Wine Berserkers - international wine social media, online community, and discussion

Antonio, Thank you for making your vintage overview available on your website. Really interesting and helpful! Glad you were also able to participate here, even though you understandably felt forced to defend your integrity just because there is disagreement about the quality of a few wines. Ugh. Ho...

Lots of lovely sentimental (and/or funny) stories in this thread. Thanks all. Meanwhile, wow... Been collecting for about 15 years and haven’t touched probably the first 80 or so cases I mostly bought on release. Was buying through UK merchants even though I wasn’t living there so easy to keep my ha...

We own much less than most of the posters here do. That said: JJ Prum Donnhoff F. Haag M. Molitor I've been surprised by the degree that US buyers are not dissuaded by tariffs for their 2019 purchase decisions. I realize that German Riesling is still a good relative value in the wine world, but I'm ...

...I had my first Riesling over 15 years ago!!! Haha, I assume Howard meant to say 50 years ago! Maybe he had imbibed too much low alcohol Mosel Riesling before typing? Thanks for the notes, Jan. I really enjoy these wines too. I would echo others in encouraging you to try some with age. This week ...

Thanks, Greg. I hope this also bodes well for the 2001 904 which was hopefully just way too young when tasted a couple of years ago.
Regards,
Peter

1. I find general descriptions of vintage characteristics helpful. That doesn't imply that producer doesn't matter. 2. I find overall vintage scores much less helpful. 3. Info about vintage (description or score) is less helpful when "region" is large and heterogeneous. 4. Overall vintage ...

Kelly Walker wrote: ↑February 12th, 2021, 10:09 am Was looking at last weeks Acker auction results. Lot #115 - (8) bottles of 2004 Leroy Bourgogne Rouge - $14,880.00!!!
Somebody please give me some rational for this.

Wow, bad deal even if they were Nebuchadnezzars (15L bottles)!

Peter

Rosso di Montalcino from top producers. Completely agree. I think the Pian dell'Orino rosso is top notch. I would also say Chianti Classico from top producers as well. Fontodi, Castello dei Rampolla, and San Giusto come to mind. While they can be pricer than other Chianti's, I think their quality e...

maureen nelson wrote: ↑February 9th, 2021, 6:00 pm I have some of the 2002. Never seen a single note on it!

I only have the 1998. Wish I’d never seen a note on it!

Regards,
Peter

PS thanks, Michael. Sounds like quality gains have outpaced price gains. Gives me some hope.

I like the 100 point scale for "grand vin" -- wines that aspire to knock your socks off. I don't like the 100 point scale for more modest wines that aspire to be a tasty drop. I don't want to compare the score of a delicious beaujolais to a 1er cru Vosne (or to a super special Bojo cuvee t...

Generally cutting back on purchases and don’t buy much Syrah, but I’m a total sucker for L-M verticals.
Thanks,
Peter

Amazing values. Versatile wines.
Thanks,
Peter

Opened a bottle of the Thivin 2011 Côte de Brouilly (regular cuvee) this week. IMO the lull is over! This 2011 is drinking nicely, although in no danger of falling off cliff. Seamless mid-weight package. If you have some, try one!
Regards,
Peter

Hello all, I have not been able to write until now. I knew Frank through my association with Linden Vineyards. Frank was friend to all there and they are devastated by this tragedy. People always write kinds words like I am about to, when someone passes, especially unexpectedly, but Frank was truly...

I haven’t had it in a few years. I’ll have to pull another bottle to try. If it’s declining, I would expect a long, slow fade, as older ones have been pretty good. Look forward to your impressions. FWIW I’m trying to finish all my petite chateaux and lesser growths from 1996, but agree that we’re t...

Craig G wrote: ↑January 5th, 2021, 7:01 am 1996 is excellent.

I also thought it was quite tasty, but my final bottle last year was not quite as good as others. I believe it's at the tail-end of its plateau. Do you think otherwise?
Regards,
Peter

William Kelley wrote: ↑January 6th, 2021, 10:00 am I suppose it's possible that all of those books are wrong. Perhaps the régisseur of Latour in the 1840s was wrong, too.

Well, to be fair, that régisseur must be quite old today, so he may have a faulty memory.

