3/2/2024 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Pretty nose with brown sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and a bit of orange peel. Palate is slightly sweet, full bodied, well balanced with acidity and a hint of bitterness. Very long finish with sweetness, acidity, and a lovely energy. Really quite nice. Has been my favorite of the rare wine historic series.

3/3/2024 - Matthesen wrote:

very pretty nose. A bit of VA lift, but lovely wlanut, brown sugar, spicy notes, cinamon, apple spice.
Palate off-dry ... perhaps simplier than the nose. Strong med+ acid (totally right for Madeira). Not heavy at all. A nice mineral note leads to a long finish. A dry-ish style. Really quite nice with real energy. Nose is exceptional, palate is good. Altogether, a lovely Rare Wine Historic series. Perhaps because its a new blend, it has a lot of complexity. Extremely good value, but limited supply.

3/3/2024 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Dark color ... not showing much age.
Nose quite powerful with cassis, cigar box, and earthy notes. Suggests age given the notes, but really quite impressive.
Med body, still showing some tannin and enough acidity to keep the palate lively. Long finish and quite tasty, with great balance.
Quilceda takes a lot of time to start showing its stuff. At 34 years, it has tertiary characteristics with great complexity. Tastes like a nice Bordeaux except more intensity and fruit but with most of the complexity and fun.

7/2/2023 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Quite pretty. Nose is floral and fuity. Palate shows nice acidity and complexity. Quite long. Really quite nice -- approachable now but seems to have the stuffing to age. Stunned it was Pinotage. Seems a bit more Italian with the acidity, but quite interesting.

5/8/2023 - Matthesen wrote:

Opened and decanted for about an hour.
Very dark purple ... doesn't look 22 years old.
Very pretty nose of cassis, currant, a bit of cigar box.
Nicely balanced palate with Med tannin, enough acidity to keep it fresh, and a long finish. Lovely dark fruit with intensity and focus. Brilliant now, but will last and improve as the tannins continue to soften. I am still drinking 1991 and 1992 which show well today. The 2001 will last another 20 years easily. A treat and a tremendous value

11/28/2022 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Unlike many 1997s that have not lasted, this one is in a nice place. Arrived today – which may not be fair to the wine. I had not heard of Gideon Beinstock nor Renaissance Vineyards, but I like the unusual.

Nose of cigar box, dark fruit, and minerals … more Bordeaux than Napa. Palate shows nice acid with a tannic backbone. Med+ long finish.

A rustic style and old-school. Nice balance and quite pretty. Not a blockbuster nor fruit-bomb. I quite like it. Very interesting story and reality.

11/10/2022 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Excellent color, robust wine. Like many 1994s, lovely today.
Very pretty nose with pencil lead, dark fruits, even a bit of cigar box
Palate shows lovely balance, great power and intensity, and a nice med+ finish. All in all a lovely wine in a great place; solid wine, ready to go, but not in any need to drink up. I liked it a lot. Perhaps lacks a bit of finesse and the extra elements that would give it a higher score.

11/23/2021 - Matthesen wrote:

Tighter nose than the 1931 (tasted at the same time). Darker fruit ... more black than red fruit. Palate Med+ with a lot of tannin and acid. Seems much younger than the 1931. Balanced and intense. A lovely wine that was fun to taste.

11/23/2021 - Matthesen wrote:

Pretty red fruit with interesting menthol lift. Palate med- body but shows tannin and balancing acidity. Hard to believe it is 90 years old. Long finish - dry but quite a bit of acidity provides a mouth watering finish. A bit Barolo-like and really quite good. Hard to find many regions where a 90-year old wine is both drinkable and vibrant. Outstanding!

6/11/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Very pretty nose -- fruit, graphite, cigar box.
Still shows strong tannin, but lovely intensity, with the power of the wine balancing the tannin. Clearly not over the hill, but in a nice place right now.

