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Comments on my notes

(56 comments on 51 notes)

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White - Sparkling
1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Oenothèque Champagne Blend
1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
100 points
Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): I have had this wine for several years now, having acquired a case of 12 bottles in a black wooden box shortly after its release, and by Golly, this was rather perfect. Notes from memory, but you have such youth for a wine that seems to resist aging. The color was light straw, and from the get-go, it seems very young. The aromatics of cool citrus, lime and lemon, subtle apple and still youthful brioche without any hazelnut or nutty oxidations aspects proved promising, and the promise is fulfilled on the palate, which reflected sheer balance: between subtle and noble opulence to textural finesse, to liveliness and energy to a caressing and very long finish. Among seven people, this bottle was rather quickly gone. It was the best bottle from my stash so far, and if you have any of this wine, there is no need to rush, especially if stored properly. We continued with the lobster...
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/1/24, 6:24 AM - I guess it depends on what is prime time. I like Champagne at a more youthful stage, but of course it will gain complexity with tertiary aspects over the next 5-10 years+.

White - Sparkling
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque Champagne Blend
1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
95 points
Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): Coming after the 1996, I could not help but notice some hazelnut aspects that made the wine taste older than its vintage, but what retains a high score is the sheer energy on the palate. Given a small amount of leftover wine, I am sipping this again the morning after, and it is delicious. The color is dark straw, as compared to the light straw of the 1996, so noticeably more evolved, as is the nose, but the palate packs both richness and quite exciting energy, it lingers through to a long finish albeit still with toffee and hazelnut, again betraying its evolution. But I really liked its ample palate coating texture, honey nut, and baked apple - and lemon - pie. The bubbles are still smoothly present. Not going higher than the 95 rating, just because of an over evolution. And yet, I could see this match linguini and mushrooms with truffle shavings in a cream sauce, because its evolved nature did not go as well with the lobster. Many thanks to Randy for this bottle.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/30/24, 12:54 PM - Keep in mind the provenance. I’m not sure when the bottle was acquired and where stored, but I’ll ask to be sure. But based on this experience, the 1996 is clearly superior and on a slower evolutionary track.

Red
2018 Château Branaire-Ducru St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
1/26/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
Bordeaux 2018 from bottle (Bordeaux and Strasbourg): Fine aromatics: white flower, blackberry and lead pencil. Suave palate with spherical elegance, perhaps a bit of standoffish tannin, but overall much to love. Cellaring will reap rewards, as already smooth, but the tannins need some taming. The finish includes cool tobacco leaf notes. I went to the estate and tasted the 2019, which seems even better! One thing is certain: for the price, you get great wine from this estate. (94+) Full notes in wine-chronicles.com
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/4/21, 6:17 AM - Many thanks for your comment! I just added a search function... Forgive my primitive tech qualities :-)

Red
2016 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
11/12/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
98 points
Northern Médoc sweet spots: pricey and not so pricey (The Médoc): Well, there was little surprise when I visited this great estate, so famous for its organic direction and its replacing oak barrels with egg shaped concrete amphorae to bring out the fruit more, and the oak less. It was sad news, however, to hear from owner Alfred Tesseron that the estate lost much of its potential harvest because of the spread of mildew in 2018. But that is another story. How was the 2016 from bottle? Nothing short of being among my top wines of the vintage! The nose is saline smooth. The palate is again smooth and (very) refined with much nuanced depth, subtle opulence and Pauillac power. This has 14.5 alcohol, but such a nice balance as the finish is marked by a tonic, thirst quenching aspect. Think of seashells and rolling waves. Just lovely! For the owners, 2010 and 1961 are references and 2016 is comparable to both. But I find the 2016 more nuanced than the 2010. A tour de force. 98+ For more information with pictures: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/30/21, 9:27 AM - Thank you for reading my notes! And subscribing to wine chronicles. I hope to organise personalized tours to Bordeaux once this pandemic is over. Let me know if that would interest you. As for Pontet Canet, having tasted the 2018 from bottle, I think that the 2016 is the better wine of the two vintages.

Red
2000 Château Palmer Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
12/24/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
97 points
Used Coravin to see where we are as part of this Corona Christmas... Reassuring to have good wine. Powerful yet refined, this Chateau Palmer 2000, whose colour is youthful still, for the nearly 20 year mark. The bouquet, rather regal, strikes a balance between burgeoning tertiary - hints of wet earth, touches of saddle leather, touches of truffle - and wet stone freshness along with the the bright red and black fruit and fresh white flower nature of youth. Oh there is tannic power too! Not yet all melted. Needs another 20 years for that. For those who like youthfulness, but with some cellar complexity, the 2000 is in a (very) sweet spot now. An enveloping palate but never overbearing or heavy. Indeed you get palate juiciness and density, smooth but with contours leading to a long finish that echoes forest freshness with bright lifting energy. The finish still has a somewhat foreboding aspect from pleasingly unresolved tannin. Superb!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/30/21, 9:25 AM - Cool to compare those two vintages. I have had the 1983 on two occasions, both great experiences.

