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Displaying [101-125] of 1000
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2000 Bayer-Erbhof
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In Signo Leonis
(Austria / Burgenland)
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RATED: 02/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Brilliant ruby, fat tears. Elderberry in the nose (indicates some Zweigelt in the cuvee), hint of soy sauce. Medium body, well balanced, good acid spine, fine tannins. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93.
Some days ago I received delivery of the first of my two Bordeaux 2000 subscriptions and I decided to pop a bottle today to check the hype. I made a small blind tasting with the Leoville Barton and an Austrian red named "In Signo Leonis", an international style cuvee vintage 2000 from a producer named Bayer as second wine. Despite the elderberry I decided this had to be the Bordeaux because this showed more finesse and was clearly the better match for a wild boar leg.
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1991 Fonsalette
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Cuvee Syrah
(France / Rhone / Northern Rhone / Cotes du Rhone)
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RATED: 02/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Black purple, dense tears, tints the glass. Heavy dark fruit in the nose. Full body, intense primary raspberry fruit, heavy but well balanced tannins and acidity - nearly a wine concentrate. Score: 50 + 5 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 95.
Some days ago I received delivery of the first of my two Bordeaux 2000 subscriptions and I decided to pop a bottle today to check the hype. I made a small blind tasting with the Leoville Barton and an Austrian red named "In Signo Leonis", an international style cuvee vintage 2000 from a producer named Bayer as second wine. The Fonsalette was the wine I used for cooking - and it was clearly the wine of the evening.
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1990 Chateau Figeac
(France / Bordeaux / St-Emilion)
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RATED: 08/01/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Bit of TCA taint in the nose. Chemical taste. Corked. No score.
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1996 Domaine Leroy
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Les Beaux Monts
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Vosne-Romanee)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(to be precise: Bottle 1405 out of 6438, not blind): Medium purple, light rim, clear but not brilliant, good tears, small bubbles in the rim. Slight barnyard, rotting red and dark berries on a compost heap, nevertheless agreeable. Medium body, good grip, bit on the acidity side, kind of green streak, needs probably more time. Long finish with
mouth impregnating tannins and some red fruit acidity. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 92.
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1998 Bruno Giacosa
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Falletto di Serralunga
(Italy / Northwest / Piedmont / Barolo)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Brilliant garnet, fat tears. Decent but fine nose after dark fruits, some alcohol. Medium body, some raspberries and lots of acidity and tannins but well balanced. Aftertaste after raspberry-soda. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 92.
I hesitated a little to open this wine because I know I don't like the Giacosa wines young but this was a nice surprise - nearly a refreshment compared with the rather fat "great" 98 and 00 vintages in other regions.
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1990 Castello di Rampolla
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Sammarco - IGT
(Italy / Central / Tuscany)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Dark ruby, light rim, clear, slightly brownish hue, fine tears. Very delicate bouquet, secondary and dried fruits, hint of tar, dark roasted coffee beans. Medium body, baby fat (soft round velvety tannins) already gone, shows now more structure with some acidity. Fine wine, will develop further. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 92.
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1999 Chateau Lafite Rothschild
(France / Bordeaux / Pauillac)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(half bottle, not blind): Very dark ruby, nearly inpenetrable but clear, tints the glass. Immediately after opening decent dark fruit in the nose, but not very expressive. Full to medium body, fruit completely suppressed, inky taste. In the first moment I feared even a slight TCA problem but after 2 hours in the glass the wine opened a
little bit with a rather expressive and very nice nose but the taste remained somewhat flat and broad. This needs some time. Score: 50 + 5 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 92.
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1993 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
- Richebourg
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Vosne-Romanee)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Dark garnet, brilliant, slight sediment. Very expressive PN-Nose, bordering on a slight stink after rotting vegetables mixed with some red berries. Slim body, some secondary red fruit, very high acidity and tannins, but very well integrated. Extremely mouthcoating like a fine Havanna cigar. This wine cuts through other tastes with a sharp edge, perfect match to a roasted Bresse pigeon and even wonderful to some very strong cheeses. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 8 for taste + 9 for overall = total score of 94.
