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Comments on my notes

(91 comments on 75 notes)

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Red
2017 Res Fortes Brave Côtes du Roussillon Villages Grenache Noir, Grenache
100% Grenache Noir from 120y vines (on the highest and steepest north-facing vineyard in Maury overlooking the Agly valley) aged in 4-year-old 400L barrels for 18 months. Bottle 310 of 360.

Decanted an hour. Rosemary, cranberry, cherry, desert scrub, hint of smoked meat & florals, pepper.

It paired awesomely with some Montreal-seasoned smoked beef tongue.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    2/21/24, 5:02 AM - This is a rare wine (one barrel only, I believe); I am surprised someone in Canada has this. Where did you acquire it? I have one bottle which I bought from Moritz directly when I visited his operation in Roussillon a few years ago, and which I am holding onto with anticipation for another year or so.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    2/22/24, 12:00 PM - Yes. I have had his full gambit. His basic whites and reds are fine, and his Traveller is very good. But his Rosés are outstanding.

White
2017 Latour-Labille / Vincent Latour Meursault 1er Cru Charmes Chardonnay
11/16/2023 - ThijsV wrote:
[Restaurant purchase] No detailed notes. I had a difference of opinion with the sommelier; I felt it was too advanced for its age, the sommelier argued the oxidative style is typical for the domaine. I’ve had Vincent Latour before, but I do not recognize that. Still, as I did not want a discussion during dinner I accepted the bottle. Still believe I should not have. Had an older Chenin feel to it with bruised yellow apple, a nuttiness.

Any ideas from others on the style?
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/20/23, 1:03 PM - I am commenting because I have been there my friend ... Now, I have no experience with this wine, but h read no indication of an oxidative style in either this producer's own description of his house style generally or in the review on Vinous (done in 2018) about this wine specifically.
    Alas, we must remember that while a sommelier's expertise is wine, his purpose is Sales!

Red
2018 Château les Cruzelles Lalande de Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend
11/19/2023 - Lanzelot Likes this wine:
92 points
The color is deep ruby. On the nose there are pronounced aromas of stewed red plum, red cherries, blackberries, coffee. The acidity is medium(+) as well as the tannins are. The wine has a full body. On the palate the flavors are also pronounced and similar to the nose with vanilla in addition. The finish is long. This right bank Bordeaux is at the beginning of its drinking windows with a few years ahead of it. It's already pretty complex but I expect the complexity to increase with aging. Glass I used: Zalto Bordeaux
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/19/23, 4:09 PM - Um, er, Right Bank.

Red
2019 Domaine du Cros (Philippe Teulier) Marcillac Vieilles Vignes Mansois, Fer Servadou
7/16/2021 - Andy2810 wrote:
78 points
Ok
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/10/23, 12:59 PM - 78? That bad? Really? Why?

White - Sparkling
N.V. Jacquart Champagne Brut Mosaïque Champagne Blend
10/3/2023 - graemeg wrote:
Qantas Business Class - Ground & Air; 10/3/2023-10/6/2023 (Sydney, Antique aircraft, Bangkok): Mainstream champers, with some autolysis character; brioche, yeast. More melon/citrus flavours on the palate; dry, crunchy, fresh texture. Small/medium, delicate bubbles. Just lacks a bit of complexity on the finish but is otherwise OK. Also served on returning QF24 three days later and quite consistent. (QF23 SYD > BKK Business Class)
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/7/23, 5:40 AM - Just had this on Swiss Air, ZUR-MIA. Not impressed. This maket's distributor seems to have scored a big sale (or granted huge discount) to a number of airlines.

Red
2020 Martin Waßmer Spätburgunder Markgräflerland Baden
I gave this an hour's air first. It presents an agreeable nose but then hits you with a quite sour cherry palate. I agree with much of M&E's previous note, but I will add that the wife detected a hint of bitter chocolate here too. So, unless you are going to hold this for 5+ years, IMO, treat this like a Beaujolais and serve it a bit cool.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/28/23, 9:58 AM - I agree that German Pinots are on the up. And, yes, I read that English ones may be too, but I haven't tried them yet. Their price puts me off. (I appreciate land cost in south England is high but, typically, Brits price most of their goods too far up the curve for profits today instead of capturing market share and customers for tomorrow.)

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/28/23, 10:08 AM - Sounds goid. I will seek out a Sharpham and give it a try. Ta!

Red
2016 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus Syrah
Even better than last bottle. Juicy. Savory. Round. Robust. Thoroughly enjoyable.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/28/23, 9:53 AM - Interesting that you mention that Ardanza. I had my hand on one of them this morning as I contemplated dinner tonight. I have 2 of those left. However, I opted for one of my 2010 La Rioja Alta G.R. 904's instead, as I have 6 of those. (Wife doing a posh din tonite!)

