4/29/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

A terrific bottle of full-bodied bubbly. For a Champagne, it was a darker rose with a tinge of orange. Cherries, ripe fruit, citrus, just all over the spectrum. Almost tasted like a superb Bonnes Mares from a great vintage. Could have served this with a filet mignon! Best sparkler I have had in a year or two I think.

4/29/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Had very low expectations as previous bottle tasted like a Madeira and seemed decades past its best. This was completely different. A medium yellow that was within the acceptable depth of color. A bit of pineapple, but otherwise not much fruit. Taste was a full bodied ripe apricot - peaches. I certainly would not hold on to any and feel I got very lucky here.

4/29/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Superb. Medium ruby. The wine had a bouquet and taste that seemed to be the unique combination of part Grand Cru Burgundy with cherry and ripe fruit, and part Rhone, with bacon and meats. Very intriguing and complex wine. Close to a point but maybe wait 2 or 3 years and then I would expect a plateau of at least 5 to 7 years. Great stuff. Sadly I only have one bottle left.

4/26/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Excellent CdP. Mushrooms/forest floor (not sure what that smells like, but an earthy musty bouquet layered with dark fruits, and charcuterie? On the plate, a point. Not in any danger of folding in next 3 years, but not likely to improve. Anyway, this is not best description, but a superb Southern Rhone.

1/1/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Superb American sparkler. Among the best I have ever tasted. I am recording 4 months after it was consumed, so cannot provide any further details.

4/25/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

lost bottle. can't remember a score

4/7/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

lost bottle

4/7/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Lost bottle.

4/7/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Lost Bottle

3/26/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Superb bottle. Not only was the label pristine, but it had 3 mm of ullage, and it was difficult to imagine any amber edge. Black currants, and a medley other dark fruits with touch of tobacco. Tasted wonderful and like it had another decade or two left and was maybe not a point. Were it not for the professional reviews I had read, I would have likely scored it a 95, but I let them influence my score. Regardless, a truly excellent bottle of wine from what was one of Napa's top echelon winemakers showing he could more than Zinfandel. A toast to the recently deceased Mike Grgich.

3/17/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

A point with surprising amount of fruit. Black currant, some cherry tones. Medium body. Surprisingly good in comparison to the reviews.

3/16/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Bottle had 1 cm of ullage. Amber edge consistent with the over quarter century from harvest. Classic Pinot Noir color and weight. A point. A very, very nice Burgundy from a very good producer, but no magic. Maybe my expectations were a bit high.

3/9/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Not oxidized, but very tart and acidic.

3/8/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Lt-med yellow. Tropical fruit --pineapples, grapefruit. Fairly viscous- full-bodied. Wood in nice harmony with fruit and alcohol. Great example of a decade old top-flight CA Chardonnay.

3/3/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Duplicate entries

3/3/2024 - RAB007 Does not like this wine:

Spoiled. May have been cooked during shipping, but a shell of the wine it is usually.

2/24/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

93

2/24/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

95

2/24/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

93.

2/13/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Has all the ingredients, but not ready by a decade.

2/9/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Candied violets, floral, spices. Gorgeous. Can't edit last note so will try to delete.

2/9/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Superb. Way over expectations. Candied violets, floral, spices. Maybe at maturity at only 15, but just pull corks and enjoy.

1/20/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Very interesting color of yellow-amber with miniscule orange tinge, but so vibrant it almost looked as if it was glowing or backlit. Very tiny bubbles, but steady supply from the center of the bottom of the glass. Maybe influenced by the color, but bouquet of citrus fruits something like not quite ripe strawberries, but very nice. Finish a touch short, but a very fine bottle of Champagne.

1/15/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Age-appropriate amber edge. still a hint of purple at 17 years of age. Black currant, forest floor. More than solid and above average, but lacked complexity and nothing near getting goosebumps. OK for price at auction of $200 for a 3-pack, but would not buy at triple digits.

1/13/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Nice bottle with only 1 cm ullage. Could only perhaps imagine a mm of amber rim, reasonable viscosity but not as opaque as I would have expected for a top 2010 CdP. Wonderful nose and taste of blackberry, blueberry and some licorice/oriental spice. Very enjoyable for a bottle at <$40 per bottle (that was auction price, so not sure what retail is.

1/12/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

very solid well-made, but nothing that even partially thrilled

1/12/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Yellow. Not Champagne yellow, but a real medium yellow. Almost tasted like a still wine at first sip, but then a steady stream of the tiniest bubbles I have seen. Maybe 0.1mm which is 100µ! Brioche. Full body.

1/7/2024 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

already had notes

1/7/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Unreal!!! Already left detailed note.

1/7/2024 - RAB007 wrote:

Almost purple, still opaque. Very nice dark fruit nose, as well as on palate. No amber rim at all at age 10. feels like it has 5 years to hit peak, but cautious saying that. 20 to 25 second finish. More than I expected.

