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Comments on my notes

(25 comments on 21 notes)

1 - 21 of 21 Sort order
Red
2009 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Celebration Pinot Noir
5/25/2018 - sandwich wrote:
85 points
Another five years of cellaring and - ehh. There's just not that much too it.
  • sandwich commented:

    5/28/18, 3:45 PM - Unfortunately I don't have space in my cellar to age a $45 wine for 20 years.

Red
2005 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
12/3/2015 - acyso wrote:
83 points
HDH holiday tasting (Chicago, IL): A very unconvincing showing today. Completely closed. Huge and massive, with absolutely nothing pleasurable on the palate. Give it 20 years and pray that the emperor is clothed.
  • sandwich commented:

    12/4/15, 6:18 AM - Don't be discouraged by this. Clearly ACYSO does not like Bordeaux. Read some of his other tasting notes. Most of them are gratuitously harsh and his ratings are comically low on some great wines.

  • sandwich commented:

    12/5/15, 6:46 AM - Actually, the truly comical thing is how many people on Cellar Tracker are self proclaimed Bordeaux haters yet they drink so much of it and constantly write scathing reviews. If you hate Bordeaux so much than stop drinking it. If you hate very oaky wines, then stop drinking them. If you hate Pavie then don't open a bottle of Pavie and politely turn down your friend when he offers you a glass. It has clearly become trendy to be anti-Bordeaux and there is a consensus that you have "wine cred" when you vocally don't like a wine that Rober Parker likes. Personally, I find burgundy to be too thin and one dimensional for me, so I stopped drinking it years ago, but I won't waste my time or money repeatedly opening up bottles of Musigny just to write bad reviews and score them in the 70s.

Red
2005 Château Pavie St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
10/29/2015 - acyso wrote:
60 points
Annual Comparative Bordeaux Tasting (2000/2005) (Chicago, IL): ...along comes this disgusting concoction. This is an amorphous, shapeless blob, raised in >100% new oak, probably hitting something like 15% abv (I didn't care to check), tasting like it has 20 g/L of residual sugar, and made from sun-baked grapes. This wine is a parody of itself.
  • sandwich commented:

    10/30/15, 9:33 AM - A bit harsh? Possibly exaggerated and a little hyperbolic? Clearly you aren't a fan of this style of wine. I read some of your other notes from the 10/29 tasting and you had the privilege of tasting some phenomenal wines. Perhaps your palate was a bit tired when you got to the Pavie?

Red
2012 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino Sangiovese
3/15/2015 - studleytrey Likes this wine:
89 points
Somewhere between crimson and ruby in color, with transparency. Aromas of cherry, soil, cured meat, and red flowers. Bright and juicy on the palate, with medium+ acid, medium body, finish and tannins, and flavors of cherry and sour cherry, an irony beef blood note, and notably and interestingly lemon and dill pickle on the back end. While younger than I typically prefer even rossos, this is certainly approachable now, though I've only got two more, so will probably sit on them for a couple more years. Nice showing and effort though. Went well with Italian style Sunday supper.
  • sandwich commented:

    4/20/15, 4:09 PM - I went through the whole bottle thinking you were nuts with your dill pickle note, but on my final glass I actually got a hint of it. I hope the next eleven bottles in the case are consistent because it certainly is a unique component.

Red
2005 Château Pavie St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
1/23/2015 - felixp Likes this wine:
100 points
black as night, packed and stacked, reminds me of the legendary 1971 Grange Hermitage at age 10. By the year 2030, this will be a legend of the vintage, maybe the best 2005 Bordeaux?? Incredible, seek out at all costs and then hide in a deep dark cellar for another 15 years.
  • sandwich commented:

    2/23/15, 7:25 AM - Wow. I've been sitting on an OWC since release and have been hoping to read these kinds of reviews. For some reason Pavie is one of the most controversial wines in Bordeaux and I've seen more bad reviews than good ones. Your note is encouraging.

Red
1961 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Nebbiolo
2/8/2015 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:
94 points
The nose was glorious in its evolution and truly showed the remarkable staying power of great Barolo. The nose was dark with rich, mature fruit, yet intense as dried berry gave way to crushed fall leaves, dark soil and mineral tones. On the palate, sweet dark berry tones were carried effortlessly by vibrant, acid-driven textures, yet what truly impressed me was the rich, meatiness to its dark fruit. The finish was remarkably fresh with lingering soil and mineral tones.
  • sandwich commented:

    2/8/15, 2:00 PM - You must have been at my table Friday night. I'm glad you enjoyed this. I was worried it wouldn't show well.