Red
2016 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus Syrah
7/31/2023 - COWineLover wrote:
91 points
Pnp with about 30 minutes of aeration before drinking. Opaque. Aromatically unmistakably Northern Rhone with the garrigue, violets, hint of iodine, crushed black fruit, incense, and smoked meats. On the palate this has a beautiful complement of juicy black fruits, energetic acidity, chewy yet fine tannins coating the salted meats, herb de Provence, and other dried herbs. Good length with fine balance with the wine evolving from attack to finish and nothing out of place. I have found many St. Joseph wines can be rustic and unbalanced, but not this bottle. Absolutely blows away a 2014 Chateau Gloria I had the day prior. Likely quite enjoyable through 2030 with the acidity and great fruit.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/26/23, 11:41 AM - Great note. Thoroughly agee.

Red
2015 Rocche Costamagna Barolo Rocche Dell'Annunziata Nebbiolo
10/17/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:
Upon opening, some bricking noted. Decanted this one hour, but that wasn't really necessary. Nose initially roasted fruits, roses, liquorice and leather. Palate dry and sharp, initially well balanced between acidity, tannins and fruit but over the dinner hour the acidity won out.

This strikes me as a modernised Barolo, a bit lighter, less tannic and more fruit forward than in the past. Sorry, but I prefer traditional Barolo wine making.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/23/23, 1:26 AM - Fair points, of course. And looking at your notes I see you are well experienced with Barolos, certainly more so than I, for I have only had a dozen or so Barolos in the last 10 years or so, all in this price range and, from memory, all but one more enjoyable than this one. I also see you are here in the UK, so you will understand when I say that at 30 quid or so from the Wine Society I expected more substance for what for them is the higher end of the "value" spectrum.

Red
2020 Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
1/27/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote:
92 points
Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and lively, with a core of ripe, kirsch, cherries, pepper and chocolate, this is already a pleasure to taste. This is a really solid wine from the owners of Chateau Lynch Bages. The wine is made using mostly Grenache, with Syrah, Mourvedre, and various other allowable, grape varieties. Drink from 2022-2033.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/14/23, 12:40 PM - Is that a typo? Do you really believe the drinking window is only 2022-2023?

Red
2010 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) Red Bordeaux Blend
10/1/2023 - wineforth Likes this wine:
92 points
4th bottle from a case bought en primeur and another 2 year gap. Still evolving slowly. Big vanilla and cassis nose with some pleasant undergrowth, then tobacco, graphite and blackcurrant on the palate and a long finish. Tannins are reducing in dominance and there's plenty of fruit to see them out. A typical muscular 2010. Drinking well now and will soon be at its peak. Score will continue to improve.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/1/23, 1:20 PM - A bit disappointing to read so many low 90's, mid range reviews of this wine, including yours. So instead of having bought a higher quality $100 (£75) Bordeaux at a value price, what I have is yet another overhyped, overpriced, only slightly above average (i e., low 90's) wine, yeah?

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/5/23, 10:54 AM - Thanks fellows; will do.

Red
2016 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin Grenache
9/9/2023 - seijaro Likes this wine:
92 points
You cab see why the Chateauneuf GSM recipe is so successful, all the components compliment and reinforce each other. This one is a lovely medium weight example that is a pleasure to drink.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    9/10/23, 2:04 AM - I agree that this is a very nice CdP, however, I read that Janasse made this one from 100% Grenache.

Red
2016 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin Grenache
8/26/2023 - rmalloy Likes this wine:
95 points
Blind tasting, I guessed CdP on the first sip. I have a hit rate of about 1 in 4 these days, so that says more about the virtues of this wine than my blind tasting abilities. The wine has a rich barleywine flavor that I’ve only ever tasted in CdP, along with black pepper and raspberry. (Try a barleywine style beer if you haven’t had one.) While this is quintessentially CdP, it is also much better than average. Big and tannic, yet smooth and balanced. Inherently delicious to my tastes.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/28/23, 10:24 AM - Yes, this is a very tasty CdP. That Grenache really comes through, doesn't it? I don't know about your barleywine flavour though. (NB: I've had this before in both America and, more importantly, here in its original home and more subtle style, England.)

Red
1998 Domaine Amiot et Fils Clos de la Roche Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Pinot Noir
8/11/2023 - chatters wrote:
Decided to just open this up, have a glass and then pour it down the sink based on my previous note. Well, muggins here should have applied his old/decrepit Bordeaux rule to this as well (give it some air & hope it comes together). The oxidised notes are here but they are joined by leather, earth, red cherry, sweet spice, leather, sous bois, mushroom, earth...there is a touch of fruit sweetness on the palate as well as talc textured burr joining. Rather nice.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/12/23, 2:21 AM - Ha. This is another note that makes me smile. Obviously you are back, and back on form. You're a wordsmith, David!