Red
2018 Château Canon St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
1/26/2021 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
97 points
Bordeaux 2018 from bottle (Bordeaux and Strasbourg): The limestone terroir here lends much needed freshness to this blend of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc. There is opulence too: the word “exciting” comes to mind. The irrestitable floral perfume of the nose combined with more “serious” wet stone terroir-driven appeal precedes a palate of subtle power that envelopes with ultra smooth yet never glossy tannin leading to a long, lifting finish again marked by floral aromatics. 14% alcohol and a rather low pH of 3.69 ensures balance. Aged in just over 50% new oak. I bought a case. Full notes in wine-chronicles.com
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/30/21, 9:24 AM - I have not opened any of the six bottles I purchased, as my notes reflect a tasting at the château in late November last year. I would decant to get the wine some air certainly. Cheers!

Red
2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
9/29/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel (From various locations, finally putting together these wine reviews): Pristine fresh red and black fruit aromas precede a palate smooth and dense, very fruit driven but with a cool blue fruit aspect on the long finish. This is the first vintage since the estate hired the talented wine consultant Eric Boissenot, highlighting greater elegance in style, which is very welcome. A blend of nearly 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, just over 41% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, the wine is aging in 65% new French oak. Furthermore, the excellent quality from this producer is getting increasingly noticed by merchants worldwide for its price/quality ratio (just over $30 per bottle in the U.S.), so buy it while that lasts. 😉 93-95 Crus et Domaines de France tasting
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/30/20, 4:47 AM - I’ll need to double check as Millesima USA NY has it for 37.50 (tax excluded). So maybe “just under $40” more accurate... about to fly so I’ll check again and correct.

  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/30/20, 4:48 AM - Look up Maison Dewitt in Aquitaine in wine searcher: $31.51!

  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/30/20, 4:49 AM - https://www.maison-dewitte.fr/

Red
2019 Château La Conseillante Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend
9/29/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
97 points
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel (From various locations, finally putting together these wine reviews): A superb barrel sample. Such elegance, with gorgeous floral aromatics serving as a prelude to much depth on the palate, fine tannic grain and a palate that has many layers and nuances. It is very deep and broad but far more subtle in its opulence than any other Pomerol I tried so far, and that does not include Petrus or Le Pin or Vieux Château Certan or Evangile or other top guns. Still, as far as top guns go, this is marvelous! Crus et Domaines de France tasting. 96-98
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/30/20, 3:59 AM - Indeed I have had the 2016 from barrel and from bottle. Here a link: https://wine-chronicles.com/blog/bordeaux-pomerol-2016-bottle/. Here is a case of a 2019 that gives 2016 a run for its money. It’s really special from barrel in 2019.

Red
2019 Château Phélan Ségur St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
9/29/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
Bordeaux 2019 from barrel (From various locations, finally putting together these wine reviews): Dark ripe fruit aromas with a hint of cedar elegance. Impressive palate density, with both structure and elegance, and the best of the Saint Estèphe that I tasted at the Crus et Domaines de France tasting. Bravo! 93-95
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/30/20, 3:56 AM - Glad they were of use! And those more economically priced wines are not to be overlooked.

Red
2003 Château Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
5/11/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
With impeccable gravel over clay and clay limestone terroir that “sees the river” to better temper weather extremes, this fine estate in the northern Médoc fared very well in the heatwave 2003 vintage, which had very early picking dates for most estates. While some wines can taste jammy and/or superficially ripe, this “Montrose of the Haut Médoc” kicked ass. The tone and color reveal “normal” evolution. The wine exudes ripe fruit and a hint of jam, but hardly overbearing. Nearly 16 years in bottle, one senses pleasing tertiary notes of Cuban cigar and creosote but also primary (and juicy) black fruit. The tannins are already well integrated if still thankfully present to lend structure, and the long finish is marked by freshness, indeed rather tangy: A major plus for this vintage. It lacks the peerless balance of the 2005 vintage, but it is excellent and can stay on this plateau for many more years in your cellar. Kudos to the former owner, the late Jean Gautreau, who died in October last year and had invested many years since acquiring the estate in 1969. He and his team made excellent wines year in, year out. Not that it needs it commercially, because it has a deservedly strong brand, but if any Haut Médoc has long merited promotion to the 1855 classification, then Sociando is it. Nice match with grilled steak and mushrooms.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    9/29/20, 4:13 PM - Cheers!

