Comments on my notes

White

2013 Domaines de Vinsmoselle Gewürztraminer Grand Premier Cru Machtum Göllebour Moselle Luxembourgeoise

7/21/2015 - -Tim- Does not like this wine:

81 points

Missing the typical expressive Gewürztraminer notes. Reminds me of drinking a semi-dry table wine, maybe Riesling. Sticky-sweet finish.

alanh13 commented:

6/11/17, 9:35 AM - I suspect this is a vintage problem - 2013 was a poor vintage in Luxembourg and I believe 2014 was also quite poor for gewurtz. However the 2015 is much better, not only in terms of reputation but I've just tried the 2015 vintage of this today and so good that I bought a case!

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Red

2005 Château Sénéjac Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend

11/8/2014 - alanh13 Likes this wine:

Dipping into some 05 Bordeaux to see how it's developing. Wanted to try this considering Wine Society and other say it is open and ready. But wow, this is very young for my taste. It reminds me of a 2008 a couple of years ago! Such acidity, grip and green. Yet it seems rich and very long finish. Classis on second and third sip. I see the 2005 balance here. But young. Interesting to try the second half of the bottle tomorrow or in a few days.

alanh13 commented:

11/14/14, 11:38 PM - I forgot to take notes but from recollection it didn't change much. Still quite young. Needed food which opened it up quite a bit.

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White - Sparkling

1998 Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs West Sussex Chardonnay

1/1/2014 - alanh13 Likes this wine:

91 points

Wow. This was stunning! My first old English sparkling and this really gives champagne a run for it's money. Reminded me quite a bit of lemon curd but with a touch of butterscotch. Lemons, apples, toffee, yeast, butter. Beautiful. The acidity was amazing, probably one of the most acidic wines I can remember, really got the mouth watering. Probably needs a little food - had this with mussels.
Everyone else loved this too and were surprised at how good English sparkling can be.

alanh13 commented:

1/5/14, 4:50 AM - I have two bottles of it but haven't tried it yet! I've also got the maiden vintage: 1992, which I also haven't tried but will soon.
alanh13 commented:

1/5/14, 8:32 AM - I got a mixed case of various Nyetimber from Bordeaux Index a while back (92, 96, 98, 01, 03, 08 & some rosé and demi-sec). Good news: they still have cases left! Very reasonable price too and all the bottles are freshly labelled so presumably perfectly stored.

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White

2012 Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment Santorini

12/17/2013 - alanh13 Likes this wine:

92 points

At the 10 Cases restaurant in Covent Garden.
My first assyrtiko and wow! This could be a Grand Cru Chablis. Wonderful minerality, richness, depth, complexity, smokiness, such incredible acidity and excellent, long finish. It almost seemed oaked, such was its richness. There was also a touch of honey that made it seem like a GC Chablis with plenty of bottle age. Fantastic salinity too. Very Chablis like actually, but somehow richer and more complex. It reminded me quite a bit of some old 2006 Kumeu Rivers I had recently.
I'm going to have to get into Assyrtiko more! Super!

alanh13 commented:

12/19/13, 2:30 PM - Interesting to hear that it was oaked. I thought that, but the waitress said it was unoaked! I really loved it. I also have some Hatzidakis Assyrtiko, which I bought from the Wine Society here in England, but I haven't tried it yet. Let me know if you have any other recommendations. Thanks!
alanh13 commented:

12/21/13, 5:25 AM - Thank you Yiannis. That is very useful!

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Red

2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo

7/27/2013 - alanh13 wrote:

This didn't seem right. It eventually settled down a little bit but seemed overly alcoholic and lacking freshness. Don't think it was cooked as has been well stored but was shaken up quite a bit while on a 1 hour journey so maybe some kind of bottle sickness?

alanh13 commented:

7/29/13, 4:27 PM - Hi Harley. Thanks for your comments but I thought I should clear up the assumption that I'm a novice with a Parker-palate, although I appreciate you were being humourous!! :)
Firstly, I'm European, not American! Secondly, I drink quite a bit of Rioja (particularly the traditional type such as this and Lopez de Heredia) and have more than two cases of this wine alone, with this being my 5th bottle tried. I also have a case of the 2004 Ardanza but haven't tried it yet. So I am not venturing into the unknown! :)
That said I am only in my early 30s and have only been drinking fine wine a few years now but I know how Rioja should be!
It was popped and poured after a 1 hour journey where it was shaken up. I think it just needed some time and air, although it could be bottle variation. I didn't return the bottle nor I have marked as defective as I don't think it was truly defective. It's Rioja, it can be a volatile sometimes and perhaps prone to travel sickness. I think this just needed a long decant, which I wasn't able to give it. I concluded my note by saying it was bottle sickness and I do really think that's what it was, based on my very limited experience. I think it's a fair note and I wrote it primarily to remind myself that this may not travel well sometimes (I may correct that later if I find I was wrong) and to flag to others if they are interested. I've praised this wine in previous notes (in fact you commented on one saying you agreed with my assessment!).
I think it's very, very good quality and value -- which is why I bought 2 cases! A result of my own tasting of it; I don't follow Parker.

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