7/31/2022 - shacke Likes this wine:

Popped and poured and drunk over a couple of hours. I will wait 10 years before I open another. Still quite primary with wonderful balance and structure. Mint, dill and eucalyptus strongly dominate at the moment with a definite need for a couple hour decant if you try the 09 at this phase.

7/9/2011 - shacke wrote:

Not a sign of premox. Was afraid not to try one at this stage and it was painfully young with 2 hours decanting. Still beautiful - racy minerality and crispness. More burgundian with additional air time - butterscotch and unctuous - suggest a longer decant at this stage. I hope it lasts - I will cautiously sample again in a couple of years unless I hear bad news about these bottlings in the meantime.

10/29/2009 - shacke wrote:

Fully mature - passed the peak now doubt but drinking really well. Slow ox'd first a few hours from a pristine bottle. This performed really well and opened up in the glass, gaining structure over an hour or so. Lead, old leather, classic claret expectations. Good acidity and fully resolved tannin. Pretty standard issue for the well stored 1970 bottles I have tried. When they are on they are on.

10/26/2009 - shacke wrote:

This bottle is proving that 2007 is not the vintage for my palate. After a disappointing bottle of the Chaupin, I decanted a VV for about 3 hours before dinner. A much better performance, it is rich and lush but not the candied port like experiences I have been reading about. Round core of red very ripe fruit. Still, at 15.5%ABV on the label, you can sense a bit of heat and it carries enough alcohol to make it the kind of bottle to drink much of at dinner. Despite the great pricing I got, the whole 07 Janasse haul is going back to the store. I will concentrate on the less ripe vintages that seem to be more my style. Still - if you like double D vintages, this seems to be one to stock up on.

10/17/2009 - shacke wrote:

Poured from 375 with limited decant time. Fine for drinking with dinner but not going to wow anyone. Terrific bordeaux bouquet but, with a mediocre core of fruit that exaggerates the tannic finish, it is what I expected from the vintage and happy to have purchased more splits to drink with meals at home. Not a wine for the ages but certainly no need to fast track it.

10/15/2009 - shacke wrote:

Purchased as my first bottle of 07 CdP. I had a feeling I would not be a fan of the ripe vintage and I was correct. 15.5% alcohol and noticeable heat. Fleshy core of fresh red fruit, at times a bit like wild cherry candy, dark and brooding, smoky. Not my kind of wine as I prefer the less ripe vintages more and more.

5/18/2008 - shacke wrote:

Purchased on a whim. In this day and age, a producer direct Village 99 for about 20 bones is worth a shot. Great with food. Acidity and vibrant red fruit - hint of reduction - easy drinking. Clearly burgundy. Bought 3 as a trial - very happy I did.

5/13/2008 - shacke wrote:

This is a wine I have been waiting to try and grilled lamb on the patio made it happen. This is a blend of Olivet Grange grapes and Thorn Rd. pinot noir.

The key phrase for me and this wine is 'tart cherries'. Fairly expressive and very california nose. Bright red fruit, again mainly cherry with some strawberry. The mid palate and finish is dominated also by cherry and almost mouthwatering acidity - a quality that is missing from too many california pinot noir. It is a more fruit forward wine with the telltale Inman earmarks. A crossover wine to the elegant 'darkside' style. No need to wait on drinking the Meredith - it is drinking great now. The perfect Inman pinot to drink while waiting for your Olivet Vineyard 2006s to age.

12/29/2007 - shacke wrote:

his is my first experience with Cheval Blanc, having picked up some of the 99s for a great price.

Some recent experience with other 99 Bdx made me think that this would be more accessible than the wines in stronger vintages.

I think that proved correct. I had decanted it 3-4 hours prior to dinner and it was drinking nicely. Not a powerhouse but a good food wine of redder fruit, licorice and light saddle leather. Fairly prominent tannins and a gentler fruit profile that I pretty much expected given the particular vintage. Very much a wine able to drink now while it's more bullish siblings slumber.

Saved half of the bottle for the next day and it became much much better, filling out and more expressive of darker fruit, a silkier mouthfeel and more in balance for a far better experience - not that the first night sucked mind you.