Red
2016 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
1/21/2020 - dcwino wrote:
96 points
Domaine de Chevalier vertical with Olivier Bernard (Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy): Expressive energetic nose displaying intense yet pure and cool black fruit, crème de cassis, blueberry pie, crushed blueberry, grape concentrate, smoke, lead pencil, sap, cedar/toasted oak and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long intense cassis driven finish with smoke and mineral at the end. For me, the best wine of the evening.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/6/20, 6:08 AM - Just goes to show the strength of the 2016 vintage in Bordeaux, which has such energy as Kevin wrote combined with opulence. A very good example of a top 2016 red. Thanks for the note, Kevin.

White
2000 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
1/21/2020 - dcwino wrote:
94 points
Domaine de Chevalier vertical with Olivier Bernard (Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy): Expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, kiwi, lemon curd, crème brulee, a hint of green, honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated sweet yellow fruit, rich and sweet yet harmonious and nicely detailed, medium acidity, good mineral presence and a long rich yellow fruit driven finish with lanoline and light caramel at the end. Someone thought this was too young, which makes no sense to me but…. This is drinking perfectly, still showing generous rich fruit but also complexity via lanoline and honey.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/6/20, 6:06 AM - Was my overall favorite of the three whites as well, Kevin!

Red
1982 Château Gruaud Larose St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
1/20/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
95 points
Bordeaux 1982: not quite 40 years on (Chez Konstantina): I initially rated this higher than the Cos d'Estournel, tasted just before, but I give it the same score. Why? The next morning, with only about two serious sips of wine mixed with degraded tannin left in open bottles, the Cos seemed to have fared better. But this takes nothing away from the Gruaud, also still enjoyable the next morning. While enjoyed with roasted leg of lamb, the Gruaud gave off such a fine panoply of aromas, from floral to tobacco to graphite to blood orange. Its palate came across more full-bodied than the Cos and it seemed to have more grip. This morning, it still does, but I get a sense of brett that is stronger than it was last night. Anyway, an excellent 1982 to be sure!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/21/20, 6:08 AM - Wish I could have more breakfasts like this!

Rosé - Sparkling
2002 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne Blend
1/13/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
98 points
Holiday dinner with friends at French Embassy, Washington D.C. (Petit Bouchon Restaurant, French Embassy): An exceptional 2002 Dom Ruinart Rosé Champagne. I saw several of us reach for the bottle a second (or third) time, and the wine was gone fairly quickly. With reason. At once beautifully crisp and full-bodied, “like a super elegant rosé”, Ken Brown commented. The wine blends 80% Grand Cru Chardonnay, 72% from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) and 28% from the Montagne de Reims (Puisieulx, Sillery) and 20% Pinot Noir made into red wine, from the Silvery and Verzenay crus. It did 100% malolactic fermentation and has a dosage of 5.5 g/l. Superb balance that demands gastronomic foods. Easily a wine for grilled salmon, roast chicken, even veal.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/20/20, 11:25 AM - Glad you enjoyed the post! Bucket list wines are worth the effort and (usually) the expense. Sometimes however, I find the increasing prices for star wines to approach levels of absurdity. :-)

Red
2016 Château Marquis d'Alesme Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
3/30/2017 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:
87 points
The tannins are not very ... Margaux. The tannins are firm and somewhat inflexible. They dry a bit on the finish. 87-89
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    10/27/19, 10:02 AM - Many thanks for the reactions here. It may be that I just got this wine wrong, but you never know. I will revisit it again given both your comments :-).

Red
2016 Château Sansonnet St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
An impressive wine cool and yet ripe, robust and tannic but not drying. Wow. These guys deserved to be promoted. Palate staining cold clearing tannin, and yet there is freshness and juiciness on the mid palate. Nice. You want to drink it. 92-94. Impression not as high when tasted at Grand Cercle, but still positive: Quite a bit of density, the terroir is very propitious for finesse and body and we get both here in the 2016 barrel sample. The finish is somewhat austere but I think that the barrel aging should soften the edges. Good promise.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    7/11/19, 8:31 PM - Thanks for reading! It did inspire me :-)

Red
2016 Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
11/12/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
100 points
Northern Médoc sweet spots: pricey and not so pricey (The Médoc): A clear case of a Super Second acting as first. This wine was bottled in September. It is a superlative wine with such refined tannins, and opulence on the mid palate never obvious, but gorgeously textured: the true incarnation in liquid of elegance. And it is not even complete yet, but rather approachable at this early stage. What makes it 100 points I suppose is the sheer length and and precise focus. Yes, you get pencil lead and fresh fruit, with a rather high tannic index of 82 IPT. The 13.6% alcohol is balanced by a fine 3.66 pH. That is to say, that the balance between acidity and richness is near perfect here. Blends 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Great wine. 100 More info with pics and video: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/12/19, 4:14 AM - Good question; I suspect that the 2018 is a better wine. How big is the price difference? I mean, you cannot go wrong with 2015 LLC, but if you are going to pay, say, $100 more for the 2018, then stick to the in bottle 2015. If the price difference is but $50 or less, go for the 2018. That's just my off the cuff reply!