Red
2015 Château d'Aiguilhe Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend
7/30/2023 - RoelD Likes this wine:
93 points
The best wines from the Castillon region, including this one, are as enjoyable as a very good and often more expensive St.Emilion. About 80%Merlot and 20%Cabernet Franc. Very deep youthful black-red color with still some purple. Aromas of cherries, black currants, blackberries, caramel, still some vanilla from new oak, plenty of ripe tannins, good acidity and a decent finale. A fantastic QPR at less than 25,00€ and a very enjoyable wine in a “modern” style . I have no problem with that, as an octogenerian and a “bon vivant” I don’t long at all for the wines of sixty years ago :-)
This wine might even benefit from a couple of years of cellaring.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/30/23, 12:09 PM - Agreed. And looking at your profile and previous notes, we have a lot in common. Santé!

Red
2016 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin Grenache
7/21/2023 - AllRed wrote:
87 points
Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (EBCC): Double blind. Lighter color. Aromas of prune, black fruit, raisin and plum. Flavors of pruney dark fruit, plum, pepper and spice. Not my style of wine. Guessed 2010 CndP.

This was a surprise, firstly because I have liked this cuvée on two prior occasions, secondly because I have very much enjoyed the 2016 vintage of CndP overall. I'll have to check in on some 2016s to see if this was perhaps a one off or if there might be something more going on as these age. (R&D)
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/22/23, 7:27 AM - I, too, was underwhelmed by this.

Red
2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
7/20/2023 - Love Good Wine wrote:
95 points
Beautifully balanced, this wine is a peak of perfection and no sign of aging out. Paired nicely with steak burgers from the grill. Alas, my last…
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/21/23, 12:39 PM - Agreed, absolutely. I also have one bottle left and I also have a big number birthday next week. I shall enjoy this last bottle with relish and reverence, with a tasty côte de boeuf and glee.

Red
2014 Fattoria La Gerla Birba Toscana IGT Sangiovese
4/30/2023 - NickA Likes this wine:
92 points
100% Sangiovese, matured in barrique (1/3 new). That winemaking decision appears to have paid off in spades in this cooler 2014 vintage - which I wouldn't have expected, to be honest - as the wine led with its wonderful freshness, but married that to excellent depth and concentration... and there was no flavour of new oak. Unpretentious, fruit-driven, and a joy to drink.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/9/23, 9:52 AM - I am at present considering this wine as a value purchase, knowing full well, however, that 2014 was a decidedly poor year in Tuscany. Your note reads quite positive. Have you any additional thoughts on this?

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/9/23, 10:07 AM - Frankness and quick response both appreciated, Nick. Thanks.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/21/23, 9:36 AM - Nick, FYI, I found these (Lay & Wheeler); bought these; opened one; enjoyed it thoroughly - thanks!

Red
2017 d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The Coppermine Road McLaren Vale
5/22/2023 - chatters wrote:
Tasting/drinking time (Library, Kent Street): Ripe blackcurrant, minty herbaceous notes, sweet spice, cedar, touch of alcohol prickle on the nose. Medium plus intensity acidity, splash of ripe black fruit, chewy grape and wood tannins are drying but the fruit persists, quite concentrated. A sharp contrast to the SP68 - clean, well made, perhaps a little dull? but nothing wrong here. I'm guessing about 3 decades under screwcap will lend some complexity if it doesn't dry out.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/8/23, 10:48 AM - Hey David. Now, I had a different d'Arenberg when I was in Aus last year but I was just considering this one, as the TWS is plugging it here in Blighty. Their blurb reads well but at £37 I think it is overpriced, and your note, while generally positive, has a stinger in its tail about "decades" to reveal more complexity. Lol.

White
2020 Saint Cosme Domaine de Saint Cosme Marsanne Clairette Bourboulenc Vin de Pays de la Principauté d'Orange White Rhone Blend
6/10/2023 - hughsaunders Likes this wine:
90 points
Light straw colour, definite citrus flavours over familiar Rhone fruit. Off dry, perhaps a little sweeter than the average, but held in check by the pinch of salinity at the end. This is a *lot* of wine for the money (I paid £7 a bottle en primeur) with depth and power that would suggest something at twice the price. Apparently a blend produced specially for The Wine Society during 2020, so there may not be more of this in the future sadly ...
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/10/23, 11:46 AM - I bought a case of these too. Uniquely interesting, isn't it? Alas, with everone jacking up prices these days, including the wine trade, even on their old stock, I doubt we will see such gems again for 7 quid.

Red
2022 Château Tronquoy St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
5/10/2023 - watcheslover Likes this wine:
96 points
Fabulous, a wine of this price that transcends its appellation to such an extent?? Blind I thought I was drinking a Montrose!
My biggest favorite (Quality/Price) for a very long time 95-97/100
the first time in my life that I buy 48 bottles of the same wine!
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/9/23, 12:14 PM - High praise indeed. And special credit because you put your money where your mouth is!

