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Comments on my notes

(41 comments on 35 notes)

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Red
1970 Château Les Ormes de Pez St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
11/6/2022 - cweiss wrote:
Cull Party 2022. For me, the biggest disappointment. Nasty nose, DNPIM, though not obviously identifiable flaw like TCA, oxidation or biologic decay. Verey saturated cork and some ullage. There's one more bottle for the next cull party.
  • cweiss commented:

    3/4/24, 1:22 PM - Actually, I don't think so Stefan. I bought a case of this wine on release, and it's the first one that tasted like this. It may be a matter of semantics though, since it was likely in some way a result of being too old, even if not accelerated by heat damage.

Red
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Langhe Freisa Langhe DOC
I believe I saw a recent note suggesting to drink sooner than later, so I opened one, and based on this bottle, I'd totally agree. Not what I was expecting, but I guess Freisa didn't like '18 so much. Good, balanced, easy to enjoy. Drink now. My last two bottles are 1800 miles away, but I'll perform reconnaissance in next months.
  • cweiss commented:

    1/29/24, 8:06 AM - I think that was my note. Thanks for the validation!

White - Sparkling
2014 Sebastien Girost Champagne Millésimé Brut Champagne Blend
Tanglewood lawn. Very impressive for its depth. Color and palate both reflect maturity. It doesn't have the length of the best Champagnes, but is a fantastic value. This bottle at least as good as one a year ago. I'd drink it now and over the next 2-3 years.
  • cweiss commented:

    11/20/23, 5:18 PM - Jeff, I'll look for the note.
    IMHO it's a big step up from their NV, though the latter is also good QPR.

Red
2006 Ridge Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red Bordeaux Blend
From 375ml on. "date night" with simple lamb chops. I don't get a chance to drink Montebello much, but easy to see what the fuss is about. Abundant fruit, impeccable balance, and amazing elegant texture. Still on the upslope I would think.
  • cweiss commented:

    5/30/22, 12:12 PM - Definitely an error. Thanks for pointing it out, and for reading the note.

Red
2006 Ridge Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains Red Bordeaux Blend
9/17/2021 - gteran76 Likes this wine:
94 points
Opened for one hour and quick (15min) double decanted to be consume 30 min later.

This is a medium plus wine with lots of tannins and acidity. It’s meant to go the distance. A little mute on the nose but very expensive on the palate. Leans more towards a French style of wine.

Very good now, possible better in 3-5 years and will go pass 2040 for sure…
  • cweiss commented:

    10/28/21, 10:56 AM - We all make typos of course, often with the help of spellcheckers, and I really enjoyed this one:

    "very expensive on the palate"

Red
2012 Paolo Bea Umbria San Valentino Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
5/1/2021 - cweiss wrote:
A legitimate Paolo Bea. Really. nice fruit and would certainly guess more than 15% Sagrantino. Very minimal "high tone" adds to the zip.
My last of four and all have been consistent. Drinking well.
  • cweiss commented:

    9/23/21, 4:51 PM - Fortunately Bill, I know that you are worthy of such a wine. I’ve bought a lot of wine on close out in my day but sadly never Paola Bea.
    Best
    Charles

White
2019 Desire Lines Riesling Experimental Series #3: The Deep End Wiley Vineyard Anderson Valley
3/9/2021 - Kenzin97 wrote:
90 points
A new addition to the lineup of desire lines just got this today and had multiple bottles so thought i would try one. It has a wonderful streak of lemon running thru it, and it has more heft and body than the cole ranch.That being said i love Cody's deft hand in both of these rieslings and can see these being used for different types of food to compliment the wines. This wine should continue to only get better with some age for now it is a 90 ( way early in the game) with potential to go higher
  • cweiss commented:

    3/11/21, 2:20 PM - Thanks for your note. Could you elaborate on types of food that would complement it. Thanks.

  • cweiss commented:

    3/12/21, 8:53 AM - Thanks!

White - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Vereinigte Hospitien Serriger Schloss Saarfelser Schlossberg Riesling Eiswein Mosel Saar Ruwer
11/15/2020 - andtheodor wrote:
Smells like peach puree, Lipton's tea, cinnamon, and hay, all wrapped up in a wisp of smoke. Palate is intensely lemony, like a squirt of lemon has been added to a sweetened mulled tea. Interesting and powerful but lacking complexity. IMO, late harvest Riesling ought to have Botrytis.
  • cweiss commented:

    2/5/21, 11:58 AM - Generally Eiswein is made from grapes that are NOT botrytized, unlike Beerenauslese. Often the acidity is prominent, even with the high residual sugar. Definitely two different styles of wine and makes sense you would prefer one to the other.

White
2012 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords Melon de Bourgogne
7/1/2019 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote:
flawed
Like CWEISS, the prior 3 bottles I've drunk over the past six months have been more advanced than anticipated and starting to oxidize. Last night's, however, was severely premoxed and ended up down the drain. Three bottles left out of 2 cases, and drinking up. Earlier drunk bottles were quite good, and this is a vintage I really liked.
7/17: less advanced than 7/1 bottle, but with obvious oxidative note
  • cweiss commented:

    4/30/20, 6:42 PM - Hi,
    I just saw your note echoing my experience. I wonder if the US path of the wine was the same. I'm in the Boston area.
    Thanks
    Charles

White
2012 Veyder-Malberg Riesling Vießlinger Ried Bruck Wachau
11/14/2015 - drdan8 Likes this wine:
92 points
Albeit early, this Riesling had a nice bouquet after vigorous swirling of white flowers, tangerine, honeysuckle, and even mint leaf. Slight spritz on the palate but in a nice way. No botrytis here in this completely hand farmed offering. Both richness and balancing minerality on the palate with tastes of lemon, tart lime, ginger, and honey. Perfectly dry but hints of sweetness on the finish. Excellent although difficult to procure. Has lots of life in it.
  • cweiss commented:

    10/6/19, 2:57 PM - Dr Dan,
    I had a bottle of the 2017 at The Fulton in NYC last night. It was really good though young. I have a bottle of the 2012, likely procured where yours was, and will look forward to it.

Red
2011 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers Pinot Noir
7/7/2018 - cartime wrote:
Drinking nicely. Better in 2021.
  • cweiss commented:

    9/17/19, 8:56 AM - I think you mistyped the “better in” date.

White
2000 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Alsace
10/14/2017 - cweiss wrote:
all of my four half bottles oxidized or otherwise undrinkable.
  • cweiss commented:

    11/2/17, 4:42 AM - I suspect that in this case the problem was heat damage, though the bottling in smaller format may have made them more susceptible. I have had plenty of Trimbach half bottles without problems.

White
2004 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or Melon de Bourgogne
10/14/2015 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Once again I am reminded why people buy and age top Muscadet, and why I should do so more often than I have. This is just gorgeous now, with a developed richness overlaying the salty/mineral base that the wine has always had. The bit of chalkiness/drying that the wine once had is gone, and that may be what translated into the additional overlying richness. Who knows. While more developed than my last bottle a few years ago, it shows no signs of being fully mature, so no rush whatsoever. Drink now for its deliciousness, or hold without concern.
  • cweiss commented:

    4/25/17, 2:40 PM - Hi David. Glad to see that (additional) wisdom comes with age. The wine's also.

White - Off-dry
2015 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Mosel Saar Ruwer
4/9/2017 - Rktekt3 wrote:
95 points
Wow.

Almost a convert except for the low 8.5% Alcohol
  • cweiss commented:

    4/10/17, 5:18 AM - Low alcohol in a good wine is a benefit, no? You can drink more, or drink it when you have things to do later. To me, this is a big advantage of fruity German Riesling.

Red
2014 Burn Cottage Pinot Noir Burn Cottage Vineyard Central Otago
4/8/2017 - rossi.wine wrote:
93 points
Tasted alongside 2014 Moonlight Race. A bit denser, firmer with more length. Again very elegant, but a bit young. 92-93+
  • cweiss commented:

    4/9/17, 7:27 AM - I also had the opportunity to taste the two wines together at the winery and agree that the Cottage Vineyard is a big step up but that the Moonlight Race is very nice for earlier drinking.