Red
2016 Vieux Château Certan Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend
11/6/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
98 points
Pomerol picks mid and high range in 2016 from bottle (Pomerol): Mea culpa! I underestimated VCC from barrel. Sure, back then, it seemed a perfect example of 2015 being more “charming” than 2016. But even in those barrel notes, I stressed that the 2016 should last longer. As fellow taster Jane Anson had written: “A muscular, big wine, more so than in some years, but it is so precise and intellectual” … I agree today, and I forget how barrel aging softens tannins (a basic concept that all tasters must keep in mind). From bottle, this is a gorgeous expression of ripe red and black fruit and refined, crushed tobacco. There is vivacity from the balance of acidity and ripeness in this blend of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, that was bottled in early June after aging in 70% new oak. It clocks in at 14.5% alcohol. The oak is so well integrated that you do not notice an iota of vanilla or extracted oak tannin (what happens with so called modern wines). Owner Alexandre Thienpont prefers it to his 2015, dubbing it a hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010. I was thinking more like a mix of 2014 and 2015. Whatever, this easily gets 98+
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/7/18, 11:23 AM - Thanks for reading my notes. Yes, VCC is just amazing juice. I liked the 2017 quite a lot, but did not taste it again. If you have not done so already, please do subscribe to wine-chronicles for free e-mail updates. Here the link to my 2017 notes from barrel, as tasted earlier this year, including VCC: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/bordeaux-2017-bye-bye-bigness/

  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/7/18, 11:25 AM - Actually here is the direct link to the Pomerol notes : http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/pomerol-plaudits-2017/

Red
2015 Château Pibran Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
11/3/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
90 points
Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): Get this wine, as an excellent price-quality ratio of 2015. Fine cassis and rich plum marry in this 50-50 Cab and Merlot blend to provide a brisk and rich drink. Fellow taster Yohan Castaing loved it, too.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/7/18, 7:43 AM - Thanks for asking! So you mean a better showing than from barrel or a better showing than from a previous vintage?

White
2015 Château de Rochemorin Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sauvignon Blanc
10/1/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
90 points
Ripe and engaging. Here we have the Lurton philosophy of freshness married with a ripe vintage - and it works. :-)
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/7/18, 7:42 AM - Thanks!

Red
2015 Château Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
11/2/2017 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:
100 points
Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): I rarely if ever give 100 points to such young wines, but this one gets it. And while tasting with Jane Anson of Decanter, we both agreed. "If you cannot give 100 points to the top wine from the top appellation in a given vintage, to which wine can you do so?" she quipped. I agree. This was to be Paul Pontallier's final vintage sadly. And 2015 marks the 200th anniversary of the estate. So all the stars aligned to yield an exceptional wine, surely overpriced, but just amazing. 14% alcohol as well, and its August bottling actually muted its glory somewhat in early November, but still: Gorgeous dark fruit aspect on the nose turning to floral (violets) with aeration, and not super ripe with a healthy 3,65 pH. I call it “deep freshness” with Merlots lending opulence to the structure of the Cabernets. The feeling on the palate is tannic suave as you almost want to eat this wine, given the texture. Tannin levels were high, approaching that of 2009. Oak? 100% super integrated, nary a sense of stick. And give credit to the precision of 96 tanks used to afford the most careful parcel by parcel vinification, with only 35 percent of the harvest going into this veritably grand vin.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    6/13/18, 9:40 AM - That’s terrific. But would you pay three times the price today for a single bottle? And would you consider selling any of your bottles today?

Red
1996 Château Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
5/10/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
99 points
Château Margaux vertical dinner (Taberna Del Alabardero): What a gorgeous wine! Paul Pontallier's notes on this vintage are so on target to the bottle we enjoyed this evening: "The Cabernet Sauvignon has seldom achieved such a perfection of style and such good balance," he wrote. After the 1995, the nose already seemed to exude such ripe but such cooler fruit. The palate? Far more finesse than the 1995, which seems a bit “hotter” on the palate - going back and forth between the two. In this flight of three 95-96-99, going back from the charming 1999, the 1996 has riper mint aspects, and riper earth, too, as it shows touches of tertiary. The texture is oh so smooth and nuanced, and the finish lasts for at least 40 seconds. Pontallier ended his notes for this vintage as "a dream of a Margaux". I agree.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/11/18, 3:28 PM - Cheers! Thanks for writing. If you have a case, why not enjoy one this year. If you have six bottles, wait another five years. If you have three or less, best to wait about another decade. The 1996 is in a fine (early) drinking window!