Red
2019 Château Sansonnet St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
2/9/2023 - Everything Ahead wrote:
89 points
Double decanted, followed over 3 nights.
This was not as impressive as the 2018 vintage to my palate.
Still, a lot of (very modern!) Bordeaux for the money. Just a bit overblown on the oak and alcohol dept for me, not enough so it is as unbalanced as the '19 Capbern tasted recently, but missing depth and complexity for sure. Hopefully with 5-10 years it can become more integrated. If you like big, hearty CA wines, add several points ..
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/4/23, 12:50 PM - Disappointing to read this note EA, as I bought the '19 Capbern and was considering this just now. No, Napa cab jam on toast is not my thing, but your note on this gives me cause for pause. Will consider further ...

Red
2011 Château Canon St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
5/29/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:
93 points
Spurred on by Agelvis' recent bottle. I haven't had one of these in about 6 years. Decanted for 2 hours before going back into bottle to take to HMC's for dinner. Medium garnet in the glass. No barnyard at all on the nose, just fruit. On the palate, thin, red fruit to start, with a very slight tart quality to it, but by hour 2 it fills out into this dark red, velvety wine, with no tartness in sight. It's very well put together and very well balanced at that point. Perfect accompaniment to our meal. Perhaps less sweet and less weighty overall than what most Cali drinkers would like and maybe not enough Bdx-ish-ness for hard core Bdx drinkers, but I found it pretty enjoyable and very well made. 93-94 for me.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/1/23, 11:20 AM - Aha. Having read Agelvis' comments on these last weekend and another positive note from my guy at BBR, I just bought a trio of these from them the other day to indulge while I await my 2016's to come on form. Now I read your positive comments too and I am doubly pleased. Ta.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/3/23, 6:02 AM - WineGuy, Feytit-Clinet is certainly underrated. I visited them some years back (as well as Trotanoy who were just across the road). Then I had their 2019 on my en primeur short list, but opted for some others instead. Now I see that Feytit-Clinet make the house Pomerol for BBR. A young vines product it seems. I do buy some wines from BBR but I haven't been that impressed with their contracted house products, so I will pass on that F-C bottling. I will, however, reconsider the 2019's, which are still readily available, and will look for your 2014 recommendation, thanks.

Red
2017 Veramonte Pinot Noir Ritual Monster Block Casablanca Valley
5/4/2023 - JCKafka wrote:
bOUGHT ON sO aM cruise
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/1/23, 7:29 AM - Did you visit their winery and buy this wine there? Any tasting note for this or any of their other wines you can share? I ask because, like you, my wife and I will also be stopping there later this year while on a cruise.

Red
2019 Château d'Issan Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
1/15/2023 - GrapeScott wrote:
93 points
If you looked up Margaux in a textbook, it should show this wine. An elegant, effusively floral and refined claret, with a very pretty core of currant, cherry, and red plum fruit. This is not a wine that wants to make a statement, but it manages to keep your attention with its subtle evolution and complexity. Very different than the Brane-Cantenac I had a few nights ago, but both are compelling wines.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/23/23, 8:29 AM - I am looking to buy a few more '19 Margaux and these, plus Brane Cantenac are my 2 leading choices (with Labegorce my lesser rung candidate). Q: You say this differs substantially from the '19 BC. How? Yes, I have read your (and other peeps) notes on it. Style?Acidity? Longevity? BTW, your notes share great depth and insight; thanks.

Red
2019 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
5/25/2022 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine:
96 points
My pick of the various high end 2019 CDP's I have tasted to date. This is a big call, as I found the Clos des Papes rather stirring in a groinish sort of way. This one is for the mind first, the stiffy second but make no mistake, it still scores highly on the Stormy Daniels scale of stiffynosity.

I drank this over 3 days, decanted and from the first it was gorgeous. Early on I found the Grenache seemed strong in the blend but it was the good Grenache - strawberry, raspberry, some spice - not the lolly water/porty stuff that gives me the horrors. After about 6 hours blueberry (Mourvedre?) started to add to the picture in good ways, then I also got some restrained blackberry and plum. There is a little earthiness but this wine stayed very light on its feet, fresh and focused on exquisite, perfumed, primary fruits.

As I have noted elsewhere, the great wines seem to be about structure differentiating them from the merely excellent and so it is here. The sandy tannins are a delight, like vaulted arches in a magnificent cathedral.

My only hesitation is a reputation, deserved or not, from some Brettanomyces issues at the winery. I got nothing of this swine in my bottle and I note other reviews of this year don't seem to give any indication of badness lurking.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/18/23, 7:54 AM - As always, a most entertaining as well as informative note. Very cheeky!

Red
2016 Château Latour-Martillac Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
3/23/2023 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine:
94 points
Webinar hosted by The Wine Society, UK, with tasting wines sent in advance. "Bordeaux Blends from around the World."

My first tasting of this wine and I thought it was superb. Dark cassis colour. As soon as it's in the glass, huge aromas fill the air and I could happily just inhale for an hour. The nose shows cigar, leather, chocolate. Gorgeous soft fruit, plummy. And long. Excellent.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/13/23, 9:19 AM - Ah, I missed that Webinar. I am a fan of LM but haven't had the '16. (Bought some '15's for my nephew and am sitting on '19's for myself!). I see TWS still has these '16's available. Given such positive reviews by you and others, I shall pop for a couple. Q: do you hold more of these?