5/30/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Mahogany color (Like may d'Oliveiras)
Pretty nose with spices, some VA, coffee, and roasted nuts.
Palate just is less interesting, and frankly a bit simple. Not bad, but frankly not great. The 1966 is dramatically better so similar age range.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Light Mahogany / Bronze color
Powerful nose and quite tasty. Brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch. A bit of bitterness balances the sweet elements. Long finish. Really quite interesting.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Orange/tawny color.
Nose was a bit shy, but pretty.
Palate is very tasty with lovely balance. Some sweetness, with strong acidity and complex flavors of candied nuts, hazelnuts. Very long finish. Really quite yummy.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Copper color, slightly murky
Nose of butterscotch, praline.
Palate shows nice sweetness with balancing bitterness. On the finish, the bitterness leads. Nice enough, but I expected a lot more based on Roy's notes.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Bronze color, but hazy
Shy nose and palate couldn't quite decide what it was. A bit of an off-milk nose. Not crazy for Madeira -- where weird can be OK -- but not great.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Light copper/bronze color.
Pretty hazelnut nose, but lacking a bit of intensity. Nice smooth, rounded wine -- acidity is noticeable, but well integrated. Suspect its a Solera even though not labeled as such. Nice enough, but not great.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen wrote:

Tasted at Bern's
Mahogany color similar to the 1920.
Very sexy nose, although a touch off the 1920
Palate shows really strong acid that makes it seem less sweet. Very nice, but not as complete as the 1920 showing more angular notes. Good, but hard to follow the 1920 (and more expensive)

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Mahogany color. Pretty nose with a lift from the VA with great freshness. Hint of butterscotch, caramel, coffee and more -- extremely complex and elegant. A wine to sip and think about. Just outstanding. Very pretty. Shows some sweetness, but has balancing acidity that comes all together and keeps it from being at all heavy. Very long finish with alternative waves of acidity, sweetness, and a hint of bitterness. Close to perfection and one of best Madeiras I have had.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's
Dark color -- like many d'Oliveiras
Very fresh nose with noticeable VA; lovely!
Hazelnut, marzipan, coffee, and toffee notes. Balanced with a ton of acidity. Not noticeably sweet, with acidity balancing the sugar and being the primary driver. Really quite lovely and very dense and powerful. Not as good as the 1912, but really quite lovely and complex.

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's

Light color for madeira with some sediment in the glass.
Reticent nose -- but showing nice butterscotch and almond notes.
Palate is mouth coating and tasty. Close to dry, but lovely caramel and hazelnut notes. A long finish with a hint of sweetness, but strong acidity that balances it nicely. Would recommend

5/29/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Bern's -- where it is listed as a Sercial

Light color for Madeira, copper color with green hints. Strong acid and nice hazelnut notes with a long piercing finish. Tasty, but not exceptional.

4/9/2021 - Matthesen wrote:

Lively with nice acidity and excellent fruit on the nose. Pretty nose of dark fruit with cedar, tobacco, cloves and incense. Not heavy but intense. Palate shows tannin, acidity, and nice dark fruit. Nice balance and very long finish. A lovely wine that is still very youthful and will likely remain so for many years. I enjoyed the 2001 but this seems more youthful and powerful.

4/2/2021 - Matthesen wrote:

Really pretty nose of graphite, cassis, and dark fruit. Palate shows pretty balance - fresh acidity and nice tannin intensity. A well rounded wine in a very nice place. Med intensity and body. Doing very nicely and lovely now.

3/5/2021 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Vibrant purple color. Bold noise with black fruits, blue berries, cedar, minerals, and eucalyptus. Palate is nicely balanced; still a bit tannic with rich fruit but not a fruit bomb. Lovely intensity with nice balancing acidity, not sense of alcohol and a nice long finish. Quite drinkable now, but tannin and balance will make this age with grace. More similar to a 2016 Bordeaux than most Napas. I like Kathy's wines -- elegant and very pretty.

12/13/2020 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

A very fine wine. Still very youthful and a bit tight - even out of half bottle. Had a glass left unfinished that was even better the next day. No 2003 over-ripeness. Just a lovely Latour with an exciting nose and impressive palate. Glad I have half bottles as this one won’t be ready to drink for another decade! Score will increase as palate starts to open up.

