Château Suduiraut
Ancien Cru du Roy Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1989
Weird -- and for me off-putting -- aromas of acetone. Never got that on a Sauternes before. High alcohol, noticeable and obtrusive at room temperature. Concentrated. — 10 years ago
Renaissance Vineyard & Winery
Estate Bottled North Yuba Cabernet Sauvignon 1997
1997. What a find at Ports Cafe in the Finger Lakes. Ripe, still lots of unresolved tannins. Beautiful. Not your typical California jammy Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite sophisticated. — 10 years ago
Amuse Bouche
Napa Valley Red Blend 2008
Classy. Ripeness but contained. Oak is both subdued and seemlessly integrated. On the nose is explosive fruit, freshness. No secondary aromas detected. On the palate, medium tannins, fine, with great balance. Acidity shines through. Goes on forever -- endless length. — 10 years ago
Château Climens
Barsac 1er Cru Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1986
Expressive nose. Lots of caramel. Some orange. Good acidity. Good length. — 10 years ago
Château Capbern-Gasqueton
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1975
Constantly shifting aromas; from fruits(!) and then horsy, leathery, cigars. Really thin on the palate. Watery finish. Historical curiosity. — 10 years ago
Dönnhoff
Norheimer Kirschheck Spätlese Riesling 2013
Did I drink this too young? But it's beautiful right now. Light-bodied, rubber-green-apple, 8.5 alcohol, slightly spritzy, and irresistible. One sip immediately invites another. — 11 years ago
Château Sigalas Rabaud
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2003
Slight acetone notes blow off quite quickly. Then creme brûlée, toasted nuts, butter, and typical apricot and honey. The most interesting aspect of nose is the mushroom, which is noticeable, and continues into the palate. Full-bodied, thick, but enough lifting acidity. — 10 years ago
Château La Tour Blanche
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1988
Interesting wine. Started off with a very small nose. Not much except for some herbal, woodsy. Pine? Then the nose opened up. High-pitched fruit, particularly tropical fruits. Still some herbal notes on the palate. — 10 years ago
Giribaldi
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2006
Tannins have softened, but my opinion is that it's got a good deal more of softening left to do. Bouquet is still fruit-driven, though I also get a lot is spice. Impressive. Will wait a bit before I open the next bottle. — 10 years ago
Albert Pak
Big. Feels new world. Tannins still robust. Juicy. But much more acidic than you would expect of a Nap Valley Cab. Made to drink with food. Could use another 3 years or so. — 10 years ago