Red
2001 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Margaret River Red Bordeaux Blend
When I was at VF a month ago I tasted and admired their Heytesbury chardonnay but did not sample their Cabernet. So in this flight with Chatters, this showed me what a top rated Margaret River cab could do. However, if this had been a blind tasting I might have been forgiven for thinking this was an older Napa Valley blend from that valley floor, (not a hillside or mountain cab mind you). On top of the still evident oak and drying fruit the dominant trait, to me, was green bell pepper. I was reminded of BV (Beaulieu Vineyards). This was the oldest of the wines Chatters graciously provided, and at 22 years it was a bit tired. Nonetheless, thank you Chatters; much appreciated.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/13/23, 5:54 AM - Yes, I was generally impressed with Margaret River wines. While their chards and cab sauvs may play 2nd fiddle to France and Calif, they are decent efforts and good value nonetheless.

Red
2010 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Selección Especial Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
5/7/2023 - Likawine Likes this wine:
91 points
Dill, oak, red and black fruit. Soft tannins. Nice structure. Balanced, give it 1-2 h decant.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/8/23, 1:33 AM - Nice reviews, but - Same bottle over 2 nights, or 2 different bottles?

Red
2010 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Selección Especial Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
5/6/2023 - macaujames Likes this wine:
95 points
94/95. The last of the old style Vina Ardanza at 13/13.5%. Now its like a Chateauneuf du Pape. at 14.5%. Has aromas of mint, shale, leather, licorice, parchment, blackberries, diesel oil, raspberries and plums and clovey hints. Its solid medium bodied spherical and near profoundly structured lightly clovey black, blue and red fruits palate has wonderful depth, nice zinginess and ends mediumish, tangy and dryish. 13.5%. Lay down 20-40 years. Got this for 25 Euros! Outstanding value! Needs 7-8 hrs aeration. This will never be elegant like the 2005!
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/7/23, 5:02 AM - Yes, the 2010 Ardanza is outstanding indeed, somewhat better (IMO) than their very good 2012 and certainly superior to their somewhat average 2015. As for 2005, I cannot atest to the Ardanza, as I bought LRA's 904 instead but I will say that it, along with their 2001 remain among my most memorable Riojas ever. A hearty 'Yes' to LRA and their traditional, old style Riojas.

Red
2019 Château Capbern St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
3/16/2023 - wineotim wrote:
91 points
First the good news, there's ripe, dark fruit, big acid, and French terroir. It was a wine I really wanted to gulp, but instead I had to restrain because the alcohol was powerful and it hit hard.. It feels higher than the claimed 15%.. I hope it melds over time. It took me 3 days to finish this brute. Very similar in style to the '18, which I liked.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    4/23/23, 9:19 AM - Lol. 'Slutty' eh? I shall remember that wonderful descriptor when I try the first bottle of my '19's, probably 2 years hence.

White
2019 Pyramid Valley Sauvignon + North Canterbury
9/8/2022 - Callum's Corkers Likes this wine:
93 points
Bought £18.00 Waitrose Wine Direct Online, UK. 2022

Screw cap. Chilled. No decant.

N....oddly mute, or near it. A faint cut grass, a bit of damp green paddock.

C....looks light-medium body, a good straw.

T....an interesting SB, comes without the usual/tiresome NZ aggressive capsicum and intense gooseberry; has near-tropical fruit profile with funk, I liked it very much. Some wet hay, some sweet oak, a rounded and soft mouth-feel with juicy acid to balance; some saline too; some ripe citrus, some elderflower. More medium-dry than actual dry (the 'plus' is a small % of Riesling, I think I was reading somewhere). Good length of flavour.

VFM?.....feels £25.00, costs £18.00....good value for money, will buy again.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/29/22, 9:26 AM - Good note Callum. I just bought some from TWS. Will open one within the next week or so.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    3/17/23, 10:43 AM - Didn't get around to opening one of these, Callum, before we disappeared off to Aus/NZ for 2 ½ months. Back in Blighty now. Opened one tonite. Nice. TN posted.

Red
2021 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner California Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel
2/4/2023 - AGELVIS wrote:
90 points
Served by the glass in Houston’s United Polaris lounge. Deep dark purple color. Graham cracker, blueberry, blackberry, and cocoa. Smooth, dry, plush palate. Soft tannins on the medium long+ finish.

Terrifically extracted, but so easy to pound. Very much a Caymus sibling.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    3/4/23, 3:39 PM - Agreed. I find this Prisoner to be the best of a mediocre lot here in the SFO Polaris Lounge (Nota bene, I'm not a lush, but I AM on a 7 hour delayed layover here, enroute from AKL to LHR!)