10/30/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Bottled 2014. Popped and poured (but just one glass)
Very nice color -- very clear & bright but golden/mahogany with a green-tinged meniscus. Exciting nose of caramel, butterscotch, coffee beans and a nice spicy note. Incredible intensity. Strong acidity with lovely palate shows coffee notes and hazelnut. Finish is very long and pure. Wow

10/30/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Color suggests a younger wine. Decanted and got better over time.
Very pretty nose - graphite, dark fruit, a hint of leather and cedar. Quite fresh and very attractive. Palate less exciting than the nose - a bit lean but still nicely balanced with a long finish. Perhaps not quite as good as 1982 Dunn or 1978 Diamond Creek, but really quite surprisingly good. A lovely wine.

6/27/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

One of my favorites. I find the 40-50 year old Madeira blends are insider wines. I first tasted this on Madeira at Barbeito ... and it stole the show.
Exciting nose with brilliant nutty notes plus butterscotch. Palate shows less sweet than more Bual, with strong acidity. Supposedly based on 1892 Bual, but an unusual Bual -- more Terrantez or Verdelho in terms of sweetness with such lovely acidity it keeps me coming back for more. Super long finish. Really just fabulous!

5/19/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Really pretty nose. Fill wasn’t great, but wine was great. Lovely palate and long finish. Fun surprise

4/26/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Color suggests some maturity.
Pleasant nose -- some fruit, but also earthy and a bit of menthol. Definitely not a fruit bomb. Quite nice.
Palate a bit lean for a Pomerol, with nice spicy notes. Still shows some tannin, but well integrated. Not going anywhere -- but don't know if it will get a lot better.
Good, not great. Pleasant drink on a Tuesday.

4/22/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Really quite nice. Nice dark fruit, smoky nose with a lot of complexity. Palate shows nice balance. Modest acid, well integrated tannin with a dry finish. Surprisingly good since 1998 isn't a great Napa year and Merus is supposed to be an early drinker. Pleasantly surprised. Nice finish.

3/31/2020 - Matthesen wrote:

Light color but appropriate to a Barolo of this age. Nose is elegant with earthy and floral notes. Quite a lot of tannin with nice acidity. Long finish. A classic old-school Barolo that leads with structure more than complexity. Nice enough, but lacks a bit of personality.

8/30/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Dark color with garnet rim. Quite dark for a wine this old.
Pretty nose of cassis, some leather and cigar box. Nice Bordeaux-like nose.
Palate shows nice intensity. Tastes a bit older on the palate with a hint of the sweetness old napas often have.

8/11/2019 - Matthesen wrote:

Pretty nose of black fruit and cigar box. Really lovely mix of Napa fruit and Bordeaux complexity. Some tannin, but nicely integrated. Enough acid to balance. Long finish. Not as good at '91 and '92 ... but a tasty wine and great value.

8/10/2019 - Matthesen wrote:

Lighter color -- consistent for Nebbiolo
Nose is a bit shy, with pretty red fruit and some raisin
Palate still shows significant tannin and med+ acid with med body. Nice red fruit that is still youthful and juicy. Med finish.
A nice wine that is tasty without being profound. Still quite youthful for 19 years. A great bargain for less than $30

6/23/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Bought on release.
Color indicates age -- brick red
Nose is very pretty showing black raspberry and minerals.
Medium body but quite tannic. Very long finish. Great intensity and youthfulness. Nice balancing acidity and pretty licorice and truffle notes. This was supposedly a monster in its youth (this is the first on my bottles that I have opened) but now is a very interesting wine with lots of potential. I think this has years in front of it.

6/2/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Showing some age in the color.
Nose shows dark fruit, raspberries, minerals, cigar box and a floral element. Big and bold but elegant. Really quite lovely.
Palate shows significant tannin, but well integrated. Nice acidic backbone and very long finish.
I know this was considered a modernist huge wine on release, but I find it to be a lovely wine with a great nose sand lovely palate. No reason to think this won’t go another 20 years and keep getting better. Lovely.

5/14/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Tasted at Henriques & Henriques. Pretty nose and palate with good intensity. Crisp acidity and long finish. A nice Madeira showing intensity and balance with a lot of complexity. They are very proud of it and it has won many awards. Didn't really grab me though. For what its worth, the wine is mostly from the 1954 vintage.