Red
2000 Château Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
5/10/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
98 points
Château Margaux vertical dinner (Taberna Del Alabardero): Should a point score reflect current drinking or future? For this wine, the high score is more for drinking in about five years time, for an early drinking window. And it may be conservative, as this could turn out to be 100 points, for all you point whores! Whatever the case may be, this was the star of this next flight of 2000-2001-2006. Obviously superior grip than the 1999, which was the wine we enjoyed just before. Like the 1999, it displayed bergamot and floral aspects, but even here they are more focused and more intense than the 1999. The underlying tannin is indeed serious but more refined as that from the 1995, for example. Indeed, this gets the same high score as the 1996, but it is different from the 1996 in the sense that it may end up with a larger scale, more breadth, even if it may not ever match the cool fruit aspect of the 1996: both are top wines, but for different reasons. The 2000 has the power of the 1986, for example, but far more potential "Margaux" charm. Pity that it has gotten so bloody expensive!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/11/18, 3:26 PM - Sure, the 1996 has loads of time ahead of it. But it is in a fine early drinking window already. And prices for these wines have indeed become crazy in any case.

White - Sparkling
2003 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut Pinot Noir
12/23/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
93 points
Holiday lunch with many magnums (Black Salt): Perhaps unfairly compared to the Krug vintage 1996 magnum, served alongside, this wine was nonetheless delicious, made from hand picked grand cru grapes from Ambonnay and Bouzy. Pinot Noir did well in the heat of 2003, at least based on other bubblies I have tried from this vintage. Coming from magnum certainly lent more freshness to the wine. The overall impression was of a creamy texture with fine red berry fruit expressions. Notes from memory as I had left my written notes at the restaurant ...
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    12/24/17, 7:51 AM - From regular format bottles, you could drink now, but easily wait another five years. But we had a magnum.

  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    12/26/17, 11:06 AM - You are correct from magnum but it was delicious, no? :-)

White - Sparkling
1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut Champagne Blend
12/22/2017 - dcwino wrote:
100 points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering – 96 Krug mag, 99 Fourrier CSJ, blind CDB flight and etc. (Blacksalt, Washington DC): En magnum, absolutely perfect vinous nose displaying exquisite sweet yellow fruit, also subtle fresh red fruit, tarte tatin, apricot, diluted pomegranate, red currant, fresh cep, honey, brioche, smoke, subtle floral perfume, sweet spices and limestone. There is a clear white truffle note which I have never gotten before which is fascinating. Absolutely gorgeous noble palate, the palate of a great Chevalier, pure, harmonious, fresh and weightless, beautiful interplay of decadent yellow fruit and subtle yet vibrant red fruit, incredibly fine endless beads, perfect amount of acidity, strong chalky mineral and a beguiling symphonic finish that subtly resonates. At the similar stage of development as the fifth which is a bit surprising, however noticeably more complex and purer, also finer and more generous mousse. Absolutely perfect showing, retaining incredible purity and freshness yet so decadent and complex.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    12/24/17, 9:15 AM - Totally agree. What a fantastic bottle of wine that was.

Red
2015 Château Prieuré-Lichine Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
11/2/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
95 points
Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): Yes, I will go out on a limb and say that this may be the best Prieuré-Lichine I have ever tasted from bottle. More than fulfilling its promise from barrel, this wine conveys aromatic opulence, with white flowers and dark fruit. There is grip and ripe fruit as well throughout the palate. Shows much “stuffing” as well as poise. A truly fine Margaux to please palates – give it at least five years in bottle before cracking open.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/8/17, 11:55 PM - My pleasure! More coming :-)

Red
2015 Château Marquis de Terme Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend
11/2/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
93 points
Assessing Bordeaux 2015 from bottle, part I; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Bordeaux): When I wrote a story about this estate for Decanter last year, I was impressed with the steps being taken to improve quality. For example, their 2014 is more interesting than the 2010, as the selection process has been improved and the vinification is better. From barrel, I liked the sumptuousness, which shows through again in bottle: A lovely, fruit driven nose. Smooth and refined on the palate with a hint of oak.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/8/17, 11:54 PM - Nice choices :-). Why not Tourelles de Pichon, Pibran and Potensac : all three are good deals.

White - Sweet/Dessert
2003 Château Suduiraut Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
10/18/2017 - dcwino wrote:
93 points
Pichon Lalande dinner with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): A quick impression, exceptional concentration, feels fresher than a couple years ago, bright acidity, ginger candy and apricot. Really delicious and not cloying.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    10/24/17, 9:46 AM - I brought this baby and liked it, too :-)

Red
1978 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
10/18/2017 - dcwino wrote:
94 points
Pichon Lalande dinner with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): The first nose impression is exotic Asian medicine, then generous sweet red fruit, red currant, cherry, caramel, PL’s signature bell pepper and lead pencil, leather, dry tobacco and cedar. More noticeable “materials” compare to the 75, still generous red fruit, decadent red fruit, nicely layered, medium acidity, good mineral presence and a long cedar and red fruit driven finish. There is a hint of Asian medicine at the end. The note of bell pepper and lead pencil is a telltale sign of Pichon Lalande. However, a strong note of Asian medicine makes this, perhaps the most exotic wine of the night. It has reached the peak will drinking beautifully for another decade or two.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    10/24/17, 9:46 AM - A very strong showing, indeed. Thanks for all your impressions Kevin!