This score may not seem very impressive but one wonders which wines would be able to compete directly regardless the scores - may be some very fine Barolos or Barbarescos but never these overhyped international style great vintage wines.
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2000 Geantet-Pansiot
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Chambolle-Musigny)
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RATED: 03/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Brilliant garnet, high viscosity. Primary fruit nose, no PN typicity, rather red currant. Medium to full body, round, balanced, not much acidity nor tannins, again primary and rather sweet fruit. Good match with dried apricots. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet (should evolve) + 16 for taste (should evolve) + 7 for overall = total score of 89 (may be better with time).
Tthere was a post on the MSBB concerning possible TCA problems with Geantet-Pansiot wines vintage 2000 so I tasted (against my plans to wait at least a year before tasting this vintage) the Chambolle Musigny VV. No hint of TCA.
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1990 Comte Armand
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Clos des Epeneaux - 1er Cru
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Beaune / Pommard)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind, after a day in the opened bottle): Dark ruby, clear but not brilliant, dense tears. Dark fruits in the nose but not very expressive, rather muted. Medium body, bit fruit, some acidity, some tannins but not very well integrated. Slightly bitter and velvety in the aftertaste. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 17 for overall = total score of 90.
This wine still does not meet the expectations from the early tasting notes from Parker (94+, drinking window 2002-2030) and Coates (brilliant, drinking window 2003-2025). But it gets slightly better with some air, so there is some hope for improvement in the next years. Anyway I would never take this wine for a Burgundy and I am not
very happy to have more than a few bottles of it in my cellar.
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1999 Niepoort
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Redoma Tinto
(Portugal / Douro)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Brilliant ruby, medium tears. Fine nose after dark berries. Medium body, very well balanced, touch of finesse. Soft velvety finish. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 94.
This was in a blind tasting with some other wines (different regions) from the same vintage, so this was a really nice surprise.
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1999 San Giusto a Rentennano
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Percarlo - IGT
(Italy / Central / Tuscany)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Purple, clear, tints the glass. Alcoholic dark fruit in the nose. Full to medium body, dark fruit, powerful acid spine, powerful tannins. Long mouthcoating velvety finish. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 92.
This wine has a lot of power and should develop nicely.
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1999 Jaboulet
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La Chapelle
(France / Rhone / Northern Rhone / Hermitage)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Clear ruby, fat tears. Nose after honeycomb, bit fishy butter. Medium body, balanced but nearly nothing here, bit acidity. Rather thin. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 87. This was kind of disappointing.
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1993 Comte Georges de Vogue
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Chambolle-Musigny)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Medium garnet, very clear, fine tears. Nose not very impressive, fine red fruit. Medium to slim body, fine acidity, bit of red fruit, soft tannins. Aftertaste changes from silk to velvet. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 88.
This wine was very nice to a seatrout with morel and asparagus (I drink very often red wines with seafood and fish and like it - if I make the right choice) and I am sure would be also very nice to some fusion food. Riedel stemware, in a restaurant. The next day this wine smelled rather oxidized but was nice to drink again, but wait no longer.
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1997 Paolo Scavino
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Bric del Fiasc
(Italy / Northwest / Piedmont / Barolo)
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RATED: 04/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Very dark ruby, nearly opaque, nice tears. Velvety tanins, ascending alcohol, hint of chocolate and dark fruit in the nose. Full to medium body, rather fruity, dark berries, some acidity, not too soft tannins, balance could be somewhat better. Very long velvety aftertaste, some acidity. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for
bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 92.
No trace from the 97 Barolo typical caramel touch and rather low Barolo typicity (too much fruit for this).
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1989 Chateau Leoville Las Cases
(France / Bordeaux / St-Julien)
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RATED: 08/01/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Brilliant ruby, fat tears. Slightly rotten dark fruit, bit alcoholic. Medium body, liquorice, powerful tannins, bit thin in the end. Medium finish. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.
Small ISO standard tasting glass. Magnum, needs therefore may be some more ageing.