    I won't actually review any of these wines here on CT but IMO this one, followed by The Ferderalist Zin, and the Emiliana Natura Malbec to be the stand-outs, then Il Poggione Toscana. I found the Rainstorm PN nice but a bit too jammy upfront and too bitter in back, and the Iconoclast Cab, was, well, just plain disappointing. Also, I will say that the Lanson Brut served here was probably the poorist bubbly I have had in any airport lounge. (Wait a minute, I seem to remember being served a Freixenet cava somewhere!) But hey-ho, whether with wine or love, as Stephen Stills sang (stolen from Billy Preston), "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."

Red
2020 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Sangiovese Pater Toscana IGT
1/27/2023 - jmoore431 Likes this wine:
90 points
Recommended to try by a friend more familiar with this cruise line’s wine picks. Docking in Gisborne NZ, giving this a shot: bright reddish purple, fresh Sangiovese nose, red fruits, dates, pomegranate; round fruited but good grip and depth. Decently long, pleasant finish. Shipboard this sells per glass for what’s shown here as bottle price. Happy that my cruise package includes beverages! If you can buy this by the case and your retailer offers 10 or 15% case discount, this would be even more of a slam dunk for a house red. Easy quaff! 90+
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    2/18/23, 11:41 PM - Thanks for your heads-up on this one. Just had it tonight here on Noordam. Not bad; best of a middling lot.

Red
1968 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904 Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
1/15/2023 - billcow Likes this wine:
96 points
Stunning bottle. Utterly head spinning fruit that keeps going and going. Delicate light body and exquisite nose of dusty violets, sweet and sour black fruit and a kiss of cocoa. A birth year wine and a real treat!
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    1/16/23, 4:47 PM - Nice to read your note. This is the first wine my wife bought by the case when she was 22. She recalls she only paid a couple of quid per btl back then. We opened the first one in 2000. We have ONE left (!), which we shall take with us to the old folk's home :-)

Red
2018 Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Red Rhone Blend
1/4/2023 - evanqian wrote:
93 points
rich and broad flavours, dark fruits, spices, herbals, all blend together, full body, grippy tannins, good on complexity and concentration. need time to integrate.

RP 93, JD 94, WS 93, WE 95, Decanter 95

Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 17/20, Overall 4+4/10
Total 93+/100
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    1/5/23, 10:42 AM - A good vote of confidence. I look forward to opening my first bottle.

Red
2012 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
7/15/2022 - Callum's Corkers Likes this wine:
94 points
Bought Majestic UK £24.99 Sept 2021

Tasted at room temp' at the kitchen table dinner time, decanted 30 mins at least.

N....intense, young at 10 yrs old; mocha, espresso, leather, liquorice, oak is there but is subtle, some red black fruit. But it faded sooner than I expected (10 mins); big and bold but short-lived.

C....red with a hint of tawny at edge, doesn't yet look 10 yrs old.

T....lovely floury soft tannins give structure; soft mouth-feel and great fruit but it has elegance, it's not a mushy desperate-to-please mess, I'm pleased to say; it feels med-H body; gorgeous red/black fruit; style is med-dry; some decent length of flavour here; coffee, bitter dark chocolate, some savoury flavours; at 10 yrs is in a settled drinking window, a nice balance here. Just a lovely glass of Rioja.

Not yet mature, obviously; feels like it will get pongy and interesting - more interesting - later on towards maturity, maybe another 5 yrs?

VFMoney?....costs almost £25.00 but feels worth twice that. Proper bargain. Good Rioja off the shelf in the UK continues to be one of the great UK wine bargains. What's not to like about a 94 score wine with 10 yrs already on the clock for less than £25.00?
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    9/21/22, 11:37 AM - FYI, Just bought more of these today at Majestic, price still £24.99, more than a year later. I don't know many wines which deliver such a great QPR.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/12/22, 10:18 AM - Yes Callum, I too am at an age when I should be indulging in lighter wines. However, my cellar is handsomely stocked with a good selection of more robust and elegant wines, many just coming into their best drinking windows. Mine are not silly money auction-able wines, just well chosen favourites with great QPR's. So while I may have a tough job ahead of me I shall persevere :-). And, yes, I saw that offer on TWS for the Thymiopoulos Xinomavro. I shall consider it. In return I commend to you my most recent pleasures in lighter wines - Loire cab francs ... I was down there this time last year and there are some lovely lighter ones out there for us these days.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    11/3/22, 2:55 AM - I haven't been overly impressed with the cab francs from the Wine Society; among their Chinons the Noblaie I bought was okay but the Bouchardiere Cornuelles was not to my liking (it may have been an off bottle). Last year from the Loire I brought back some lovely Chinon from Bernard Baudry as well as both some Bourgueil and St N de B (Domaine de la Butte and Amirault, respectively). From here in the UK I have recently bought a case of Thierry Germain's Saumur-Champigny Les Memoires. Except for the Baudry the others will lay in my cellar for a few years yet.

