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Domaine A
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
See 2 previous notes - the most recent in February last year which is consistent with this tasting. Easily the most concentrated and rich Cabernet I’ve ever had from Tasmania. Mint, coffee beans, cassis and Cocoa on the nose. Medium plus bodied. Seamless. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance being Merlot Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot 4/4/2. Growing ripe Cabernet in Tasmania is achievable if you get the right site. — 5 years ago
Tolpuddle Vineyard
Tasmania Pinot Noir 2013
Pale to mid crimson in colour. Red fruit aromas - dirty cherry with just the right amount of whole bunch adding the complexity. On the palate just medium weight but with structure and balance. A serious Pinot from the excellent Coal River of Tasmania. My first of 3 from the 2013 vintage. I should leave the next one for at least 2 years if I can keep my hands off it. Footnote: Our Delectable friend, Scott Rowe, who works for the owners has pretty much nailed this wine. Just read several of his previous notes. “Get some” he says! I totally agree. — 5 years ago
Domaine Tempier
Bandol Rosé Blend 2017
Yep you saw that price tag correctly 😱!! My favorite wine stop in Iowa City decided these were not moving! So I ever so graciously took the last three off of his hands!
@David T I was slightly concerned...no temp/climate control..just sitting on the shelf (thoughts?). Chance it I did and nothing off with this Tempier!
Delicious as always previous notes apply!
Lucky I am! 👍😁🤷♂️ — 6 years ago
Baron-Fuenté
Grande Réserve Brut Champagne Blend
It’s Friday and that always and forever calls for Champagne.
This is an amazing Blanc de Blanc Champange for $24.99. What a QPR! It’s like stealing.
Previous notes apply.
Happy Friday & weekend!!!
Photos, we are kicking in those chairs, full yard candlelight with the Baron and watching the World Series. It’s a good Friday and not in the complete religious sense but, close. Cheers!🥂 — 7 years ago
#CatsForNats
Castello di Monsanto
Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2014
This is quite a bit darker than previous vintages. Palate is right on though. Firm tannin, rustic through and through with barnyard, roasted meat, smoke, and charcoal. Elegance body, layered, nuanced and contemplative. A consistently great wine vintage to vintage. — 8 years ago
Marcassin
Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay 2009
Ripeness seems more in check than previous vintages. Beautiful texture and length. — 13 years ago
Bass Phillip
Premium Gippsland Pinot Noir 2013
Light to mid Ruby in appearance - partly transparent. Raspberries, Strawberries and Cherries with spicy notes. A sweeter palate than normal with M+ intensity. Good power and drive. After a few hours still quite sweet. As I said in a previous note grapes obviously picked late to achieve ultra ripeness. Returning later - a dried red. Cherry aroma. — 3 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1959
Dark tawny center with amber color and clear rims. Barely translucent. Massive nose of tobacco and Cuban cigar with notes of sweet black fruit, moist dark soil, unsweetened chocolate, pencil lead, old cedar desk wood and a little barnyard. Great mouth feel and texture. Very much alive. Opened and slow-ox’d for a few hours, then put in a decanter an hour before. This powered up all night. Last sip was the best. I’ve probably had more LB than any other Bordeaux (young and old, mostly old), and this was head and shoulders better than any previous bottle. Great juice! — 4 years ago
Château Durfort-Vivens
Margaux Cru Classé en 1855 Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
2017 vintage. A little leaner than previous visit in September 2021. No less delicious tho. — 4 years ago
Peter Lehmann
Stonewell Barossa Shiraz 2006
Deep Ruby in colour - very dark for a 15 year old red with no bricking at this stage. Blackberry and chocolate with ripe black fruits on nose and palate - not as pruney as previous Stonewell notes. Lush and full bodied from selected old vine Shiraz vineyards in the Barossa - in the Greenock district amongst others. This is Barossa Shiraz at its best from a good vintage. Hard not to like - warm and comforting - perfect for a cooler night with pork chops. — 5 years ago
Billecart-Salmon
Brut Rosé Champagne Chardonnay Blend
Happy Spring! It’s one of our favorite points in the year. More; daylight, a little warmer in CA and everything starts to bloom which, means a long summer of gardening and being outdoors every day/night is not far off.
Since it was such a great day and basically most Californians are shut-Ins, the voluntary self quarantining was getting to me. I did the landscaping and got an afternoon of fresh air today. A breath of fresh air...ahhh! Wow, was it needed after Gavin’s Newsom’s estimate of 25.5 million Californians would be infected with Coronavirus over 8 weeks yesterday.
So, a good night to celebrate another day of being virus free with my 2nd favorite N/V Rosé Champagne.
All my numerous previous notes apply.