Great stuff, thanks.

Peter

With respect to OP, I don't have much experience with '82s, but I imagine the big difference in reception today would be less skepticism that wines that taste good (and ripe) at release can also be age-worthy. For illustration, while I know there are some who don't rate 2009 vintage highly, but does...

EMH 2014 Black Cat
Lovely first experience with this producer. Decanted. Terrific aromatics with black cherry. Elegant mouthfeel with mostly resolved tannins and good acidity.

The only vintage I've tried is the 2015, which was delicious. I'm not an experienced champagne taster, but I wouldn't have guessed it was no dosage. Are all vintages of this bottling no dosage? How does 2018 compare to the 2015? I have one bottle left. Drink or hold? I must say, this seemed like a f...

2012 Littorai Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (12/15/2020) 13% abv. Medium burgundy red, flamboyant aromatics. On the palate, raspberry, cinnamon, mint and lavender. Medium depth, excellent length. Energetic, tense and light as a feather. Maybe the best Pin...

Great lineup. Happy birthday!
I’ve only had the 1982 Haut Bruin once. Terrific, almost as good as the 1985.

My one taste of the 2008 Dom left similar impressions — very tight but powerful. I’m surprised by how many folks here like it for current enjoyment (vs potential).
Regards,
Peter

He [Aldo Vacca] said that prices have been increasing steadily and that they aren’t ‘the steals’ they have been in the past. Ignoring whether it's criminal/gouging/predatory/silly, the crux of the matter is that the Produttori wines (normale as well as crus) have historically been wonderful value p...

Some 1999 Tuscans are still excellent. I had a Cepparello a few weeks ago that was outstanding. Good luck... I'd even say many/most are still excellent with long lives to come. Though that may be a function of the producers I've had in the last few years. At least in the brunello zone, my experienc...

I had been meaning to post more TNs, but ... oops. Here are some notes from memory on a few wines we've had in the last few weeks. Uccelliera 1999 Brunello di Montalcino – Dried out with limited fruit and of limited interest. Did not meet my limited expectations. We’ll probably drink up our last few...

I am really puzzled by this thread. The three criteria are 1) you can buy 3-5 cases of it, 2) it tastes good young, and 3) it's under $100. But then we're told basically to set aside category 3, the point is to talk about good drinkers without price constraint being an issue. Frankly that means you...

I won't just not buy it. I'm protesting what I consider to be an unreasonable price increase. I only wish that luxury champagne price increases were in my Top 100,000 reasons to protest in today's world. [wow.gif] Somehow, Taittinger has succeeded at changing its perceived value, at least among res...

I have loved the Rhys ‘08 Alpine chard, although I think it’s time to drink up. The ‘07 and ‘09 chard’s have not performed at the same level. Um, I know it's tacky to dredge up an old thread just to quote (and contradict) oneself, but here goes... Just opened our last Rhys 2009 Alpine chardonnay an...

Asger, Thanks for posting notes. I'm unfamiliar with the two wines, but I'm not surprised that a well-made unknown, less expensive 2010 Brunello exceeded expectations. Last week we opened a 2010 La Colombina Brunello which showed good fruit and brightness. Heck of a vintage across the board in Brune...

Nice note, Dave. I have a bottle of '90 Fontalloro standing up and waiting for an appropriate night, so I'll try to remember to report on it when I do. Marshall, We had a delicious bottle of this Fontalloro only 1-2 years ago. Strong vintage for this wine. Not surprised by Dave’s ‘90 Rancia either....

Sounds like a down-the-middle vintage for JJ Prum. Never a bad thing from this producer. Glad I own a bit.
Thanks for the TNs,
Peter

Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement and those sharing their struggles. As a retired mental health nurse, I understand the difference between clinical and situational depression. I just needed to express it out loud. It is legitimate to be un-nerved by the state of things but I also ...

Can someone please explain to CJ et al. that keeping wine at room temperature for a few weeks and simply icing the bottles down before serving would not be a problem?!

