See a PREVIEW of what's inside!
SORT BY: DATE POSTED | DATE RATED | PRICE | SCORE
 
Displaying [1-25] of 122
1997 Alvaro Palacios - L'Ermita
(Spain / Catalunya / Priorat)
RATED: 08/13/2004
COLOR: Red Purple.
AROMA: Licorice. Bacon. Leather. Black Currant. Plum. Smoky. Oak. Vanilla.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Viscous Smooth Mouthfeel. Voluminous Rich Body. Moderate Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: Highly anticipated. Critics had voted it to be the best wine in Spain of 1997. Well, it surely didn't disappoint. Deep dark inky color, a sign of super concentration. The nose exploded with multi-dimensional character and the outburst of flavors is surreal. It is so seductive with plum, smoky oak, pain grille, blackcurrant, bacon, leather, raspberry, blackberry, tropical fruit, vanilla, licorice... this list goes on forever. How can a wine possess such complexity? Are you sure it is only grapes and oak? To my surprise, this wine is not at all heavy. It is as smooth as silk with flavors dancing on the palate elegantly that seems to last forever. Every sip is a whole new world. One can feel the warmth of the sun, the soil and the vineyard where the grapes ripens. It is a wine that goes deep down to one's soul. It is a piece of art that reminded us why we love wine in the first place. It is the kind of wine that every wine lover yearns for.
SCORE: 99
BY: rchan
PRICE: $225
DRINK: In 5-10 years
1996 Denis Mortet - Chambertin
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Gevrey-Chambertin)
RATED: 08/16/2004
COLOR: Tile Red.
AROMA: Rose Petals. Truffles. Violets. Game. Plum. Raspberry. Red Fruits.
FLAVOR: Truffles. Coffee. Fig. Raisin. Raspberry. Red Fruits. Mineral.
PROFILE: Crisp Acidity. Complex. Balanced. Astringent Smooth Mouthfeel. Rich Body. Moderate Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: Such purity of fruit! Dense but not a bit heavy with a great structure that showed potential for improvement. Acidity was quite high which is typical of this vintage giving it the ingredient for aging. It started to develop the typical well aged burgundy nose but it should continue to develop more complexity. It might start to go into that awkward stage of development and closed down for some time. I anticipate it to be fully developed by 2006 and on.
SCORE: 97 +
BY: rchan
PRICE: $180
DRINK: In 3-5 years
1992 Domaine Leflaive - Folatieres - 1er Cru
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Beaune / Puligny-Montrachet)
RATED: 12/06/2004
COLOR: Green Yellow.
AROMA: Mineral. Apple. Almonds. Citrus. Toast. Caramel. Truffles.
FLAVOR: Mineral. Apple. Almonds. Citrus. Toast. Caramel. Truffles.
PROFILE: Crisp Acidity. Balanced. Complex. Smooth Mouthfeel. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: A pure and heady honeysuckle-scented bouquest of a mature white burgundy, this elegant wine has gained a lot of complexity with flavors well integrated into its framework of great richness and intensity.
SCORE: 94
BY: rchan
PRICE: $150
DRINK: Now
NV Krug - Grand Cuvee
(France / Champagne)
ALCOHOL: 12.0%
RATED: 08/26/2004
COMMENTS: The standard of what a great champagne should be. Very consistent year in and year out.

1990 Krug Launch Party
SCORE: 93
BY: rchan
PRICE: $80
1994 Justin - Isosceles
(USA / California / San Luis Obispo / Paso Robles)
RATED: 06/20/2005
COLOR: Tile Red.
AROMA: Dark Fruits. Plum. Violets.
FLAVOR: Dark Fruits. Oak. Bread. Smoky. Chocolate. Licorice.
PROFILE: Balanced. Complex. Viscous Mouthfeel. Rich Body. Light Tannin. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: Surprisingly good wine.
SCORE: 94
BY: rchan
PRICE: $60
DRINK: Now
1994 V. Sattui Cabernet Sauvignon - Preston
(USA / California / Sonoma)
RATED: 07/22/2005
COLOR: Red Purple.
AROMA: Cedar. Strawberry. Blackberry.
FLAVOR: Cedar. Strawberry. Blackberry.