Red
2018 The Wine Society Pinot Noir The Society's Exhibition Sonoma Coast
This was part of a mixed case so difficult to assess quality and value for money with the lack of a price reference. My overall assessment is good - none of the harshness I was fearing, and a good finish. It clearly doesn't match mature Burgundy, but then it's both geographically and historically not one of those. I suspect it would have been better in a couple of years. Would buy again.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/18/22, 7:51 AM - Fyi, I bought several of these from TWS back in July 2020. Price paid was £16/btl. I posted a tasting note in April 2021.

Red
2018 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée Cabernet Franc
7/15/2022 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine:
95 points
PnP. Ok wow. This is dark in color and dark on the nose - seamless, dark, sweet, ripe, with perfectly integrated funk and some sort of savory. The fruit is black cherry, blueberry and some blackberry. Very primary but totally intoxicating. Crunchy - almost citric or pie crust. Chalky. Palate: Great entry on and mouthfeel. Dark fruits. Spicy and somewhat funky. Deep. Seamless. Ripe but still light on its feet with great grip and balance. The finish is spicy and dark and the crunchy acids are a little too much right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if this opened and the finish calm down w 2-3 days of air. If so this will be awesome and will bode well for 10-15 years from now. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5-5.5+/6, Finish - 4.5-5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16-17.5+/20 (with 17-18/20 potential.).

Day 5: Similar to day one but the fruit has gotten darker - with some cassis as well as the black cherry and blackberry. The funk is there, well integrated, along with some dark florals and some spice and some chalk or clay and some green savory herbal. The palate is just wonderful - full of flavor but balanced and light - with the dark fruit, some funk, the savory green herbal. As predicted, the finish has calmed down and is balanced and integrated - deep and dark and savory with some chalk and a big wave of funk and savory green at the end. So good and amazing value at around $50. I haven't had the 09, but I wonder if this is what the 09 was like young. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17.5/20.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    10/13/22, 10:28 AM - Great note. I look forward to opening the first of mine in a year or two.

    PS. Looking at some of your other notes, I salute your good fortune and privilege to have tasted that 1934 Heredia/Tondonia Gran Reserva. Respect!

Red
2013 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series Margaret River
9/27/2022 - Stoic Warrior wrote:
90 points
Haven't had an Aussie cab for a number of years. This was mature but not over the hill. It was dark, dry and savoury, full of dried fruits and dusty tannins. Minimum oak evident. Medium to muscular body, longish finish. It is neither a Napa jelly donut nor a mimic of a classic Bordeaux. Frankly, I was reminded more of a Chateau Musar. IMO this wine is a bit pricey for what it is.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    9/28/22, 12:04 AM - Oops. Thank you JB. That was a fat finger mistake. Score corrected.

Red
2011 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
Drinking this alongside with the 2001 - 10 years older - made me realize how much you need to wait for this cuvée. Remember this wine is only made on the best vintages... it's made for the long haul. 15-25 years is the peak depending on the vintage.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    9/4/22, 6:12 AM - Ah. I looked at these 2011's on my rack Friday as a possible for last night but I decided, no, not yet. Good call. Good note.

Red
2016 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection Napa Valley
8/22/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:
95 points
Doing a 2nd bottle as I picked up more from our local Costco yesterday and this bottle, while still good, drinks a little differently than our previous bottle. Taking one point off overall.....only because this bottle tasted younger and not as integrated nor velour like smooth as our last bottle. I suspect the last bottle drank older than this one. Which was very, very good. This one is very good+. So some bottle variation in these, it appears. One more left to try, which way will it drink? We'll see over the next few weeks.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/24/22, 11:52 AM - Ah, and that's why America is known by us Yanks overseas as the Land of the Big PX! Now, a Costco subsidiary does exist over here in England but they stock only two California wines at present - a basic Kendall Jackson and a bog standard Kirkland ... Ugh. Shudder. Lucky you guys. But then again, we get first dibs on the best Bordeaux :-)

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/24/22, 12:56 PM - True DQ, but even their best $20 offering will pale into insignificance compared to your Costco offerings there or our equivalent Bdx here. Cheers.

Red
2020 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône Syrah
7/21/2022 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:
89 points
A restrained nose but an attentively chewy syrah. Young. Dark and broody. Great legs. Black fruit and forest floor. Forthright. Dry. Alcoholic texture at first but softens within the hour. Lacks much acidity. Has a short/medium finish. However, it is a very good value CdR nonetheless.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/14/22, 2:32 PM - Costco huh? Surprised. Well, I see they produced 600k btls of this cuvee in 2021. Good for them and for you folks in the USA. I paid €7/btl at their tasting room last September. UK retail is about £11. Your $11 bucks is a good price. Salut.