  • sandwich commented:

    2/9/15, 7:37 AM - I was with my wife across the table. All of the wines you brought were great. Thanks for being so generous. It was a fantastic night and I can't imagine when I will be able to taste so many magnificent wines in one evening again.

Red
2012 Williams Selyem Zinfandel Papera Vineyard Russian River Valley
8/25/2014 - sandwich Likes this wine:
91 points
I'm not a big fan of Zinfandel, and I'm definitely not a big fan of Williams Selyem, but this works. Nice ripe black cherries and a burst of blackberry transitions into a creamy finish. I had this at a 90 when I started writing these notes, but after a few more sips I'm giving it a 91. Imagine the rating if I keep writing.......
  • sandwich commented:

    8/27/14, 5:45 AM - Barry - I find WS to be too manipulated, meaning all of their pinots taste the same each year, regardless of vineyard or even vintage. I'm not sure if all of their single vineyard offerings is a marketing ploy, but it all tastes remarkably similar to me. I'm on the list and I purchase an allocation each year, but I find myself amazed at how much their wines taste like eachother.

White
2012 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River Valley
4/8/2014 - mle50 Likes this wine:
95 points
Just received this wonderful wine in my first Aubert wine list shipment.
We took it to dinner to celebrate our anniversary and even though it is very young, it was as expected. Great fruit forward with excellent acidic balance. Will get better, but this was great.
  • sandwich commented:

    4/9/14, 6:04 PM - Good to know. I just unpacked 18 bottles of 2012 Aubert chardonnays but I was planning on waiting a few years. Nice to know they are showing well now.

Red
2001 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
4/7/2014 - BoozNooz Likes this wine:
91 points
Quite delicious but considering the price, I just couldn't give it a higher score. I really enjoyed it but I have had better wines at half the price
  • sandwich commented:

    4/8/14, 11:32 AM - I agree with Ibetian. Wines should be rated and enjoyed strictly on their own merit. Price should only dictate whether or not you actually buy them.

Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
11/19/2013 - gripNsip Likes this wine:
90 points
This wine was a moving target while it was open. It showed nicely for about 30 minutes before it shut down hard. The nose initially showed light brett, bright cherries, graphite, sun-dried tomato and herbs. The palate shows good balance and intensity with red and dark fruits, mineral, cedar and graphite. I thought this seemed a bit young but most at the table thought this wine was ready to go. To be honest this bottle was a bit underwhelming, at least from reading CT notes I thought this would be wonderful since I know the provenance on this bottle to be good. Oh well, you can't win them all.
  • sandwich commented:

    11/20/13, 6:47 AM - I had a very similar experience with this a few months ago. I share your dissapointment.

Red
2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
10/16/2013 - atubbs wrote:
85 points
Oaked grape candy. This wine lacks structure. Congratulations on making Napa cab taste like cheap Aussie shiraz.
  • sandwich commented:

    10/17/13, 7:42 AM - Harsh, but true. Stick with smaller producers. Anything over 5000 cases has become so homogenized that they all lack any uniqueness.

Red
2005 Château Pavie St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
9/28/2013 - hairynosedwombat Likes this wine:
95 points
I agree with the many others that this could use at least 5 more years. However, it is fantastic now, especially after 4 hours decanting. Very well balanced, somewhat tannic (of course, for this youthfulness). Among your common descriptors, I found a hint of marzipan. I'm glad I still have a couple of cases left! :Þ
  • sandwich commented:

    9/29/13, 7:08 AM - Good to know. My unopened OWC has been begging me to crack it open.

Red
2008 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard Russian River Valley
9/25/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine:
90 points
All Williams Selyem taste the same.
  • sandwich commented:

    9/26/13, 5:02 PM - Tmas - I like the stuff, but my problem is that their winemaker clearly has a very distinct style and all of their wines taste the same. Their mailing list offering is a cornucopia of more than a dozen single vineyard wines, yet they all taste the same.I am not sure if the multiple vineyards are a marketing ploy, but I challenge anyone in a blind tasting to tell them apart - hence they all taste the same.

White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Champagne Blend
1/1/2013 - dod Likes this wine:
80 points
Way over priced, I much prefer Vilmart 01/03 for the money.
clean but no body
  • sandwich commented:

    9/10/13, 6:37 PM - I can respect different opinions, but you need to give this another chance. For me, it doesn't get better than Krug.