PROFILE: Tart. Balanced. Medium Body. Moderate Tannin. Short Finish.
COMMENTS: 1994 Horizontal tasting at Central Park Bistro
Notes: A bit lean and simple, good food wine.
SCORE: 85
BY: rchan
PRICE: $50
DRINK: Now
2002 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir - Evenstad Reserve
(USA / Oregon / Willamette Valley)
RATED: 11/01/2005
COMMENTS: great polished style, excellent fruit and depth.
SCORE: 90
BY: rchan
PRICE: $47
1996 Alvaro Palacios - Finca Dofi
(Spain / Catalunya / Priorat)
RATED: 09/13/2004
AROMA: Savory. Sweet. Vegetal. Nutty. Woody. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Nutty. Woody. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Smooth Mouthfeel. Rich Body. Moderate Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: Beautiful ruby Color. The nose composes of very well define tropical fruits, minty, fried banana, plummy, blackberry and vanilla. Very focus attack on the palate and then the flavor fans out nicely. Deep structure with a firm grip. Super long, complex, lingering finish as the flavors keeps fanning out reinforcing you what you smell in the beginning and put a velvet coat on your tongue. Very well balance and a lot of charm.
SCORE: 92
BY: rchan
PRICE: $45
DRINK: In 3-5 years
1982 Joh. Jos. Prum Riesling - Wehlener Sonnenuhr - Auslese
(Germany / Mosel-Saar-Ruwer / Mosel)
RATED: 12/10/2004
COMMENTS: Superb. Great balance of sweetness and tart. Multi layers of subtle complexity along a tight and lean backbone. Very elegant with great finesse.
SCORE: 93
BY: rchan
PRICE: $40
1999 Mount Eden Chardonnay - Estate
(USA / California / Santa Cruz / Santa Cruz Mountains)
CASES: 2,774
RATED: 12/10/2004
COMMENTS: One of the better California Chardonnay without so much manipulation, the 1999 Chardonnay Estate emerges from a high altitude mountain vineyard contributing to the wine's character. It exhibits notes of honeysuckle and restrained tropical fruits interwoven with a striking minerality that it more burgundian. I like the crisp acidity and the tight structure that grip on the palatte. Good intensity from the attack to the long finish.
SCORE: 93
BY: rchan
PRICE: $35
1997 San Felice - Poggio Rosso - Riserva
(Italy / Central / Tuscany / Chianti Classico)
RATED: 12/10/2004
COLOR: Brick Red.
PROFILE: Balanced. Complex. Medium Body. Moderate Tannin. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: Very intense with almost overripe fruit like a CA Cab. Very viscous and mouthcoating with power, this wine is affirmative with a bit rustic edge. Very pure expression of an friendly chianti.
SCORE: 92 +
BY: rchan
PRICE: $35
DRINK: In 3-5 years
2001 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa)
RATED: 12/10/2004
AROMA: Dark Fruits. Cedar. Plum. Blackberry. Rose Petals.
FLAVOR: Dark Fruits. Cedar. Plum. Blackberry. Rose Petals.
PROFILE: Balanced. Complex. Medium Body. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: The 2001 KL is another great effort by Mike Trujillo, who just got promoted to the head of Sequioa Grove. This is a steal considered the pedigree of the grape source (Morisoli and Lamb). He also makes a pair reseve from those vineyards. I have been a long time fan of Mike's wine since 1993 and we hope the wine stays at its reasonable price level.
SCORE: 93 +
BY: rchan
PRICE: $35
DRINK: In 3-5 years
1987 Jaboulet - La Chapelle
(France / Rhone / Northern Rhone / Hermitage)
RATED: 10/02/2004
COMMENTS: Quite simple but charming. Paid $30 drinking it at a restaurant in Paris. No complaint.
SCORE: 87
BY: rchan
PRICE: $30
2002 Chateau Lynch-Bages - Blanc
(France / Bordeaux / Pauillac)
RATED: 12/10/2004
COLOR: Clear Yellow.
AROMA: Citrus. Lemon. Grapefruit. Lime. Melon. Floral.
FLAVOR: Citrus. Lemon. Grapefruit. Lime. Melon. Floral.
PROFILE: Crisp Acidity. Balanced. Light Tannin.
