- 2003 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (4/5/2016)
Had this last week. Didn't take notes, but I thought this was outstanding. The 2003 vintage effect seemed to have no effect on this bottle. It was a wild ride of intense minerality with a very long finish. More minerality than fruit for sure, but it was very well balanced and ready to drink. But this will last a long time if this bottle is anything to go by. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle. (A-) - 2007 Peter Lehmann Riesling Wigan - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (4/4/2016)
Hazy notes from 3 days ago. This was in great nick again. It seemed even richer, less austere than my last bottle. Mainly citrus and honey on the medium-full bodied palate, great intensity, finishing dry. This is a great, world class dry riesling. (A-) - 2004 Lamborghini (La Fiorita) Campoleone Umbria IGT - Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT (4/4/2016)
Hazy note from a few days ago. Decanted for 90 minutes and had with a BBQ pork loin. This is still evolving to my mind, still tasting youthful. But it was certainly fun to drink, very Bordeaux like with deep rich fruit and little oak evident now. (A-) - 2010 Ridge Chardonnay Estate - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (4/4/2016)
Hazy notes from a few days ago. Similar notes as last bottle. Great balance of fruit, oak and acidity creating a harmonious, delicious wine. (A-) - 2005 Domaine Cauhapé Jurançon Symphonie de Novembre - France, Southwest France, Jurançon (4/4/2016)
Oxidized... NR (flawed) - 2012 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Alpha - Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (3/22/2016)
Nobody else mentioned how green this wine was, so perhaps I had an unrepresentative bottle, although it didn't taste flawed in any way. But the green notes, extreme even for a Chilean wine - really made this wine tough to swallow, literally and figuratively. - 2009 Church Road Cabernet Merlot Reserve Hawkes Bay - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (3/20/2016)
This bottle confirms my impression of this producer. They tend to make rather plush, ripe, low acid, non-tannic red wines that show well in competitions but don't really gain a lot with age. I thought this wine had too much residual sugar as well, though this improved (and tannins appeared) on the second night when I served it closer to cellar temperature. Certainly not a bad bottle, and good QPR at the sale price I paid - a good table wine, but nothing more. (B+) - 2005 Montirius Vacqueyras Le Clos - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (3/17/2016)
Hazy notes from last night. This has really come together now. medium to full bodied, with a rustic yet refined plate. The grenache is dominant, with loads of garrigue, red fruits and tar notes. A great Vacqueyras. Lovely now, but will definitely last. (A-) - 2007 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (3/12/2016)
Hazy notes from last night. This was a big cab, with lots of black fruits and some tar and cedar notes on a powerful, full bodied palate. No heat, but the amount of oak was surprising and disappointing to me. I don;t mind a big wine if it is balanced, but this just had too much oak to get into the 'outstanding' category for me. Normally I don't notice the oak this much in Majella cabs, although it is always part of their profile. (B+) - 2009 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos de Saint Yves - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (3/7/2016)
This is developing very nicely. It's getting the secondary notes of butterscotch that Savennieres get on the deep. more bass palate. It seems big richer now too. Ready now and probably at peak soon. Sorry to have only one left! (A-) - 2005 Majella Shiraz Sparkling - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (3/5/2016)
This is still evolving nicely. There's a lovely nose full of deep plums and a hint of brown sugar, and these carry onto the rich but dry finish, which has deep red fruits, charcoal and tar. Definitely some secondary or even tertiary flavours here. This has continued to improve over time. This was my last bottle and I think remaining bottles should be finished over the next 2 or 3 years, as this might be peaking now. (A-) - 2000 Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Vigna Rongalio - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (3/5/2016)
Had this among several other bottles last night. Didn't take notes, but this wine was open for business after a 2 hour decant, but there is certainly no rush on this. The tannins have largely subsided, there are mainly redfruits on the medium-full bodied palate. Very nice Barbaresco (A-). - 2010 René Muré Pinot Gris Clos Saint Landelin - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (3/1/2016)
Hazy notes from two days ago. This was very nice.Golden in colour, with a classic oily, plump texture for an Alsacian pinot gris. But there there was some citrus notes which provided some acidic balance. But it's a fairly big version of PG that explodes in the mouth and coats the palate nicely. (A-) - 2010 Balnaves of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2/20/2016)
Deeply coloured wine with a lovely nose of mint, blackfruits and cedar. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with similar flavours and a nice long finish. Still young but not a crime to open now with some decanting. (A-) - 2013 De Martino Muscat Viejas Tinajas - Chile, Itata Valley (2/18/2016)
I had a bottle of this last week An unusual and unique wine. A lovely, intense nose that is very muscat leads to a medium bodied, textured palate and then a soapy flavour that a gerwurtztraminer sometimes have. Definitely different and interesting, but I'm not all the parts fit right now. (B+) - 2009 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley (2/4/2016)
Didn't take notes, but I agree with most of the existing notes. For CA, a good QPR wine that delivers a modern version of a Napa cab at a good price. Very solid and well made given the quantity produced; no rough edges, easy to like. (B+) - 2008 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (1/30/2016)
Hazy notes from last night. This was an impressive wine. A lovely nose, with some game and red fruit, and similar more complex flavours on the medium to full bodied palate. Still lots of time left for this wine, but it was excellent with even a short decant (a longer decant is recommended if you open it soon). A nice blend of a new and old world style (A-). (A-) - 2011 Konzelmann Vidal Icewine - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (1/27/2016)
Didn't take notes, but this was a solid Vidal ice wine with a bit more complexity than other versions from Niagara. Healthy acidity for a Vidal gave this wine a real lift, and there were a range of flavours (e.g., pumpkin and butterscotch) on the non-cloying palate. (A-) - 2005 Domaine des Baumard Savennières - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (1/24/2016)
The last few glasses had opened up more, so I think a 2-3 hour decant is warranted. Still tastes young to me, although there are secondary butterscotch notes evident. Didn't take notes, but this was a solid Savennieres, medium bodied, dry, with rich mineral, lanolin and stonefruit flavours. Relatively low in alcohol, which comes through in the fresh finish. Great QPR. (A-)