12/28/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Fill was top shoulder. Color was near garnet with surprisingly little amber. Incredible nose of cedar, cigar, but also currant, blueberry, spice. Hard to believe that months from its 70th birthday there was still so much fruit. Could honestly see the drinking window push the century mark, but at least to 2040 seems a lock. Not the most intense, but more than compensated by the complexities and finesse.

12/31/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Wonderful, full-bodied Champagne. Reflected the 99 months on lees! Greatly enjoyed it.

12/24/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Not sure why there is such a wide standard deviation in critics' scores, but this was superb. It was everything one would hope for in a Bordeaux, Tasted like extracting the heart of a top grade a Wagyu rib-eye steak. Perfect in every sense a wine can stimulate.

12/24/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Above average and sound, but not unforgettable or even a bottle that gave you goosebumps. OK tete de cuvee and somewhat reasonably priced at $150

12/24/2023 - RAB007 wrote:

Magical bottle. Everything (color, intensity, bouquet and taste) in perfect harmony and sounding the alarm bells that something extraordinary was about to slide down the throat. Crushed violets, plums, cherries. Altogether, an elegant yet full-bodied Burgundy.

12/24/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Superb white Burgundy. Gorgeous light-medium yellow. Apricots, minerals. Tasted like a reduction of a top chardonnay. Viscous, thick drops of a gold nectar. Maybe stingy to give it a 96 -- 98 maybe more accurate.

Great stuff, but increase in price dampens my enthusiasm, but that is not the wine's fault (Paid $139 15 moths ago and now at >$400?)

12/23/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

I found this to be an exceptional bottle. It was almost like a hybrid of a super Burgundy crossed with a top Norther Rhone...however, it was clearly Burgundy with the complex ripe Cherry notes. No sign of any aging -- I could not even imagine there might be the slimmest amber ridge the width of a human hair. It was just not here!
The wine was fresh and vibrant and grabbed your attention in the way that only happens when one was certain it would at best be a pleasant bottle of Pinot. Superb wine and likely to get better in 5 years time. But I would not risk waiting too long, as it is already a majestic bottle of wine. If one were so lucky as to own a case of this elixir, then maybe drink a half-dozen before 2030, and then 1 per year.
I am envious of anyone with a case of this Burgundy!

12/18/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Sound, but not hitting any high notes. OK, welcome Champagne to hand out to arriving guests, but not much more.

12/11/2023 - RAB007 wrote:

too acidic and not enough fruit. Maybe difficult do in 2013?!

12/11/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

in rush.

I had been blindfolded and could not see the much deeper color, or read the ABV on bottle (14%?), i would have thought this was a superb Burgundy from a top negociant. Maybe not 'Pinot-ey'enough for some, but IMHO a terrific bottle.

11/30/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Much better bottle than last time. Very well-balanced and IMHO nearing maturity at only 8 years old, but can't fault that. Lots of dark fruit without any jammy notes. Really enjoyed it and good value.

11/26/2023 - RAB007 wrote:

Did not feel well enough to provide a note.

11/26/2023 - RAB007 wrote:

From what I thought would be dead, to a very aged Syrah. Likely, my low expectations were unwarranted.

11/18/2023 - RAB007 wrote:

Best bottle so far.

11/18/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Nice floral aromas with melon, pineapple, but never thought it was serious enough to b triple digits. Certainly much more than most white blends, but a bit too fresh and cute. A very enjoyable wine nonetheless, so only the price point is too high.

11/18/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

One of the hundreds or thousands of over-priced Red Burgundies that are sound, but somewhat dilute and uninteresting red wines made in this mine field.

11/18/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Just a stunning example of a CA CS-based Bordeaux blend. Full of fruit, but in an indefinable complex unit that fuses the fruit end-to-end. I would guess it would improve incrementally for the next decade, but then stay at it's plateau for another quarter to half a century. If the Judgement in Paris had not elevated CA to compete with FR, then this wine could have single-handedly done it.

11/18/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Still feel this is definitely in the 95-98 range and higher than consensus. Beautiful, full-bodied, with tiny bubbles. wide range of fruit.

11/6/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Nice, but thought it would be more interesting

11/6/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine:

Cannot give it a score, because of the controversial taste of a 27+ year-old CA Chard. Label was completely illegible, though could make out it was a Kistler. However, very little loss of wine as the ullage was only about 1.5 cm. Color was a fairly deep yellow hue with a green tinge, On the nose there was butterscotch, and then more butterscotch, and then finally, there was pineapple, and a touch of grapefruit and that weird cat pee smell of some white Burgundies. A pleasure to drink. Fully balanced with the butterscotch toned down, but almost like a flat superb cider. I would have given it a 93 or 94, but would completely understand if a more experienced and skilled taster sitting right next to me took a sip and dumped it straight into the bucket. It did serve its purpose as we hoped it would be a step down in intensity in-between the 2008 Dom Perignon Brut Rose, and the 1985 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Beze. The Champagne would indeed have overpowered the heavenly Burgundy.