SCORE: 88 +
BY: rchan
PRICE: $20
DRINK: In 1-3 years
1998 d'Arenberg Shiraz - The Dead Arm
(Australia / South Australia / McLaren Vale)
RATED: 06/13/2004
AROMA: Black Currant. Chocolate. Blackberry. Toast. Oak.
FLAVOR: Spice. Black Currant. Chocolate. Blackberry. Toast. Oak.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Viscous Mouthfeel. Extracted Voluminous Body. Moderate Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: Super intense, spicy, explosive with layers and layers of flavors. Very masculine. Excellent mouth feel of mocha, bitter sweet chocolate, blackberry, blackcurrant, and toasted oak. A very forward wine. Ka-baam! Like it wants to knock you out in one shot. Nice attack. Then, the magic happens. The wine becomes more and more elegant with every sip. The textures changes from chewy to creamy. The acidity slowly peep out and cuts through the well endow flavors and define its structure. The finish gains in complexity as the wine slowly opens up. Each flavor becomes more harmonious with each other rather than fighting for dominance. Still a bit coarse at this young age. Great potential we see here. Tasted more than a dozen times since release and never failed to impress. It is a steal compare to the Grange.
SCORE: 98 +
BY: rchan
DRINK: In 3-5 years
1989 Henri Jayer - Cros Parantoux
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Vosne-Romanee)
RATED: 06/07/2002
COLOR: Tile Red.
AROMA: Truffles. Herbal. Raspberry. Strawberry. Toast. Cherry. Vanilla. Red Fruits.
FLAVOR: Barnyard. Truffles. Game. Herbal. Raspberry. Strawberry. Cherry. Vanilla. Red Fruits. Mineral.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Smooth Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: The utmost pure expression of the pinot noir grape. Not a single trace of heaviness. Elegant, finess, and pure. Great complexity but in a very subtle sense. Still very youthful and very well balanced with the acidity as the lead to explore this delicate and intricate burgundy. One of my best wine experience.
SCORE: 100
BY: rchan
DRINK: Now
1987 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti - La Tache
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Vosne-Romanee)
RATED: 06/07/2001
AROMA: Rose Petals. Truffles. Game. Floral. Leather. Blackberry. Strawberry. Red Fruits. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Barnyard. Truffles. Game. Bacon. Toffee. Blackberry. Tobacco. Strawberry. Toast. Hazelnut. Oak. Almonds. Vanilla. Red Fruits. Mineral. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Smooth Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Light Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: I have had different vintages of La Tache including some great vintages but none hit me like the 1987. Perhaps I was drinking it at its prime or there are other external factors that influences my appreication. That's why I never like rating wine under a fixed scoring system because there are just way too many factors that may influence people's judgement. But at that time, environment and condition, this is a perfect wine. Simply speaking, it is a benchmark of burgundy. Words won't do it justice so I have to quote from Clive Coates "...sing like a nightingale, shine forth like a sapphire, intrigue like the most complex of chess problems, and seduce like the first kiss of someone you are just about to fall in love with...it can inspire like a great orator, satisfy like a most subtle of three-star meals, and leave you at peace at the end like the slow movement of a Mozart piano concerto...the wine is complex but not puzzling, profound but not didactic, perfect but not intimidating, and magnificent but never toher than friendly"
SCORE: 100
BY: rchan
1994 Harlan - Estate
(USA / California / Napa)
RATED: 10/13/2003
AROMA: Coffee. Smoky. Tobacco. Toast. Hazelnut. Oak. Vanilla. Red Fruits. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Coffee. Smoky. Tobacco. Toast. Hazelnut. Oak. Vanilla. Red Fruits. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Viscous Smooth Mouthfeel. Rich Body. Moderate Tannin. Long Finish.
COMMENTS: Tasted in a magnum with Bill Harlan at a restaurant in Napa. Rarely do I find california wine that can rival a great bordeaux in terms of complexity, elegance and length. The wine seems to bring together the best of both world. Unfortunately, it is still too young to determine what it can be when it is fully matured. I wished I can afford one.