Awesome that he's gotten involved in the Oregon wine scene!
Regards,
Peter

Opened two 2007 California pinot noirs recently, both with grilled salmon prepared with (different) dry spice rubs. One disappointing, one a good case for 13+ years of aging. Calera 2007 Jensen did not show well. Clumsy with some heat. No particularly interesting development. IIRC this wine got huge...

Thanks, David.
Last week we had the Donnhoff 2004 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese. Liked it, but nothing special. Rich fruit but seemed soft. (I like the “Nahe fruit salad” phrase.) I’m looking forward to trying the 2005 version soon, hoping for a bit more acidity.
Regards,
Peter

Several years ago, I was aghast when my wife's aunt put an ice cube in a nice chard that I had opened. My wife said to me later that night, "Get over it, you idiot." Wise advice indeed. And it would've been wise even if this relative hadn't been a wonderful person. Now you mention that you...

Thanks, Bob! Glad to hear that 2004 is hitting its stride. I felt the same way recently about a 2001. It's also nice to hear that 2013 (and 2015 and hopefully 2016) are continuing the strong tradition. I don't think that Rancia will convert someone who doesn't like sangiovese, but for those of us wh...

Thanks, Tim. Not entirely surprising for this producer and vintage. On the flip side, I was pleasantly surprised by how well a 2012 Lisini Brunello showed last year.

Have you had more success with any 2013 brunello recently?
Regards,
Peter

Thanks for the note, Rudi. I've never tried the 1999 but do think the vintage is underrated (often well-priced). I am surprised by your long drinking window. We went through a half case of the 1996 du Tertre which we quite enjoyed, but the last bottle (a couple of years ago) was beginning to crack u...

Here are some brief notes of the modestly priced wines we've opened in recent weeks at home: Dr. Loosen 2002 Riesling Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese Goldkapsel #40 – fell short of high expectations for our only bottle. Rich fruit, but not quite enough acidity, so it came across as a bit flat. Alesia (Rh...

1995 Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru Clos du Cellier Aux Moines - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry 1er Cru (4/2/2020) Over the hill. Too bad. Those 1998s I got from you showed great. We specialed them at Rue Cler and folks loved them. Really cool to be able to serve something with age for <$1...

For older vintages, 1999 is just a flat out great vintage. The top wines can still be a bit young, but boy are the 1999 good. 2001 (a bit more nuanced) and 2002 (a bit richer) are also good choices for wines drinking well now. And, when considering buying older wine, storage is everything. Burgundy...

Kent,
I’m excited to read your TN. I own a bunch of the 2006 Riserva. Even if it’s not a full step up from “flat out sensational,” I figure I’m in for a treat. May wait a couple more years before cracking one though.
Regards,
Peter

I’m thinking about 2012 Family Farm or Alpine Pinot. I’d prefer to wait a few years before opening the Swan. Likewise, the Skyline Pinot was amazing at release, but I’m hoarding my 1-2 bottles for awhile.
See you Thursday,
Peter

Voted for Friday. But in for either day.
Peter

2004 is a poor vintage for the Christoffel estate. Generally though, 2004s are drinking quite well mostly across the board. Thanks, David, for the feedback. I really enjoyed the Christoffel 2001s, and then even though the 2002s and especially 2003s were sold at steep discounts, they were surprising...

Charles, Totally agree that this wine is balanced and delicious. Drank our 2nd and last bottle earlier this year. Wish we had more. I was wondering if other 2004 German Rieslings (mostly Mosel and Nahe) were also showing at peak. We opened JJ Christoffel Urz Wurz Spatlese this week. Disappointing — ...

FWIW I’ve had several 2002 Baumard Savennieres in the past 3-4 years that were POX in my opinion. 15 year old chenin, even dry versions, shouldn’t be dead/unpleasant even if you prefer fresher wines.
Regards,
Peter

Down. Also, we're happy drinkers - that is, we drink when we're relaxed and happy and enjoying life, with less taste for wine when things are rough. Same here. My stress is high right now, running a nonprofit community health center and worried about staff and patients as well as economics. I don't...

... I find that the red Bordeaux of less than 20 years are far from having reached what they are able to express. But it is also linked to the fact that after buying the 2000 vintage, I stopped buying Bordeaux for two reasons: on the one hand, their price, since for many wines the price of old wine...

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