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Displaying [201-225] of 1000
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1999 Quilceda Creek
Merlot
(USA / Washington / Columbia Valley)
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CASES: 250
RATED: 06/02/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Some red wines are like a wool sweater on your teeth and tongue. This is cashmere. After decanting for about an hour, the Quilceda Creek Merlot shows what Washington state is capable of. Deep ruby in color, medium bodied, it gives off unsweetened blueberry pie on the nose. Notes of vanilla, mixed berry over fine tannins. Drink over the next 10 years.
QC Merlot won a blind taste-off against 2001 Pride Merlot, 1997 Pahlmayer Merlot, 2001 Owne Roe Merlot, 1997 Beringer Merlot and 1993 Beringer Merlot.
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1999 Cristom
Pinot Noir
- Louise Vineyard
(USA / Oregon / Willamette Valley)
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RATED: 06/02/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Upon release, this Oregon pinot was drinking like about 91 points. Now that it's had a chance to flesh out, it has developed into a beautiful pinot noir representing what Oregon is capable of. The '99 vintage in Oregon showed more tannic wines with more ability to age into something good.
Ruby red in color, aromas of red raspberry and rose petals emerged from the glass without decanting. The best part about this wine was how it fleshed out into a velvety smooth medium bodied wine with notes of bing cherry, cola, blackberry and a little cedar...nicely integrated. Drink now and over the next 5-7 years just below room temperature.
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2002 Punter's Corner
Shiraz
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Spartacus Reserve
(Australia / South Australia / Coonawarra)
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RATED: 06/02/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
The only wine I've ever seen stump a Master Sommelier. A massive shiraz that sells for under $25. Deep, rich inky color that's as black as night. Hold it up to a white background and you won't be able to see through it. In the glass it constantly transforms showing anything from black raspberry and asphalt to blueberry and cigar box. Every smell and every sip revealed another layer of interest. At a wine tasting in Vail earlier this year, two Master Sommelier's couldn't figure out what grape varietal or what region. Pretty ridiculous stuff and considering it's price, I'd put it up against many other highly extracted Aussie Shiraz. Doesn't need much decanting...Drink now and over the next ten years.
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1990 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Cabernet Sauvignon
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Cask 23
(USA / California / Napa / Stags Leap District)
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RATED: 06/09/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Only a handful of cases of this lovely liquid was made, but you'd swear you were drinking Pomerol. This blend is rich, lush, complex showing notes of pepper, cola, raspberry, everything the Stag's Leap district is known for, but more concentrated with incredible depth. The bouquet is enough to keep you coming back. Full bodied and succulent.
Drink over the next 5 years or send it to me ;)
Decant for at least 30 minutes
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2001 Carlisle
Zinfandel
(USA / California / Sonoma / Dry Creek Valley)
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RATED: 06/11/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Wow! This is a full throttle experience.
Everything a zin should be and more. Showing an amazing depth in ruby color, the Carlisle Russian River Zin has a Bruce Lee kick of raciness. It's big, bold and full of rich black raspberry, cigar, ripe berry and pepper. A bit high on the alochol level but you'd never guess with such great acidity.
Decant for 30 minutes or hold for 5 years.
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1988 Chateau Cheval-Blanc
(France / Bordeaux / St-Emilion)
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RATED: 12/16/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
With minimal decanting, the '88 Cheval Blanc was perfectly aged and is ready to drink now. The nose was spot on giving off cherry, violet and chocolate inviting the wine onto my tastebuds.
Very well balanced with every nuance mingling together in harmony. Notes of Cherries, Cinnamon, Truffles, Toffee and toast were revealed in multiple layers of complexity. And if that wasn't enough, the finish was exactly as I'd hoped it would be...30+ seconds without any hint of tannic afterbite. Well done! Drink now or send to me for a second opinion.
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1985 Chateau Beychevelle
(France / Bordeaux / St-Julien)
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RATED: 01/13/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 1/13/04. One of the best Bechevelle's ever is the 1985. It's classic Bordeaux nose is still very strong. But it is peaking, with the tannins very soft and the color starting to show age. This wine was sampled next to a 1990 Dominus and the two wines were very similar in all regards.
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1990 Dominus
(USA / California / Napa)
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RATED: 01/13/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 1/13/04. This wine is peaking or perhaps cresting. I found it to be a better wine a year ago. Nonetheless, it is still a great wine and the nose alone will fool 99.9% of Bordeaux drinkers into believing it is any one of the First through Fifth Growths. The tannins have all but disappeared but the Bordeaux style (Cab Sauv based) fruit remains. The color is just starting to show a little age. While some bottles of this vintage may not be quite so advanced in the aging process, I think it's time to start drinking this one while it has some life in it.