SCORE: 98 +
BY: rchan
DRINK: In 5-10 years
1968 Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) Cabernet Sauvignon - Georges de Latour
(USA / California / Napa)
RATED: 07/13/2000
AROMA: Savory. Nutty. Woody. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Savory. Nutty. Woody. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Complex. Balanced. Smooth Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Light Tannin. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: Surprisingly youthful. While the color shows its age, the nose still burst with lots of fruity flavors given its age. Rich and complex taking on full tertiary aroma developed over the years. At one point, this wine tasted like a great Latour or Pichon Lalande. Just like any other older wine, this wine is quite fragile and the window of tasting lasted only an hour after it opened. After that, the wine starts to break down and the fruit gone. It has definately seen better days and I wished I had the opportunity to taste this wine when it was at its prime.
SCORE: 93
BY: rchan
DRINK: Now
1985 Philipponnat - Clos Des Goisses
(France / Champagne)
RATED: 09/13/2004
COLOR: Straw Yellow.
AROMA: Floral. Melon. Cream. Yeast. Lemon. Toast. Citrus. Apple. Mineral. Light Fruits.
FLAVOR: Floral. Melon. Cream. Yeast. Lemon. Toast. Citrus. Apple. Mineral. Light Fruits.
PROFILE: Crisp Acidity. Complex. Balanced. Smooth Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Light Tannin. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: Made from 100% Pinot Noir, this south facing Clos is one of the 3 Clos in champagne. This champagne tasted like a Chassagne Montrachet with very fine bubbles. Unlike other champagne, the Clos des Goisses has more weight and higher viscousity, yet it still maintain the elegance and subtlety of a great champagne. It was a great match with the salmon tartare we had.
SCORE: 96
BY: rchan
DRINK: Now
1989 Domaine Pegau - Reserve
(France / Rhone / Southern Rhone / Chateauneuf du Pape)
RATED: 10/02/2004
COLOR: Brick Red.
AROMA: Barnyard. Licorice. Game. Tobacco. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Game. Caramel. Chocolate. Smoky. Tobacco. Dark Fruits.
SCORE: 90
BY: rchan
DRINK: Now
2001 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa)
ALCOHOL: 14.2%
CASES: 18,860
RATED: 10/02/2004
COLOR: Red Purple.
AROMA: Chocolate. Woody. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Coffee. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Astringent Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Moderate Tannin. Short Finish.
SCORE: 88
BY: rchan
1998 Domaine Pegau - Da Capo
(France / Rhone / Southern Rhone / Chateauneuf du Pape)
RATED: 10/02/2004
AROMA: Licorice. Earthy. Game. Coffee. Eucalyptus. Smoky. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Licorice. Earthy. Game. Coffee. Alcohol. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Astringent Mouthfeel. Rich Body. Heavy Tannin. Medium Finish.
SCORE: 90 +
BY: rchan
2002 Failla Pinot Noir
(USA / California / Sonoma / Sonoma Coast)
ALCOHOL: 14.4%
CASES: 175
RATED: 10/02/2004
COLOR: Ruby.
AROMA: Barnyard. Hay/Straw. Leather. Raspberry. Bread. Strawberry. Toast.
FLAVOR: Barnyard. Hay/Straw. Leather. Jam. Asphalt. Raspberry. Bread. Strawberry. Toast.
PROFILE: Unbalanced. Medium Body. Light Tannin. Short Finish.
COMMENTS: I had high hopes for this producer but neither the pinot noir nor the syrah lived up to the expectation. It was unbalanced and too manipulated.
SCORE: 84
BY: rchan
1991 Chapoutier - Barbe Rac
(France / Rhone / Southern Rhone / Chateauneuf du Pape)
RATED: 10/02/2004
AROMA: Barnyard. Truffles. Game. Fig. Prune. Raisin. Raspberry. Tobacco. Vanilla. Dark Fruits.
FLAVOR: Barnyard. Truffles. Earthy. Game. Olive. Bell Pepper. Smoky. Tobacco. Vanilla. Dark Fruits.
PROFILE: Balanced. Viscous Mouthfeel. Medium Body. Moderate Tannin. Medium Finish.
COMMENTS: Surprising good for a so-so vintage. It almost developed a burgundian nose which I like a lot. It was a bit thin and hollow in the mid palate but drinking very well and very charming.
SCORE: 88
BY: rchan
 
Displaying [1-25] of 122

About | Contact | © 2004-2008 WineDemocracy. All rights reserved.