2/1/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Bright ruby color. Pretty nose of mineral, dark fruit, slightly smoky note. Palate shows a strong tannic backbone, but also nice acidity. Clearly a wine that will age, but I like its purity and length. Nice balance and long finish. I think the tannin works now, but might be too much for some. Pretty acid helps it avoid being heavy or clumsy. Quite nice

1/26/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Nice nose of cassis, graphite, and some black fruit. More mineral driven than fruit. Palate shows good structure and nice fruit. Quite nice wine with med+ finish. Tasty today. Not a fruit bomb, but lovely balance.

1/26/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Compared my my recent tastings of 1981, 1984, and 1987, this is a much more robust wine.

Med red core with bricking -- but still looking quite youthful if not young. Nose showing nice black fruit, graphite, cigar box complexity with a purity. Palate shows nice balance with fully mature slightly gritty tannin. Finish is a bit short. Quite pleasant wine to drink now. By no means a blockbuster but also not dead yet.

1/25/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Dark garnet color. Nose shows smoke, graphite, and cigar box. Palate consistent with the nose with modest tannin. An OK wine. Despite the weak vintage, it is pleasant enough but not outstanding. Rustic and lighter than great Pichons. Better than 1984, less good than 1981.

1/24/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Pale garnet ... definitely showing its age and the vintage. Nose is quite clean -- not dead yet -- but also not that exciting. Palate shows a bit of dark fruit, graphite, a bit of cigar box. More mineral notes, not showing the forest floor / decay like the 1980 I opened yesterday. Palate was fine but not very interesting. Shows some structure, but light and likely not that interesting even when young.

1/23/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Garnet color -- definitely showing its age and weak vintage. Nose of cigar box and leather with a bit of decay. Delicate, but quite nice. Palate is lighter than most Pichons but pretty with a note of cigarette ash, cedar notes and more decay. Definitely a wine that requires you like old European wines. Not as good at the 1981 I had a couple of days ago but not dead and quite interesting.

1/22/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Nice ruby color. Nose shows pretty fruit and floral notes. Palate shows more structure than fruit -- a more European profile than normal Napa. I like it. EMH is not a fruit-bomb wine and this one shows very nice balance and purity. Quite drinkable now, but it should continue to develop.

1/20/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Fair warning -- I generally don't like 1986 Bordeaux, prefer 1985. I do like Gruaud Larose.

Clean nose with pretty dark fruit, minerals, leather, and cigar box. Very bright and focused. Medium body with a strong tannic backbone. A bit hard still -- showing the vintage -- but quite pretty and clean. Long finish. Not lush but also has charm. One of the better 1986s. Quite nice Bordeaux that is best with food, but very tasty and refreshing.

1/15/2019 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Nice wine. Still quite young, but shows nice balance. Graphite, blueberry, dark fruit on the nose. Palate shows moderate tannin and good acidity. flavors similar to nose with medium length finish. Nice drinkable wine with plenty of time left, just starting to get drinkable for me.

5/23/2006 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color – very youthful. Initially a bit closed, but nose opened to become quite exciting showing rich dark fruit, graphite, anise, cola, and cedar. Med+ body, med-to-high tannin, med+ acidity, med+ alcohol. Very young with lots of grip, but quite lovely nose and great fruit on the palate with excellent balance. Needs additional bottle age, but shows fabulous potential.

5/23/2006 - Matthesen wrote:

Pale ruby with lots of bricking. Pretty nose of red and black cherry, cedar, anise, and menthol. With time in the glass, it became a bit more smoky. Med+ body, med tannin, med acidity, med+ alcohol. An elegant wine with lovely balance. More Bordeaux-like than the others, showing quite a bit of maturity. Finish a bit shorter than the others. Very approachable and ready to go now; a wine that almost anyone would like.

5/23/2006 - Matthesen Likes this wine:

Dark ruby with some bricking at the rim. Nose of dark fruits, but substantial VA intrudes. Med+ body, med+ tannin, med acidity, med+ alcohol. Bold and intense on the palate finishing with dusty tannins. Suffers from VA on the nose and tannins over-power the fruit on the palate, making me wonder if the fruit will fade before the tannin integrates.