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1997 Martin Ray
Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa / Diamond Mountain)
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RATED: 01/17/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 1/17/04. Diamond Mountain is one of the subregions in Napa that produces excellent fruit that tends to take longer than many subregions of Napa to mature once in the bottle. It is generally worth the wait, and Martin Ray's 1997 is no exception. Originally tight and backward when first bottled, it has aged to the point where it is opening up fully within 15 to 25 minutes after being decanted. The fruit comes forward on first taste and has a 15-20 second finish. It is only a modestly complex wine, but the structure of it is impressive with only good notes to be found.
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1996 Kistler
Chardonnay
- Dutton Ranch
(USA / California / Sonoma / Russian River Valley)
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RATED: 02/23/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 2/23/04. This golden chardonnay (looks like it might not be filtered) is far more pleasing to the palate than the eye. Ripe apricot and pear are enveloped in a slightly smokey but not oaky mouthful of liquid, which flavors give way to a slightly mineral finish that suddenly jolts you into thinking that maybe there are some nice white burgundy characteristics here. This wine also seems like it will last for quite a while longer.
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1999 Leeuwin
Cabernet Sauvignon
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Art Series
(Australia / Western Australia / Margaret River)
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RATED: 03/20/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 3/20/04. The cedar, black currant and earth (but not Bordeaux) nose do not give a hint as to what this wine is all about. The blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec and the minority grapes really come through in a silky smooth manner that coats your mouth in a glycerine fashion. Despite the 15% alcohol, which really sneaks up on you, the wine is not hot. The wine is complex and opened very gently over the evening. Each taste revealed slightly different new flavors - rasberries, plum, flowers, cassis, etc. And regardless of whether you ultimately really enjoy this wine or not, you will have to admire the level of engineering that has gone into it and the success the winemaker has had with it. I look forward to revisiting this wine in a few years.
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1994 Arrowood
Cabernet Sauvignon
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Reserve Speciale
(USA / California / Sonoma)
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RATED: 05/11/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 5/11/04 in MAGNUM. This is one of the last great Arrowood Reserve Speciales. Smooth, balanced, complex and big. Definitely California and not Bordeaux; you won't confuse this wine for a Dominus. Once upon a time you could find this wine at a great price. Now it's hard to find, and its price tends to both match its quality and low availability. I know the 750s are starting to get close to their peak, so keep in mind that my time frame for consumption is based upon the Magnum format.
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2001 Kistler
Chardonnay
- Vine Hill Vineyard
(USA / California / Sonoma / Russian River Valley)
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RATED: 08/31/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 8/31/04. This wine is more Burgundian than Californian. The wine is a wonderful layering of sweet citrus and melons with hints of butterscotch and to a lesser extent minerals. The alcohol/acid balance is very good and this wine should last for some time, although it is very enjoyable now.
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1996 Chateau St. Jean
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Cinq Cepages
(USA / California / Sonoma)
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RATED: 09/04/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 9/4/04. This wine has the nose, color and style of a Second Growth Bordeaux in a good year - Leoville Las Cases in particular. The wine is drinking very well now and should for at least several more years to come. It does not have the body and structure of some of the best Bordeauxs in the best years, but at less than $40 wholesale upon release, this wine was a great bargain and there is little doubt as to why it current price pushes $100 retail.
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1997 Lokoya
Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa / Mt. Veeder)
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RATED: 09/29/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 9/29/04. This monster wine is nearly black and is overloaded with black fruits but is not jammy. The tannins are firm but balanced with the wine. There is some Oak, some spice, some herbs, some minerals and it is well layered. A well constructed wine but it will not last forever. The wine is already throwing off prodigious amounts of sediment, but I suspect there is still much more to be shed over the next few years. Use your decanter and a strainer.
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1996 Opus One
(USA / California / Napa / Oakville)
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RATED: 09/29/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 9/29/04. The nose on the 1995 and 1996 Vintages are very similar and Bordeauxish. The 1995's color is a bit deeper and darker. Between the 1995 and 1996 vintages across all Napa, the 1996 is less tannic, has bigger riper rounder fruit and will generally not age as well, and these same differences exist between the 1995 and 1996 Opus wines. If you prefer the bigger riper rounder fruit, you'll prefer the 1996 over the 1995. Nonetheless, this wine is no ordinary California fruit bomb; the wine is complex with a Bordeaux-style blend of spices, herbs and earthiness underlying and mixed through the layered black currant fruit.