Red
2014 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
10/18/2017 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
95 points
Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Vertical Tasting with Nicolas Glumineau (Taberna del Alabardero): This kicked off an interesting succession of new vintages that kind of reminded me of a sequence like '08-'09-'10 with each one richer and more dense than the one that came before. This one is the only one of the three that's actually a finished wine, though, and offered up a whole array of detail not discernible in the newer vintages on a graceful, feminine frame that I'm not sure either the '15 or '16 will ever match. Didn't take careful notes on this as it is basically consistent with the full bottle I got to focus on a couple months ago, but I loved this. This also has the virtue of being seriously bargain-priced -- still widely available at $99 and it's going to be very hard for me to spend more than $99 on anything now when the alternative is "...or I can buy more 2014 Pichon-Lalande."
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    10/24/17, 9:44 AM - Virtuous is the word! Thanks for all your impressions Keith!

Red
2000 Château Cheval Blanc St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
4/19/2017 - dcwino wrote:
93 points
Comprehensive 2000 St Emilion Blind Tasting (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Wine 3- Intense nose displaying cassis, ink, mint chocolate and earth. Excellent concentration, noted A+ concentration, youthful cassis driven palate impression, noticeable but none obtrusive tannins, bright acidity and a medium to long finish. Very youthful and concentrated but a bit straightforward. Panos and a couple others love it. Re-tasted a few times with the similar impression.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    4/22/17, 7:59 AM - Cheers Kevin! In this case methinks truly in terms of de gustibus non est disputandum ;-)

Red
1982 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
2/2/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
97 points
Fit for a wine loving Groundhog: Bordeaux back to 1970, by way of a 1982 trio (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): The second of three 1982s in this most amazing flight, and we were very lucky to have such a great bottle! Possibly "better" than Leoville Poyferre in terms of superior concentration and more youthful tannin. Here the "Poor Man's Mouton" is turned on its head and one could say that Mouton is the "Rich Man's Lynch Bages". The aromas are sheer perfume, all in focus, crisp and fresh, with a youthful palate that puts some more recent vintages that are on faster aging tracks to shame. Bravo!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/20/17, 1:31 PM - Thanks for reading.

    My reference is more historic. I have heard Jean-Michel Cazes often reverse the role for Mouton with his wine (and not GPL).

    As this UK merchant also notes: http://interestinwine.co.uk/wines/pauillac/wines-lynch-bages.html

    And this one, too, in California: http://www.klwines.com/Auction/Bidding/AuctionBidDetail.aspx?sku=1239895

    Anyway... GPL prices over last 10 years or so are better than Lynch Bages' and the quality is about the same and sometimes better. So today, maybe you are correct :-).

Red
2011 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
5/25/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
91 points
Tasting Bordeaux 13-12-11-10 in Hong Kong (Visiting Vinexpo 2016, I finally tasted Bordeaux 2013s from bottle, plus earlier vintages): A smooth texture on the palate, very well structured, with mid palate richness, the high acidity keeps it a bit firm. I have to tip my hat many times to the genial Lilian Barton, who said - frankly - that for her the 2011 has tannins that go "straight down the line" meaning that it may not be the most exciting vintage that the estate had made. I love such frankness from an owner! Bravo Lilian!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/29/16, 10:07 AM - Just added! I made a mistake when I first posted ;-) Thanks for reading!

  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/29/16, 1:28 PM - Cool! This was one case where it seemed as if I actually liked the wine more than the owner!

Red
2013 Château Le Bon Pasteur Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend
5/25/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
88 points
Tasting Bordeaux 13-12-11-10 in Hong Kong (Visiting Vinexpo 2016, I finally tasted Bordeaux 2013s from bottle, plus earlier vintages): Well, well, well. See now, sometimes I feel that the "modernist" approach in weaker vintages can succeed such as in this case. Chateau rep Benoit Prevot nodded in approval, lol! Basically this has charm, ripe fruit and is an easy going pleasure to drink, say, at a barbecue.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/29/16, 10:08 AM - Well, maybe you're right... I guess I was a bit down on 2013 in general.