White - Sparkling
2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve Brut Chenin Blanc
4/8/2017 - mdefreitas wrote:
90 points
Still showing an advanced flavor profile, but a bit better than my last bottle. This one had some "pop" when opened and showed more effervescence. Dark yellow, but not as dark as my last bottle. Dried apples, pears and a hint of quince. No sherry notes here, unlike my last bottle. Nice wine, but I doubt it will be getting any better. Drink up.
  • cweiss commented:

    4/9/17, 7:24 AM - Well, I'm glad this one was nicer than the last. But I agree with the advice, since even the very good bottle I had was not going to get any better.

White - Sparkling
2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve Brut Chenin Blanc
4/1/2017 - mdefreitas wrote:
86 points
No "pop" when opened. Dark golden in color and no effervescence... more like a light spritz (like Vinho Verde). Very evolved and I wonder if this bottle is representative. Notes of bruised apples, honey and sherry, with hints of wet wool. Interesting, crisp, savory, and enjoyable as more of a unique, slightly oxidized table wine (like a Jura white).
  • cweiss commented:

    4/2/17, 3:27 PM - Too bad. I had my last one last month and it was really good. Not old at all.

Red
2014 Quartz Reef Pinot Noir Bendigo Estate Central Otago Bendigo
5/21/2016 - pjaines wrote:
Woof. This was not what I was expecting - there is depth and nuance already here that is very hard to find at this price (£15).

Quartz Reef have always made one of the better NZ pinot noirs - this reminds me a lot of the single vineyard Escarpment wines - there is a sweetness to the fruit but it never detracts from the balance of the wine. Lacks a bit of tannic bite so it wont be a 20 year+ wine, but after 2 or 3 years this should be really rocking. Black fruits, morello cherries, raspberries and a touch of earthy tang. Nice stuff - well worth a punt.
  • cweiss commented:

    2/20/17, 7:54 AM - Just back from New Zealand and tasted there. I agree that it is quite good and brought a bottle back. I assume this must have been some sort of closeout at the 15pound price; well done!
    A general consideration is that many people consider acid and balance to be central to ageability, rather than tannin though tannin can certainly make wines hard to drink young.

Red
1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Beaucastel Dinner at Tiger Mama. In a flight of 93,94,95, 98 it had beter color than the 93 and 94, a little less dark than the 95. Best of the flight with excellent balance, plummy fruit, just enough brett, and a long smooth finish. Drinking great now.
  • cweiss commented:

    1/14/17, 9:46 AM - Drinking really well but no hurry, I'd say at least a few years. This was a really nice night. It included 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005. The 2000 was corked and the others all in good shape. In my opinion, and I think the consensus, the 1978, 1983 and 1998 were the best that night, with the 1983 being my favorite.

Red - Fortified
1946 Château Mossé Rivesaltes Grenache Blend, Grenache
7/16/2016 - Kirk Grant wrote:
This was a wonderful surprise...The nose reminds me a bit like standing in the middle of an antique store. Surrounded by aged woods and old leather. On the palate there's a vibrancy that seems largely due to the laser-like acidity that seems to beam a path down the palate then part like the wake of a boat, constantly expanding beyond the notes of citrus. This was an amazing wine...and should continue to age effortlessly for another 5-10 years with good storage, maybe longer. I don't have much experience with Rivesaltes.
  • cweiss commented:

    10/19/16, 3:04 AM - Kirk,
    Has this retained enough sweetness to serve as a dessert wine?

  • cweiss commented:

    11/12/16, 6:30 PM - Thanks Kirk. My interest in this was based on having bought a bottle from Doug, certainly btrusting his ethusiasm for it rather than any experience of my own. You've helped me know how to use it.
    Charles

Red
2001 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia Nebbiolo
6/22/2016 - cweiss wrote:
Dinner at Erbaluce. Slow O during the day and wide-bottom decanter for a couple of hours. Still young but very promising.
  • cweiss commented:

    7/10/16, 6:48 PM - Sorry gilbro, that was misleading. Erbaluce is the name of a restaurant, certainly not the grape. Charles

Red
N.V. Opus One Overture Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
12/26/2015 - BrunelloBob wrote:
92 points
NV wines are stupid. At least give me a "bottled on" date, if not some idea of the vintage blend.
This was purchased within the last month. No idea how long it sat in the refridgerated high-end wine room at trusted local wine shop.
PnP. Probably the most Bordeaux-like American wine I've ever had. Great red/black fruit, espresso, a touch of herb on the long backside. Some power and persistence here. Nice, and priced realistically by Bordeaux/Napa standards. 91-92
  • cweiss commented:

    1/1/16, 11:42 AM - I agree that lack of any indication of age is ridiculous. I was actually gifted a bottle of this wine and emailed the producer to ask how to tell and what aging recommendation they might have. The response was that it doesn't matter when it was bottled since it's not meant to age. Excuse me?!?