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1990 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
(France / Bordeaux / Pauillac)
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RATED: 10/09/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 10/9/04. This wine is classic Pichon Lalande and although not the 1982, it is still a compelling wine that is still quite young. It has wonderful layering of fruit, herbs, a few minerals and some spicy Oak. Parker claims his multiple visits to this wine have found it green and worthy of only 79 points! Perhaps Mr. Parker is simply the unluckiest man alive when it comes to this wine. I have had this wine 3 times in the past 18 months and it is consistently a star.
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1992 Dalla Valle
Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa)
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RATED: 10/30/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 10/30/04. Another Dalla Valle masterpiece. Beautiful color, strawberries, raspberries, elegant balance, still in its prime, hints of pepper and sage. In short a real winner that could last another 5 years or longer, but why wait. It's starting to peak and should be enjoyed.
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1996 Pahlmeyer
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Proprietary Red
(USA / California / Napa)
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RATED: 11/01/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 11/1/04. This is clearly one of the best of Napa in 1996. The color is incredibly dark and inky. Like most '96s the fruit is overripe, but unlike many '96s, the fruit is more concentrated and the tannin structure is more solid and balanced. The wine might not be quite as complex as the 1996 Opus, but I'd take this wine over the 1996 Opus any day, even though on technical merit the wines are probably deserving of the same score.
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1995 Martin Ray
Cabernet Sauvignon
(USA / California / Napa / Diamond Mountain)
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RATED: 11/13/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Sampled 11/13/04. This wine has deep garnet color and classic California nose of fruit and more fruit. The tannins on this wine are now completely softened and silky. The fruit is a bit more refined than many Diamond Mountain productions and therefore more elegant - almost Margauxish. The 100% new French Oak did some very wonderful things with this wine. There is a lingering finish that ends with roasted vanilla, which acts like an aperitif to get to you go back to the glass. The wine is clearly at its peak, but I suspect it will last a couple more years.
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1998 d'Arenberg
Cabernet Sauvignon
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The Coppermine Road
(Australia / South Australia / McLaren Vale)
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RATED: 06/04/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Virtually opaque dark purple. Amazingly well-integrated nose of cassis, blueberry, leather, violet, vanilla, clove, incense, licorice, black cherry, blackberry, oak/cedar, chocolate, mint, graphite, smoke/ash. Full body. Dry. Medium to heavy tannins. Long finish. Words fail me. I readily agree with Parker's score on this one (in all honesty, I reviewed this prior to seeing his assessment, as it was a recommendation from a wine steward); and at around US$60, good luck finding a better Cab for the price! It's still a wee bit too tannic to drink right now and be completely satisfied (I'm a big fan of Cab Sauv, so an overly firm grip is not a distraction for reviewing purposes), so I'd wait another year or four. Have had the 1997 as well, and this is clearly superior.
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| SCORE: 95
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| BY: Ernest
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| PRICE: $60 |
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2002 Charles Cimicky
Shiraz
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Reserve
(Australia / South Australia / Barossa Valley)
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RATED: 06/18/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Inky dark purple. Sensual aroma of cassis, black raspberry, mint, charred oak, licorice, chocolate, graphite, earth, leather, vanilla, violet, toast. Semi-sweet. Full body. Medium tannins. Long finish. Jam on toast, but in a garden with all sorts of noshy bits around. Opens up nicely in about an hour or so. Succulent beyond belief, and an aroma to die for. Concentrated, intense, black to the core, and extraordinarily decadent. Outstanding Shiraz.
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1996 Moss Wood
Cabernet Sauvignon
(Australia / Western Australia / Margaret River)
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RATED: 08/22/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Dark purple. Aroma of black cherry, mushrooms, wet earth, blueberry, straw, undergrowth, flowers, leather, antique oak, licorice. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Full body. Medium tannins. Medium to long finish. Wow! Serious terroir here...forget what you think about all Aussie wines being fruit bombs and track this monster down. Outstanding in the mouth...very soft and velvety, but still intense in flavor. Big thumbs up.
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1999 Penfolds
Shiraz
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Grange
(Australia / South Australia)
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RATED: 04/28/2004 |
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| COMMENTS: |
Do yourself a favor, try this wine... Intense flavors, gripping aroma, rich color. Nicely structured with a long and perfect finish. (RP 99+)
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1998 Allegrini
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La Poja
(Italy / Northeast / Verona)
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RATED: 08/19/2004 |
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A steal at $75. I would pay double for this amazing wine!... To me this wine is just as good as the 1999 Penfolds Grange. Plus it is half the price and easier to get your hands on. This wine is one of the smoothest Italian reds I have had. It has well blended, rich fruit and wood flavors, follwed by a velvety finish that lasts and lasts.
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Displaying [201-225] of 1000
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