White - Sparkling
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Champagne Blend
1/13/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
Mostly 1966 Bordeaux and other surprises (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): An excellent special cuvee Champagne from one of my favorite producers. Indeed, I love their NV Brut as a "go to" Champagne. Dominated by Pinot Noir, but the house never reveals percentages. When opened prior to the dinner with staff at Ripple restaurant, store manager Caroline Blundell was impressed by its creamy smoothness. Indeed, the bubbles were very fine, and it came across as almost buttered brioche, yet the excellent acidity of the 2002 vintage lent this wine energy to match the vigor, as it was full bodied. While not as impressive in density (and charm) as a Salon 1996 that I had one week ago, this is a gorgeous bottle of bubbly - with a long vinous finish.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/16/16, 7:28 AM - Hi BigJ! Well, the balance in the Pol Roger was such that it is already a real pleasure to drink now, but it should have more complexity in about five or six years. Depending on how old you enjoy your Champagnes, certainly should provide pleasure into 15 years and more if properly stored. :-)

White - Sparkling
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Champagne Blend
1/8/2016 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:
flawed
Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): Corked. Very much so. So sad. It was one bottle I brought to our holiday dinner.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/11/16, 9:26 AM - Cheers and thanks for your comment :-). Yes, it is frustrating... All best to you for a happy new year and positive Champagne drinking experiences.

Red
2005 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
4/8/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
89 points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Graves reds and whites tasted in 2006 (Bordeaux): Charcoal and caramel nose, with notes coming from high- toasted oak... Indeed, some jus d'oak characteristics that do not appeal to me. But there is fruit and peppermint seeping through the wood. Shows much corpulence on the palate, too with a good, if slightly alcoholic finish. 88-90
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    12/29/15, 6:38 AM - Yes, sorry if it looks strange, but I just want to post some older notes to get a sense of how the wine evolved... :-)

Red
2013 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Clos Vougeot horizontal: 33 wines from the 2013 vintage (Fine+Rare Wine London): This starts out fine, with a promising attack but then is a bit steely and lacks enough ripe fruit to be really appealing. After some time in glass, it remained steely and austere. A disappointing showing from a top producer!
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/22/15, 4:27 AM - Thanks for offering your suggestion! You are probably 100% correct... To revisit again in several years time.

Red
1996 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
3/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
88 points
25 years of the Cathiards at Smith Haut Lafitte: all magnum verticals (Château Smith Haut Lafitte): Lower yield than the 1995 and more Cabernet Sauvignon (50% as opposed to 40%), this wine seems more aromatically interesting and yet it has just a bit of astringency to it. Overall, I could drink this with a meaty dish, but it lacks that bit of opulence and vivacity on the finish to make it exciting.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/22/15, 4:27 AM - Cheers! Thanks for reading.

Red
2003 Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
92 points
A spicy nose, with jammy black fruit and nice smoky characteristics typical of a good Pessac Leognan wine. The palate is even better, actually very nice, with a refined quality to the tannins, even though one can detect some marmalade. Better than Smith Haut Lafitte, but pales in comparison to the far superior Haut Bailly 2004.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/12/15, 10:43 PM - Dear Jonathan, thanks for your kind comment! I am just starting to post some older notes of mine on Cellar Tracker. In more recent tastings of both 2003 and 2004, the evolution is such that 2004 still wins out for me, as a more balanced style. You are catching me in Burgundy now, about to taste a bunch of 2014 Gevreys... But I will see if I can post any updates on both vintages of Haut Bailly as soon as possible. Cheers!

Red
2003 Château Talbot St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
91 points
This wine is showing – to me – a bit too much jam, but it is pleasingly cedar-like and has a reassuring tannic bite to it, and a fresh lift on the finish. Nice job.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    11/12/15, 10:41 PM - Thank you for reading! Well, that was an older note that I have posted on Cellar Tracker. Useful to read about your recent positive impressions!

Red
1998 Christos Kokkalis Cabernet Sauvignon Trilogia Ilia
Complex aromatics, not too far from maturing claret. Very Cabernet character - and with class. Touch of cedar, cassis and dark fruits, a bit stewed, lovely herbal notes and slight sweetness perhaps give it away as coming from a sunnier climate. There is adequate structure along with the warmth. The body is medium plus, even if the finish somewhat attenuated. But let's not be too nitpicky. This wine could stand up to very good Bordeaux, easily. And not too pricey. Thanks to Jurgen Steinke for this revelation.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    10/25/15, 11:11 AM - I am a conservative scorer :-)

White - Sweet/Dessert
2014 Château Filhot Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Sauternes and Barsac 2014 in barrel (Bordeaux): Marked by slightly canned fruit aromatics and flavors with a somewhat bland aspect and a short finish.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    8/27/15, 6:40 AM - Looking forward to trying it from bottle, thank you.

Red
2005 Château d'Armailhac Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
90 points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Where is the lamb? Suave and tertiary already, and better from bottle than when I tried it from barrel some 10 years ago. The fruit is there but you get some earthy and even subtle animal notes. Seems to be on a faster evolutionary track, compared to Clerc Milon, but delicious.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    5/19/15, 2:27 AM - Thanks for reading! Since you only have one bottle, I would wait for another five years if that is possible and if you are not in a rush! But I was somewhat surprised with its current accessibility.