Red
2011 Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Sandown
8/6/2022 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:
89 points
Dark and dusky. I agree with many other reviewers who note a bit of funk amidst the fruit. Some complexity, but more muddy than identifiably discreet. Pleasant, and a good introduction to Clarendon (never had one of their wines before) but i understand other cuvees and vintages are better.
(Thanks to EF.)
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    8/8/22, 11:37 AM - I appreciate your specific comment 3d, and your general point about speading out tastings over days. Often valid, of course. You will also see my review of their 2010 Brookman which we opened along side this 2011 Sandown. There were several of us, so each bottle did its duty on the day. Cheers.

Red
2015 Le Logis de la Bouchardiere Chinon Les Cornuelles Vieilles Vignes Cabernet Franc
Green. Tart. Tannic, but not in a good way. Untypical of decent quality Chinon. Unsavory. Unappealing. Unpalatable. Unacceptable.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    7/8/22, 2:09 AM - Yes, Guillaume, that surprised me too. I bought it from a reputable retailer, have since stored it here at home in a proper wine cellar. There was no cork damage, no wet musky smell and no telltale obvious reason. I am no stranger to Cab Franc generally nor to Chinon specifically, so I knew this wine was not right. Something about that bottling would seem to be the culprit.

Red
2018 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée Cabernet Franc
In the opening years of it’s drinking window, vibrant fruit, with sufficient age to have softened the tannic edges. A dark and not quite brooding wine of solid character, deep red fruit and earth; based on the pleasure it gives now, I suspect it will be quite spectacular in years to come.

Drunk at the same table where we opened a bottle of the 2017 vintage, a bit lighter, more forward; I preferred the 2018, more structured.

Rated +1 on a scale of -1 to +3.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/19/22, 1:46 AM - I have read your previous comments to others explaining your rating system. Your analogy with Michelin stars makes sense, of course, but I do not see any other wine reviewers using it, whether here on CellarTracker or elsewhere. Have you publicized it via a letter or article in any of the specialist wine mags? Have you won over any disciples?

    (P.S., I, too, am a fan of des vins du Val de Loire in general and Bernard Baudry in particular.)

Red
2017 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits Red Rhone Blend
5/28/2022 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:
91 points
2nd bottle from case. Double decanted and in-glass aeration for 1 hour+. No sediment. Much improved over last year, although still a relatively light and acidic profile. Raspberry notes on the nose and herbaceous notes along with bitter cherries on the palate. Some tannin noted but well integrated. Tobacco leaf, pepper and spice faintly present. A medium length but still slightly acidic finish. Will improve. Next bottle 2024.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    6/3/22, 1:48 AM - Yes, Gigondas rate highly with me too. There has always been a good selection of them in my cellar. When I bought this case of Santa Duc's Lieux-Dits cuvée I was originally leaning toward their Hautes Garrigues. Nothing wrong with the Lieux-Dits, but in hindsight, a wrong choice perhaps.

Red
2015 Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux Moulis en Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
5/26/2022 - Stoic Warrior wrote:
84 points
Unimpressive. Unimpressive upon opening and unimpressive even after an hour's decant. Nose is nondescript, apart from a dominant essence of hot alcohol. Palate light and thin. Any fruit descriptors are mere whispers. A short, acidic finish. This is a poor example of an otherwise superior 2015 vintage.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    5/27/22, 10:31 AM - 24 hours later, and I tried it again. It is softer, of course, but dull and still unimpressive. More like an unbranded plonk than a honored 200 year old Cru Bourgeois. What went wrong here?

Red
2015 Château Latour-Martillac Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
2/2/2022 - ChristoBretts Likes this wine:
91 points
Decanted and drank over two days. Medium body. Nose a bit closed at first, dark fruit peeking through after a while. Dark fruit and wet rocks on the palate, surprisingly low tannin and acidity for such a young wine, some wood. Difficult to judge where this is going, but certainly not overly extracted or given excessive oak treatment. I think the fruit will really be speaking for itself in this wine. Definitely worth the current price. Drink now, better to hold a few more years to see what will happen.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    3/5/22, 10:58 AM - Motz, you have had several vintages of this ... would you say their 2015 STYLE is similar to and is a fair indicator of their 2018 or '19 wines? (given vintage differences, of course.) I have a single bottle of their '15 but am considering a case of the latter two.

  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    3/9/22, 10:21 AM - Oops! Sorry, Nobretts. Right wine but wrong reviewer. I do, however, see your tasting note on the 2010 so you do have experience with more than one vintage of this. Are you buying any of the 2018, '19 or '20 of this producer? (Reviews of all 3 look good, with the '19 seeming to be best value).

Red
2019 Domaine Auguste Clape Le Vin des Amis Vin de France Syrah
2/21/2022 - ledocq Likes this wine:
92 points
Olives on the nose, and the opening tastes like biting into an olive sandwich on the floor of an olive factory surrounded by olive trees in Olive Town, Olivania. Finishes with olives. Drunk from a Gabriel Glas on an olive day.
  • Stoic Warrior commented:

    3/3/22, 4:55 PM - Lol. So, olives then eh? But in seriousness, I understand. Goid note. I presume black olves on the nose, yeah, not green?

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