Red
2009 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
9/8/2013 - mjnickel wrote:
90 points
I opened this bottle tonight for two reasons. The first is that I didn't want to wait any longer, and the other is that I'm celebrating some very exciting news. According to my latest Tarot card reading, I'll be the new lead singer of The Dixie Chicks in 2017. If anybody knows all the words to "Goodbye Earl," please forward them to me tout de suite. I'm bad with memorization and really want to hit the ground running with this new gig.

I carried this bottle with a chicken breast stuffed with shallots, goat cheese and thyme. Then, I made a sauce with tawny port and figs and put that on my chicken. Figs, y'all, they don't just come in Newton form. Did you know they're also a fruit? It's true.

By the way, here are three things overheard today while buying the figs at Whole Foods:

1) The cakes here are so good; they're made with free range eggs.

2) Excuse me. What kind of cheese are you sampling today?

3) That cupcake dog is the most adorable thing ever. And so is that cupcake pig.

Incidentally, Cupcake Pig is what the other Dixie Chicks and I are going to call Natalie Maines when I'm the new lead singer. Seriously, though, she's very talented. The three of us wish Cupcake Pig all the best.

Now, onto the wine: I would have been rewarded with another year or two of patience. The acid was stronger than expected, which is a good sign, as I like acid in my reds, just as with my whites. But with all that strawberry, cherry, rhubarb and sassafras, I would have liked the acid to settle down into some interesting spicy notes. Still, an excellent wine. Drink it. Drink it. Open a bottle and drink it.
  • sandwich commented:

    9/8/13, 5:15 PM - Great review. I can't believe I've been eating cake all of these years made with eggs from a chicken coop.

Red
2007 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
8/24/2013 - sandwich Likes this wine:
97 points
Damn fine wine. Damn, damn fine. Sun ripened summer blackberry and a long, long, long, dusty finish. This damn fine wine is damn good. Silky, smooth, and damn fine.
  • sandwich commented:

    8/25/13, 7:16 AM - Crunge - it was damn fine - if I do say so my damn self.

Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
7/19/2013 - sandwich Does not like this wine:
85 points
So disappointing. Tasted as part of a mini-vertical with the 90 Lynch Bages. Nothing flawed about the bottle but the nose misleads one to thinking that the wine will show well. Unfortunately there is nothing there. It was thin and faded. Equally dissapointing that the 90 didn't show well either.
  • sandwich commented:

    7/22/13, 6:30 AM - Bubba - I've had many LB's from the 80s, 90's and 2000s and I have never been disappointed. Provenance is always a concern, but the 89 and 90 came from different sources, so it would be surprising if both were stored poorly. Maybe they are both slightly closed down. Have you had either 89 or 90 recently?

Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
Hearts Delight Collectors Dinner: I am not sure if this was just a bad bottle or if they are all currently in this state. Definite prune in the nose and on the palate. Seems to have softened too quickly and is thinning too quickly?
  • sandwich commented:

    7/19/13, 6:26 AM - I had the exact same experience last night. Nice nose but there was nothing on the palate. Very confusing.

Red
2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
6/26/2013 - tantotinto wrote:
92 points
The best thing, for me, about Caymus is that you know exactly what you are buying. It has been amazingly consistent. Big, plush fruit that is more sensual than cerebral. When you want to go with the flow and not overthink things, it is there for you.
  • sandwich commented:

    6/26/13, 5:13 PM - Couldn't agree more. You can always find it on a wine list and it is always reliable.

White
2011 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
6/14/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote:
80 points
This is about as bad of a Sauvignon Blanc you can make. Over the top grass notes dominate this with a touch of grapefruit. Short to medium finish and not pleasant.
  • sandwich commented:

    6/14/13, 12:27 PM - Completely agree. This stuff is awful.

Red
2003 Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
Modern yuckiness; this combines red fruit and eucalyptus oil and finishes with a hint of ashtray. The eucalyptus oil stays on the lips for quite a while after the sip.
  • sandwich commented:

    5/22/13, 6:47 PM - Either you got a bad bottle or you have an inexperienced palate. If I had to guess you live in the south and love the Cheesecake Factory.

  • sandwich commented:

    5/23/13, 4:32 AM - CM - I was making a joke. If I offended you, I apologize. I still think something is off with your bottle because I am very sensitive to eucalyptus and I've never even gotten a hint of it in an LLC.

  • sandwich commented:

    5/24/13, 7:09 AM - CM - I will open one of these tonight and publish a tasting note. I'm really curious to see how it shows.

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