Red
2005 Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend
1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
96 points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Tasted next to Smith Haut Lafitte. Very pure crushed tobacco. Heady aspect. Alcohol is quite elevated? And yet the body is rich and sustained, like a note on a guitar that lasts a very long time. The SHL shows well by comparison! Bravo to the Cathiards. It is not as impressive – in terms of veritable tension – but it has stuffing and power. Going back to Haut Brion, once again this time after tasting LMHB, it seems smoother and fresher than the LMHB, more elegant and refined. A great wine in the making...
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    3/21/15, 2:30 PM - Don't take scores too much to heart ;-). Let's put it this way. Gazin for me was sumptuous pleasure at that tasting. And buyers of Bordeaux can get many bottles of Gazin for one bottle of Haut Brion. Let's say that the price/quality ratio upped the score. In any case, I respectfully disagree with a score of 90 for the Gazin 2005. I have no problems with grading Haut Brion higher than 96.

Red
2005 Château Pavie St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): What a great terroir! But why the feeling of it being over oaked, over extracted? Yes, it has full body and broad shoulders on the mid palate. But it dries on the finish. Cross your fingers, and I hope I am wrong. Note reserved, check again in five years ...
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    3/7/15, 1:56 AM - Hi pilotage. I would not go that far. From what I now recall from the January tasting in London, it just seemed to have too many oak-derived tannins that came off as drying on the finish. Neal Martin loves it as does Robert Parker. So maybe I'm not understanding something? In any case, I stick by my guns on this one to firmly "wait and see" lol. Better to spend your hard earned cash on the more obviously successful, sap filled and fresh Canon. And for that matter, Canon is less expensive to boot.

Red
2005 Château Belgrave Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
91 points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Clean aromas of cedar and cassis. Palate is red and dark fruit with a touch of black olive. Tannins need more time to resolve themselves but good signs for the future. Heartily endorse this one as a bargain wine that you can cellar - with consistent notes since last time tasted in bottle back in 2008.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/5/15, 8:58 AM - Thanks for reading. I would not underestimate the tannins, even if they are nice and ripe. If you have a six pack, then wait a couple of years. If you have 12 or more, I suppose you could crack one open, but give it time in a carafe. Still, optimal drinking window deserves from 2017 onwards. I do like my Bordeaux to have some maturity generally speaking :-)

Red
2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
94 points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Tasted next to Lynch Bages… Very Bordeaux nose. Pronounced notes of cassis and tobacco. Palate is medium plus body with tight aspect today… Tobacco and tar. Beef blood hints. I think I prefer this to Lynch Bages as it seems fresher. Bordeaux Index's Giles Cooper agreed, and – given the better pricing – a no brainer. He said that he had sold 60 cases of GPL in the last 18 hours… An excellent if relative bargain for this expensive vintage.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/2/15, 11:06 PM - Greetings, thanks for reading. This note is from late January this year so quite new and Giles referred to a recent sale of bottles, from last month in 2015.

Red
1962 Château Latour Grand Vin Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
1/8/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
98 points
Holiday dinner with Washington DC Winos (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): With time in glass, this wine got better and better and I am going well above the average point score on Cellar Tracker, because this particular bottle, thank you Chris Bublitz, started singing with time in glass. Not literally of course. It was hard to tell the color but medium garnet with bricking on the edges, this wine tasted younger than its years - with plenty of tannin and structure, but oh so accessible and oh so smooth. More cool blue fruit rather than red, with high acidity to match the ripe fruit. 1962 is an underrated vintage, coming on the heels of the exceptional 1961, more experienced tasters point out. The pronounced flavors included tertiary notes of cedar on the very long finish. Not quite as long or as sweet as the 1959, but this was just amazing.
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    1/16/15, 10:11 AM - Thanks for your question. Given its 50+ years of age, I would be cautious and open the bottle the morning of the day you plan to serve it, presuming it is for dinner time, to check the wine of course, but also to give it some minimal contact with oxygen for several hours. Not sure I would go so far as a decant. It was enjoyable to see it evolve (positively) in glass.

Red
2006 Château Calon-Ségur St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend
1/20/2014 - PanosKakaviatos wrote:
89 points
16 vintages of Calon Segur (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): Not sure what to think of the 2006. Stolid. Yet solid. No word play :-). I recall reporting in September in Bordeaux for decanter.com when the rain fell, and got some savory quotes from Jean Rene Matignon of Pichon Baron basically saying that this was detrimental to optimal ripeness. Laurent Dufau of Calon Segur himself compares 2006 to 1975: "Will it ever come around?" The substance is there, on the mid palate, but it is hardly pleasurable. Critic John Gilman is convinced that this will be great down the road. Cross the fingers, but for now...
  • PanosKakaviatos commented:

    2/12/14, 3:42 PM - Comment posted by robertgoulet:

    2/10/2014 1:21:00 AM - Sounds like a wine which should left unscored for the moment

    That could well be the case Robert. For owners of 2006, I certainly hope so. I would cautiously steer clear of it, and go for 2005, 2003, 2001, 2008. To take but four examples.

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