6/16/2023 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

First of five purchased at auction from a restaurant going out of business, so provenance is uncertain. This bottle was fine, showing all of the right characteristics of a premiere cru white Burgundy. Good acidity, long finish, lemon and white flowers. It was comparable to some of the best Puligny Montrachet and Chevalier Montrachet in my history. This was an odd opportunity to buy some pretty special wine at a great price.

Having been burned by premoxed wines from vintages earlier in the decade this seemed like a good bet. If the other four are as good, it will be a pleasure to drink them over the next couple of years.

1/9/2023 - Sandbar wrote:

Opened from a full case Purchased at auction in 2019. Decanted for two hours Fully integrated, lots of blackberries and Cassis. Sweet, smoky and delicious. It’s nowhere close to its maximum potential.

This is great Paso GSM. 40 Grenache, 40 Syrah. 20 Movedre.

1/8/2023 - Sandbar wrote:

6th from a case purchased at auction 3 years ago. The cork looked sketchy, and it punched out. After a 2 hour decant it was served by itself and then with a prime rib. There was mushroom and forest floor on the nose initially, but that blew off and the fruit began to come through. It was nice n the glass, and really shone with the beef.

I don’t know how much longer this is going to hold up. But as of right now it shows no sign of dropping off. I would like to tell you what it was like after a couple of hours, but we never made it that far. Seems like we never do.

11/27/2021 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

Nice acidity. Tropical fruits with some coconut. The oak was in the background but noticeable. Quite rich with a long finish. Hartford Court does chardonnay in its own style and always delivers.

12/9/2018 - Sandbar wrote:

This was the third bottle opened him a case purchased at auction. Three years ago I’ve visited Chevalier with Dewey Markham, Author of the definitive guide to the 1855 classification. At that visit, we tasted several vintages is going back to 1987. This 2000, is halfway there. Some of the acidity is gone, having been replaced by warm notes of nuts, stone fruit, especially dried apricot. The longer stayed in the glass, the more these notes became more pronounced.

I have been burned by many Burgundies that were prematurely oxidized, and of course I worried about this wine. No problem. It is a wonderful expression of the blend, and probably could go another 10 years.

7/7/2017 - Sandbar wrote:

Wowee! Dug this out of the back of the cellar, and not expecting much. Smokey and delicious. Great nose, and wonderful on the palate.

6/10/2017 - Sandbar wrote:

Flawed. Last of a case, and the first 11 were just fine. This one seemed a little off, but over an hour became more and more corked. Sad. The rest went down the drain.

2/25/2017 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

First from this case. The importer is Charmer Industries. Explosively big upon opening. The 14% is at least 1% understated. Rich and creamy, with big flavors of cassis and other red fruit. After letting the wine sit in the decanter overnight, it calmed way down, and the secondary flavors remained and the wine softened significantly.

I engoyed it in both forms, but the second day was much more food friendly.

2/21/2017 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

Let this one warm up. 60 F. is just about right, and you will be rewarded with a golden yellow wine with flavors that are unlike any other white Burgundy. Perhaps it is the varietal (Pinot Blanc), but I was reminded of Champagne notes of toast, honey, and white flowers. Lots of acidity, and a long, long finish. Chevillon says it will last for 4-8 years. I have a case, and I will try to spread it out to see if it will age.

2/11/2017 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

I shared this with a group at the HDH auction celebration in Washington DC. It was my last bottle from this vintage, and since released it has matured nicely. We opened it about an hour before serving, and the tannins were mostly integrated. There were a lot of great wines being opened that day, but The Mascot was a big hit. Everyone seemed to know the story, and over the next hour, the rich full body of the wine developed some very interesting notes . It is kind of old world in style; definitely not some kind of fruit bomb. It was compared favorably to the Harlan of the same vintage. I've never had the Harlan, but there were a lot of experts there whose opinion I respect.

It has gotten a lot more expensive since release, and I have seen a few bottles at retail over $150.

10/21/2016 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

This was a comparison with the 2003. The '03 was just about done. it was not bad, just a little tired, and the fruit was about gone, replaced by secondary flavors and oxidization. The '04, by contrast still had plenty of fruit, and can go a few more years. If you are offered both, go with the 2004.

10/17/2016 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

One of two bottles purchased in 2008 upon release. I forgot I had them, and opened one last evening. I was concerned about them as some of the reviews noted a drinking window ending in 2013. It had been stored properly in the cellar. I needn't have worried.

The color was a deed deep red, and with no bricking evident. On the nose there was bacon fat along with a good amount of fresh fruit and plenty of acid. Nice long finish. We drank it over a couple of hours, and it only got better. I'm glad to have a bottle left and will save it for a comparison with a good Burgundy. I think the Bulldog will compare nicely.

3/6/2016 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

This was the last of 5 bottles bought at auction in 2013. It was from a case of 6, which worried me about the missing bottle. Why consign the five remaining? Quality problems? I needn't have worried.

This wine was over-the-top delicious. 100% Syrah, it was meticulously grown and processed by hand. More new world than Northern Rhone in character, it was smoky, bacony, spicy, and still full of fruit.

This kind of hand-made product shows that if you spend enough time and effort, even a Langeudoc Syrah can be as good as one made anywhere in the world.

3/3/2014 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

Big, big nose. We were prepared to be underwhelmed by this 2002, but it has the same delicious flavors as described for the 2000 and 2003. versions. This was our first experience with and older Hermitage, but we will be back!

Tobacco, smoked meat, red fruit. Good acidity and a long, long finish.

12/27/2013 - Sandbar wrote:

It's geat to come across something I forgot I had. Opened on Boxing Day, and the guests loved it. Too late to decant, but very drinkable right out of the bottle. (Note to self that it would make a good restaurant choice.). Cassis, toasty oak, and typical new world favors. Not much tannin. Nice long finish. Wanted to shoot the guest who left 3 ounces in the glass, but too finicky to drink it myself. Wanted to, though.

12/14/2013 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

This Pavie was the first from a case purchased at auction last summer. I didn't expect it to be so ready to drink, but I just can't imagine it getting any better. Plenty of fruit, very gentle tannins, and a long, long finish. It was opened for about 1 hour and served at a Bourbon Steak in Washington DC. The whole group loved it, including the som. Hurrah for corkage!

By far the best St. Emilion I have ever enjoyed. I'm so happy to have 11 left to share over the next decade.

11/22/2013 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

Part of a vertical tasting of recent Ridge releases. This bottle had been open for about 18 hours. My first experience with the Monte Bello, and I was blown away by the silky texture and massive fruit. The finish went on and on. Highly recommend.

10/18/2013 - Sandbar Likes this wine:

Brought from the cellar and served to guests without decanting. I was worried about it being closed up, but at age 13 it was drinking great right from the bottle. After an hour in the glass it was even better, but I can't tell you if it would continue to improve because, alas, it was gone. Back to the cellar for something else...

1/30/2013 - Sandbar wrote:

After an imperfect 5 years storage in our basement cellar, this '01 Vine Cliff was still fresh and delicious. Opened for 3 hours, the tannins were perfectly resolved, leaving deep fruit flavor and tobacco on the palate. Not extremely aromatic, but still lovely to sniff. Wish I had more.

12/16/2012 - Sandbar wrote:

My last bottle of this vintage. Smokey and sweet, with no remaining tannins. Outstanding nose. This wine appeared thin in the glass, but it simply went on and on and on. This may be the second wine from Chateau Reyes, but it is the CDP that made me a believer. If you are lucky enough to find some that has been properly stored, you can't go wrong.