- 2005 Georges Dubœuf Morgon Domaine Mont Chavy - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (12/19/2015)
I thought I'd squirrel this away for 10 years just to see what would happen. It wasn't quite an ugly ducking into a swan, but it did turn into something very interesting and more complex. When opened, it had some bubblegum on the nose and was rather mute - quite boring, in fact. But at the end of the first night and into the second night, this has really added depth. Almost pinot like on the nose (red fruits, cinnamon), with a medium boded, plush texture full of mainly red fruits (especially raspberries) but also blueberry, allspice and violets. Some minerality too, and even some ripe tannins at the end. This really provides quite a blast of fruit. This could last several years yet, I think. Very interesting... (B+/A-) - 2008 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Renner - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (12/13/2015)
Had this a few nights ago. Golden yellow in colour, with mainly citrus and stonefruit notes on the nose. Medium bodied with solid concentration. Nicely balanced with good acidity. This should last several years yet. (B+/A-) - 2008 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/6/2015)
Solid Napa cab, just starting to open up now but still quite youthful. Smooth, medium to full bodied, classic cab notes of black and blue fruits and quite dry on the solid finish. Some tannins left too. (A-) - 2007 Mark Ryan Cabernet Sauvignon Lonely Heart - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (12/6/2015)
Hazy notes from last night. This was disappointing given the price. Confectionary sugar notes on the nose and too much sweetness on the smooth, medium bodied palate for my liking. (B/B+) - 2001 Ridge Geyserville - USA, California, Sonoma County (11/28/2015)
Didn't take notes, but this was drinking really well last night. Well integrated now, with a blast of ripe sweet fruit at the end of the medium bodied palate. No overripe flavours though. This should last many years yet. (A-) - 2006 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/28/2015)
Hazy notes from last week. This is coming together really well, with well integrated tropical and stonefruit flavours and a wonderful balance on the medium bodied palate with an off dry, long finish. This was a very impressive wine that has a long future. (A) - 2008 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (11/22/2015)
Notes from the second night open. Deep, dark purple in colour. There's a lovely mix of mint and blackfruits on the powerful nose.The palate is medium-full bodied with a lifted acidity that keeps the palate fresh: there is a mix of mint, blackfruits, cigar box, cinnamon and cedar with healthy tannins. Avoid if you aren't a mint fan! It's almost a bit much here, but it's still an enjoyable wine that is still quite young and has many years left. Great QPR. (A-) - 2012 Château de Lancyre Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup Vieilles Vignes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup (11/19/2015)
Same impressions as the first note. Great QPR here, with a lovely velvety texture and nice purity and balance. Gamy, earthy notes from the syrah shine through. (B+/A-) - 2013 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/17/2015)
Had a couple of glasses of this two weeks ago. The medium-full bodied palate exploded in the front palate, and was quite sweet with excellent stonefruit and citrus flavours. It then totally disappeared in the mid palate, and emerged later at the very back of the palate and finished very long and much drier. Very interesting indeed. Quite tasty and intriguing now, but I'll wait a few years on my bottles for the mid palate to reemerge (A-). - 2011 Champalou Vouvray - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (11/7/2015)
No formal notes, but this was a solid basic Vouvray, with a light but nice nose of minerals, citrus and flowers, with the same flavours appearing on a light to medium bodied palate. Right on the cusp of dry/slightly off dry. Great QPR. (B+) - 2007 Henri Poiron Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie La Fief Giraud - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (11/7/2015)
No formal notes, but this had a mix of butterscotch and oxidation in the complex, interesting, though somewhat flawed palate. I don't mind a bit of oxidation, so it didn't bother me too much, but others may be much more put off (B/B+). - 2011 Château de Fesles Anjou La Chapelle Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (11/1/2015)
No formal notes, but the colour on this was quite advanced and I worried about oxidation, but the bottle was in good shape. Not a viscous type of chenin, more on the citrus fruit spectrum with healthy acidity. Medium bodied and refreshing, a nice QPR wine. (B+) - 2004 Patrick Lesec Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Bargeton - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/1/2015)
Didn't take notes, but this was an impressive wine, with lots of iron, leather, game and red fruits. Good concentration and complexity. Just a little less impressive than the 2005 Vatican Sixtine had before it, but still quite good. (A-) - 2012 Château de Lancyre Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup Vieilles Vignes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Pic St. Loup (10/29/2015)
This really punched above its weight (i.e., price). Great QPR wine from the Pic St Loup region of the Languedoc. This is all tank-based old vine syrah and grenache, no oak at all. The syrah really shines through, providing a wonderful punch of red berries and earthy, gamy notes, and the medium-full bodied palate has a great velvety texture and purity with a mouth-coating finish. Rich and deep, but not overdone. I'll buy more (A-). (A-) - 2006 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese ** - Germany, Nahe (10/18/2015)
Brought this 375 ml bottle back after a tasting in this Nahe winery in 2008.Didn't take notes last night, but this really was an incredible wine, with an outstanding, complex nose and an amazing, full bodied, well integrated, creamy palate to match. Mainly tropical fruit flavours on show, with a hint of botrytis and minerality. The complexity on show here was stunning, and it was an absolute joy to drink. Ready now but will last too (A). (A/A+) - 2005 Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier Ayler Kupp Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/10/2015)
This is aging well and in no danger of going over the hill anytime soon. The citrus and tropical fruit flavours are starting to integrate, as are the acids and sugars, and this medium bodied wine ends up off dry on a lengthy finish. Better than I was expecting from this producer. (A-)