palate became more muted over time. A good wine for sure, but IMHO, it is not even close to the WA 97 score it received.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
11/26/2020 - no oak Likes this wine:
96 points
While I like my claret well-aged, this wine, which is only just entering adulthood, was magnificent. It's still packed with fruit, so it's got a significant aging curve ahead of it. Great juice!
Red
1/9/2021 - no oak Likes this wine:
90 points
This wine is still a beast. It is still tight, tannic, and dark in color, and is undeniably CDP. This bottle paired well with Provencal lamb stew. While this wine will appeal to CDP enthusiasts, don't bother to serve it to anyone else at this point in its evolution. This wine might prove to be special over time, so my score may end up being conservative. This wine needs a lot more time in the bottle to see what it's capable of.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2004 Château Branaire-Ducru St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
9/17/2020 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
When it was first opened, the wine had a very bitter finish. After being decanted for around 2 hours, the bitterness had disappeared and the wine fleshed out. While the wine is not yet complex, it has a sweet quince fruit character about it. The wine's color is still very dark with no amber at the edges, so some additional time in the bottle shouldn't hurt. With decanting, it is quite pleasant at the moment but I think that there are better things to come.
Red
10/26/2019 - no oak Likes this wine:
95 points
This wine is a ferocious monster that all but roars at you as the wine hits your palate. If you are a lover of CDP, then go ahead and try it. Otherwise, don't bother. At this point, it's a closed down rustic behemoth that offers little complexity. However, all of the requisite components are there so I think this wine has tremendous potential to be an old-school beauty. My score is based on potential rather than how it's showing at the moment.
Red
1990 Château Angélus St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
4/21/2019 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
Bought upon release in 1993 and has been properly stored thereafter. This is the last bottle of the 1990 L'Angelus in my cellar, and it was consumed on 4/21/2019. The color is still dark with very little amber at the rim. When first opened, the finish was unmistakably cinnamon. Two hours later, that was gone. While the wine has an old-claret nose of black currents and spices, the palate is much younger, as the tannins have not yet resolved and the wine lacks complexity. While the first bottle in my stash, consumed in 1993, was one of the best young Bordeaux wines I've ever tasted, the 1990 L'Angelus has not yet emerged from its sleep. If I had more bottles, I wouldn't open another one for at least 5 more years.
Red
1/1/2019 - no oak Likes this wine:
92 points
We purchased our stash of the 1986 Las Cases in the early 1990's and the bottles have been properly cellared as long as we have owned them. We waited until now to open a bottle and in the glass, the wine is still so deep in color that it looks much younger than its age would suggest. Medium bodied with notes of cherries and cedar, with coffee and smoke appearing after being opened for 1 hour. Definitely drinkable, but still not at its peak. We'll wait at least 5 more years before opening another bottle.
Red
8/6/2018 - no oak Likes this wine:
93 points
Tasted at the winery when it was first released, where it showed itself to be a wine of depth. After shutting down for a few years, it has reemerged and is just entering its drinkability window. Decanted 2.5 hours before tasting. Blackberry liquor, spices, and licorice were readily apparent. Very enjoyable now, but I suspect that it will be significantly better in a few years.
Red
7/28/2018 - no oak Likes this wine:
95 points
After a 1 hour decant, the wine was awful, as it tasted like cough medicine. However, after being open for 3+ hours, the wine started to show rather nicely. Red fruits, flowers, garrigue, and earthiness are apparent in the wine. Although I like my wines well aged, there is no question that it has entered its window of drinkability. Very enjoyable now after a long decant.
White
4/7/2018 - no oak wrote:
88 points
On the palate, the wine tasted like yeasty bread, but not unpleasantly so. After being open for 2 hours, it did not change much. I did not detect any of the lemony characteristics that other reviewers on CT reported. The wine seems to have some body, so perhaps the best is yet to come. I noted that the wine seemed a little bit deeper in color than would be expected from such a young Chardonnay, but I have no previous experience with Tor Kenward wines.
Red
2/3/2018 - no oak wrote:
Very structured with overbearing tannin and acid levels. Not sure whether the fruit will still be alive when the wine resolves its savage youth. Judgment reserved.
Red
2/3/2018 - no oak Likes this wine:
90 points
Not an overly complex wine, but it's got beautiful cabernet fruit. Does not require a long decant.
Red
1/13/2018 - no oak Likes this wine:
90 points
The fourth and final bottle. First three (opened 2 to 5 years ago) were disappointing. However, this fourth bottle was a different story altogether. The fruit has finally resurfaced, and soars from the glass. On the palate, notes of licorice and black/red fruits are apparent. Medium to full-bodied. Still very dark in color, and the tannins are almost fully resolved. It paired well with an herb-crusted bison roast. This wine is definitely in its drinking window and I would not be surprised to see further improvements in well-stored bottles. If only I had more.
Red - Fortified
11/28/2016 - no oak Likes this wine:
91 points
Popped and poured from a 375 ml bottle. I don't have much experience with Graham's port at such a young age, but the wine comes across as a fruit bomb made in a somewhat modern style. Not a lot of complexity yet. The finish is dominated by raspberries and is the most obvious component in the glass. Paired well with blueberry and cranberry galettes.
Red
11/24/2016 - no oak Does not like this wine:
84 points
The nose and attack had a slightly stewed component, but not offensively so. However, the finish was quite bitter and pretty much dominated the fruit that was left. The following day, while the bitterness had softened up a bit, the stewed characteristic had become amplified to the point that the wine was unpleasant to drink. A very disappointing experience, especially at this price point.
Red
11/3/2016 - no oak Does not like this wine:
84 points
This wine is as hard as nails. On the first day, the wine was impenetrable with an unpleasant funky nose. This bottle was kept open for 4 days and although the funk lightened up, the wine never showed well. Very disappointing. I won't open another bottle for at least another 3 to 5 years.
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  • Tasting Notes: 53 notes on 53 wines
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