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1996 Paolo Scavino
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Bric del Fiasc
(Italy / Northwest / Piedmont / Barolo)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Medium ruby, tints the glass. Very decent dark fruit, some oak and mineralic elements in the nose. Full to medium body, very well balanced, fine acidity and not too hard tannins. Very good companion to a decent easter meal. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93.
Until now I neglected the 1996 Barolo vintage somewhat, but this seems to be a very nice one.
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1999 Greenock Creek
Shiraz
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Apricot Block
(Australia / South Australia / Barossa Valley)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Brilliant ruby. Dark berries in the nose. Full to medium body, massive fruit, very alcoholic (gives a stiff neck). Fruity aftertaste. Score: 50 +4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 6 for overall = total score 91
Had this wine some weeks before with total different impression, may be a bad bottle. This time it was somewhat better, but I still don’t like this wine, because it is too alcoholic for my taste.
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1989 Chateau Lynch-Bages
(France / Bordeaux / Pauillac)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Brilliant black ruby, light rim, dense tears. Dark fruit and liquorice in the nose, sweet and fine. Full to medium body, dark fruit, liquorice and elderberry, acidity and tannins well balanced. Fruity velvety aftertaste, long. Very fine classic Pauillac. Score: 50 + 5 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 95.
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1999 Mommessin
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Clos de Tart - Grand Cru
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Morey-St-Denis)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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(not blind): Very brilliant ruby, rim bit light, fat tears. Cool earthy nose, intense fruit, not too soft tannins. Medium body, red fruit, unusual tannins, hidden acidity, some backbone. Long, velvety, warm feeling, mouth impregnating and a bit alcoholic. I am sure this will profit from some years in the cellar. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93
This is not your usual Burgundy and I am not sure if I like it. I will have a look how this wines develops in the open bottle the next days. After 24 hours in the opended bottle a bit smoother, finer and the aciditiy is more showing. Now it seems clearly a Pinot Noir, but not necessarily from Burgundy. I would easily accept this wine being from another region - for example a Gantenbein Pinot Noir from Switzerland. Coates writes in his book Cote d'Or about this wine that in this domaine they use a rather big portion of stems while fermenting and don't use clones but cuttings from the own vines to replace too old ones.
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1999 Rayas
(France / Rhone / Southern Rhone / Chateauneuf du Pape)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Brilliant garnet, fat tears. Honeycomb and hint of Bazooka in the nose. Full to medium body, bit alcoholic, very soft, sweet tannins. Velvety finish. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.
For me not to recognize as Rayas: Nose completely atypical, no Kirsch taste.
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1990 Prunotto
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Montestefano
(Italy / Northwest / Piedmont / Barbaresco)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(not blind): Super brilliant light garnet, light rim, fat tears. Decent but very nice nose, cool moss, mushrooms, hidden red fruit. Rather slim body, some unexpected red fruit, very powerful tannins hide the adicity. Long and warm velvety aftertaste. Very good with spicy meat, not so good with sweets. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 94.
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1999 Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier
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Grand Cru
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Chambolle-Musigny)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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(single blind): Light garnet, brilliant. Decent PN-typical nose, very fine. Rather slim body, fine red fruit, very well balanced. Soft tannins in the finish, somewhat mouth impregnating. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 93.
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1999 Denis Mortet
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Lavaux St. Jaques - 1er Cru
(France / Burgundy / Cote de Nuits / Gevrey-Chambertin)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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| COMMENTS: |
(single blind): Brilliant garnet, fat tears. Fine dark nose, cool, hint of coffee beans. Medium body, some red fruit, fine acidity, mouth impregnating tannins. Long velvety aftertaste. Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.
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1999 Chateau de la Negly
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Porte du Ciel
(France / Languedoc)
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RATED: 05/01/2003 |
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(single blind): Black purple, clear, fat tears. Soy sauce, lovage, grounded coffee beans (not entirely fresh), opulent sweetness in the nose. Full body, somewhat fat and broad. Very soft tannins. Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 14 for bouquet + 18 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 93.
To be frank: The score is higher than my enthusiasm for this wine - I could not drink a second glass of it. But anyway rather impressive.
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Displaying [101-125] of 1000
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