11/26/2007 - shacke wrote:

The grapes are from Oregon but the wine is definitely california style. Typical candied nose, grape jelly. 14% ach without heat. Firm acidity. Tell tale darker color and rich dark red fruits of california pinot. Made by Brian Loring, it's not like a Loring but it's not Oregon style pinot either. Easy to drink now but I question the long term potential.

11/26/2007 - shacke wrote:

Garnet in color - lighter than I had expected for Pali but more along the lines of a darker Inman bottling. The nose is bouncing with fresh strawberries and cherries. Very much the RRV experience that I have come to enjoy. No heat at all (13/9% alcohol), Pleasant tart red fruits in the mouth as well with lots of acidity. Overall, a more elegant Californian effort - very food friendly. No over-ripe heat missile here. A small leftover sip the following afternoon showed the wine still performing well.

11/23/2007 - shacke wrote:

Big time notes of saddle leather with coffee, clove, tobacco. Good mouthfeel, reasonably short finish. Drying tannins - definitely on the younger side.

11/18/2007 - shacke wrote:

Firing on all cylinders. Apples and fresh grapes on the potent nose. Stone and citrus fruits on the palate, refreshing minerality and acid. A pleasant and unexpectedly long finish for the varietal. Unscrew one!

10/7/2007 - shacke wrote:

Popped and poured, revealing an instantly appealing nose. Initially plush and silken, it developed a good level of acidity within an hour. Still youthful, a great expression of cabernet sauvignon. Very bordeaux like, with a grounded alcohol level of 13.0 % (ah the old days). This was a nostalgic bottle of wine for me, having traveled great distances and over the years saw some less than perfect storage. Baah - I say to the naysayers of 56 degrees or death - The wine was vibrant and singing and if I had another bottle would not hesistate to hold it another 10 years - easily. Granted, I don't treat bottles like that anymore but it gives me comfort that a mistreated bottle of wine can endure without so much as a scratch.

2/25/2007 - shacke wrote:

Lower in residual sugar than the other 2001 sauternes I have tried, this has dominant flavors of semi ripe citrus fruits and pineapple to me. Not particularly complex a wine, for the value it is a nice bottle to own.

6/2/2006 - shacke wrote:

N

5/5/2006 - shacke wrote:

First tasting of this wine and perhaps it is an off bottle. Muted fruit, smoky and berry notes - not corked but not up to the press on this wine.

4/29/2006 - shacke wrote:

Nose of apple skins. Taste is tart and not very complex. Enjoyable but I would like to try the Frimas if I ever can get it from Canada.

4/25/2006 - shacke wrote:

The 15.6% alcohol is well hidden under the loads of ripe dark fruit. Definite hint of vanilla and spice.

4/25/2006 - shacke wrote:

Decanted for 12 hours. Still extremely youthful, this was delicious with bursting with the classic blueberry. Only 1 left, darn it. That one will wait a while before opening.

4/2/2006 - shacke wrote:

Nice drinking while young although could easily be cellared for a year or two more to improve.

3/17/2006 - shacke wrote:

Youthful but still a terrific wine. Terrific balance and a great expression of sangiovese. I won't touch my next one for probably another 2 years to see how it is progressing.

3/16/2006 - shacke wrote:

Needed an hour to open up. The fruit is fading a bit at this point and I will try and drinnk the rest up fairly soon.

7/10/2005 - shacke wrote:

good all around zin for the money.

7/10/2005 - shacke wrote:

Although high alcohol, this zin does mask the heat well. Excellent fruit but not over the top.

4/29/2005 - shacke wrote:

Excellent chianti - earthy, slightly tannic and interesting. Nice example of a Chianti Classico at a good price.

4/17/2005 - shacke wrote:

Overly robust pepper on the palate. High alcohol, noticeable on the finish, doesnt help this wine. Not well received by anyone. Eaten with steak and burgers.

4/15/2005 - shacke wrote:

Well balanced and very smooth. Low tannin. Drink next within 2 years.