White - Sparkling
2013 Vietti Moscato d'Asti
2/25/2015 - Milliontown wrote:
85 points
I laughed at the price of this. Someone told me I should actually give it a try, so I did... from 375mL. It's fine, nice and light bubbles with uncomplicated peachy fruit and musk flavour, off-dry, balanced. Still hard for me to justify buying a 750mL @ AU$45.
  • cweiss commented:

    2/27/15, 3:23 AM - Wow. Was that from restaurant list or retail? $14 for full bottle here in Boston, US. And well worth it. Definitely no QPR in Australia!

  • cweiss commented:

    3/1/15, 7:47 AM - I feel your pain.

White - Off-dry
2001 August Kesseler Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel Rheingau
Light gold. Lovely aromas of peach and white flowers and lots of petrol. Starting to get some appealing secondary burnt caramel notes. Certainly pleasantly drier over time but the acidity is going strong. My 90 year old father, a German Riesling aficianado, gave this two thumbs up.
  • cweiss commented:

    11/22/14, 8:56 AM - Thanks. Was looking at this for Thanksgiving, complete with several invitees in the late 80s, and your note seals the deal.

White
2002 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords Melon de Bourgogne
9/25/2014 - GrapeScott wrote:
91 points
This is the second "older" muscadet I've tried, with the first being an '88 Pepiere that Olivier brought directly from his cellar to CSW for a tasting in ~2004. This epiphany was in fact what inspired me to lay down some of the '01s and '02s Briords. This had a slightly waxy melony fruit profile up front, similar to what I get in aged Roussanne, but this became less prominent with air, and was virtually gone when we tried the remainder of the bottle the next day. The minerality and salinity are still surprisingly prominent, though mellowed out a bit from what I remember about this wine when it was young. Surprisingly burg like, this was a really interesting experiment, and I will continue to age these in good vintages.
  • cweiss commented:

    10/3/14, 1:42 PM - Thanks very much for this tasting note. I'm sitting on a few of these as well, with similar educational and pleasure goals in mind. The first vintage I laid down was the 2000. I recall thinking the 2002 was much less a candidate than the 2000 or 2002 but really had no experience on which to base that. I'd be very interested in how the 2001 has been for you.

Red
1998 Domaine Joseph Roty Marsannay Ouzeloy Pinot Noir
7/28/2013 - cweiss wrote:
Fully mature and perhaps on the way down. Certainly drinkable but lacking in depth or complexity.
  • cweiss commented:

    4/27/14, 11:50 AM - Rarewineman,
    Your comment appears to be directed to a note from someone else from 2008. No Brett noted by me in my two tasting notes

Red
1996 Parusso Barolo Bussia Vigna Munie Nebbiolo
Sadly, nose sherried. Still tannic and tough, not surprisingly for the vintage but palate old. I gave it a full 24 hours hoping it would rise like a Phoenix, but alas no.
  • cweiss commented:

    1/7/14, 6:54 PM - Fair question Chuck. I guess I wasn't sure it was a bottle flaw issue. My last bottle had been 6 years earlier, I would have thought it would have held up better but still it was a 17 year old wine.
    Charles

  • cweiss commented:

    1/12/14, 8:28 AM - Thanks Chuck. I certainly agree about 1996 in general.
    Charles

Red
1986 Château d'Issan Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
1/5/2014 - G.M. wrote:
Bought at auction but bottle ostensibly in excellent condition - no capsule damage, fill into neck. Cork soft with penetration of wine close to but not apparently reaching capsule. Pale brick colour. Tired faded nose with notes of leather and hints of barnyard but no perceptible fruit. I'm not sure if this was faulty per se or just over the hill. Not saying there aren't good examples, but I'd be cautious buying these. I would rate this bottle a 75 or so.
  • cweiss commented:

    1/5/14, 12:06 PM - G.M.,I bought 4 bottles of this on release, and it never had any fruit. It has ranged from dirty, clean but unappealing, to its best showing in 2007 when it was "decent."
    So I think it is the wine, not the condition so much.
    Charles

White - Off-dry
1998 Meulenhof Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese Mosel Saar Ruwer
10/10/2013 - Rieslingfan wrote:
92 points
It's a little bit surprising to say that a 15 year old, inexpensive wine (this cost $11.99 on release) is just starting to mature, but well, there it is. Lots of fruit still showing, mostly on the lemony side, but not tart/astringent. It has a subtle level of creaminess, just enough to provide a touch of richness/breadth to what is otherwise a very sleek wine. It's classical spatlese, not modern, overstuffed auslese sold as spatlese, and as such provides refreshement and very easy drinking pleasure, while still being complex and clearly evocative of the Treppchen. What a lovely wine, from a producer, that while not among the Mosel elite, still provdes wines that make me smile, time after time.
  • cweiss commented:

    11/23/13, 7:09 PM - Just found 3 bottles, having thought I'd consumed the last one in 2011. One tonight was delicious.

White
2005 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords Melon de Bourgogne
8/23/2013 - 14Frimaire wrote:
meh
  • cweiss commented:

    8/23/13, 10:24 AM - Surprised by the "meh"
    You have a lot of experience with Muscadet and with Pepiere and looked at the series fo your notes over the last couple of years. What do you think went wrong here?
    Thanks,
    Charles

  • cweiss commented:

    8/23/13, 2:27 PM - Thanks, I appreciate the response.

Red
1982 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
12/31/2012 - curtr wrote:
flawed
Oxidized bottle. Second bad bottle in one evening.
  • cweiss commented:

    4/21/13, 10:27 AM - So sad. This is a beautiful wine. You deserve to go a long time without another bad bottle.

Red
1999 Paolo Bea Montefalco Sagrantino Secco
3/26/2011 - kenv Likes this wine:
96 points
Gala Dinner of La Festa del Barolo (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): 3L bottle from Rob Klafter. Rich, exotic, complex. A stunning wine with great potential.
  • cweiss commented:

    12/27/12, 6:31 PM - Terrific wine, but 3 liter?
    That's 4 bottles that would taste the same as each other.
    Sounds UNnatural to me.
    Charles

White - Sparkling
N.V. Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve Champagne Blend
12/17/2012 - markjanes Likes this wine:
92 points
I drink a lot of this and have never written a CT note on it... about as good as NV cuvee gets... stylistically for me it drifts towards the more oxidative and rich (Bolly) style through the use of reserve wines (not oak)... can't think of better QPR in Champagne though that is set to change soon as the brand is being redone by the owners and the bottle will be different and the price is going to be raised a fair amount... stock up now.
  • cweiss commented:

    12/19/12, 3:23 AM - please tell me more about the changes under way
    Charles

  • cweiss commented:

    12/19/12, 2:44 PM - Thanks for this very informative response. My first use of CT "comments" and glad I did. My "house Champagne" and it sounds like that may change. I'll take advantage of December discounts to put some more away.
    Charles

White
2002 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Mosel Saar Ruwer
Pale yellow. Aromas of flowers, lime, peach, apple and a touch of petrol. Almost weightless on the palate, with nice lift and acidity, and a little spritz. You can sip a lot of this at 8% alcohol. Makes wonderful seem effortless.
  • cweiss commented:

    6/21/10, 1:30 PM - Lovely note, and "Makes wonderful seem effortless" is a great phrase

    Re "You can sip a lot of this at 8% alcohol," I believe I will do just that.

Red - Sweet/Dessert
2007 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel Late Harvest Dry Creek Valley
6/4/2009 - salil wrote:
60 points
Zinfandel at 40º brix - dear god. The smell is hard to get past; essence of raisins and prunes with some nail polish and alcohol vapours. Doesn't taste any better, syrupy sweet and horribly raisiny with a finish that had me reaching for the nearest glass of anything else. Ugh.
  • cweiss commented:

    3/7/10, 8:48 AM - Salil,
    I always pay attention to your CT reviews and take guidance from them. I saw this in a close-out bin and in this case your negative review was so emphatic and passionate I knew I had to see what the fuss was about. Fair to say I have low expectations.

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