Stay safe everyone and remember the new terminology of the new decade...social distancing! Cheers! 🍾🥂
Photos of; Spring in our backyard & a Billecart Grand Cru Vineyard.
— 6 years ago
Ruinart
Brut Rosé Champagne
Long day cleaning & painting getting our rental property getting it ready for our new tenant. We are burnt but, a glass of Ruinart Rosé always perks us up.
We’ll be doing this a lot over the next two weeks. Hope everyone has better weekend plans than we do! Cheers!🥂
All my previous notes apply.
Photos of; the House of Ruinart, painting of Dom Thierry Ruinart, their caves & one of their Grand Cru vineyards. — 7 years ago
Launois Père et Fils
Veuve Clémence Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay
Pound for pound, ounce for ounce, the best Blanc de Blanc champagne for the money and then some! IMHO!
All previous notes apply. — 8 years ago
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2003
As they always do, a singular & outstanding take on a difficult vintage. 2003 was hot & this wine is more powerful and robust than previous Tondonia. That said, 30 minutes in the decanter has this one open for business & delivering that distinct spicy fruit & structured textural expression. Will certainly cellar some, but this is good to go. — 10 years ago
Bass Phillip
The Estate Pinot Noir 2015
Consistent notes from the previous bottle tasted a year ago on 21st November 2021. Cherry aromatics with some decayed plant matter. Typically Bass Phillip. Towards the end of the bottle stewed fruits (rhubarb). Had the final bottle 28 weeks later on 14th June 2023. Sweet - great palate intensity - the mark of many great wines. Just bought the 2021 vintage today. This is the first vintage made solely by Jacques Fourrier and his team. — 4 years ago
Freycinet Vineyard
Tasmania Pinot Noir 2015
See many previous Delectable notes but not for this vintage. As stated previously one of Australia’s best Pinots A very aromatic nose of red and black cherry together with root vegetables particularly beetroot. Raspberry flavours - a sweetish palate with a savoury twist. An excellent Tasmanian Pinot Noir and a regular purchase. Also capable of extended cellaring - I recall having a 15 year old one once but it’s hard to resist right now. — 4 years ago
Produttori del Barbaresco
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2017
A little lighter and less tannic then previous vintages. Drinking well but wanted a little more intensity. — 4 years ago
Sandlands
Amador County Chenin Blanc 2018
Pale yellow, excellent clarity. Sun dried linen aroma, though less intense than in previous vintages. Lemon and nectarine flavors, slightly tart. Mellows after an hour decanting with chalky mouthfeel on finish. Pairs surprisingly well with hummus and salmon with mint-cacao nib sauce. — 5 years ago
Craiglee
Sunbury Shiraz 2012
See previous note from 73 weeks ago on March 2020. One of Australia’s great cool climate Shiraz. Noted for its spice and white pepper. Red fruited on the medium bodied palate and made in the historic blue stone winery which first made wine in 1860. Back then it was a vineyard surrounded by sheep but now Melbourne’s major airport, Tullamarine, is 20 minutes to the south. Wonderful balance and long living made by Pat Carmody and wife Dianne since 1976 after they replanted much of the vineyard. More in the style and weight of Burgundy than the Rhone. In the Langtons Classification under Excellent. Had another bottle 73 weeks later on the 5th January 2023 which didn’t show as well as it normally does. A touch of astringency. Going through a “dumb phase “? 88 points for latest tasting. — 5 years ago
Bollinger
Special Cuvée Brut Champagne
Social distancing food & wine party with friends in the D&S Lounge.
My previous notes will stand tonight. Cheers! 🥂 🍾 — 6 years ago
Faust
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
a classic Bordeaux style blend, previous older vintages they omitted Petit Verdot. Pouring a glass I noticed a deep purple wine with ruby edges and aromas of red and dark fruit with cedar spice notes. The palate showed ripe blackberries, blueberries and sweet red berry fruit, with sweet and savory oak notes. Very approachable for a 2013, but it needs 30 minutes to open up. On the finish tannins were smooth and firm, showing some minerality on the long finish. Faust wines do not disappoint, even when young. — 10 years ago
Bob McDonald
See previous note from January 2023. Pepper Liquorice and Raspberry. Savoury and full bodied on the palate. Such density despite the drinking window describing this as “Old”. 2011 to 2028. I see this as having many years to go. Riper having blackberry and not as much pepper as you would expect because of this warmer vintage. The vineyards were originally planted in 1964, establishing this as one of Australia’s leaders in cool climate Shiraz. It has always been one of my favourite Australian Reds. Best Shiraz and Wine of the Year for 2011 as voted by the Good Wine Guide. 98 points from Nick Stock. — 3 years ago