First Night - Taco
Since it was a valentines day, we started with two bottles of the 06 CdC rose which were delicious. I was really surprised by the 03 Ritchie which remained fresh and well balanced.
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut- France, Champagne(2/14/2020)
Two bottles with consistent notes. Beautiful copper color with a hint of salmon. Decadent red fruit driven nose, raspberry soda, cherry pie, smoke, sous bois, copper, sweet spices and limestone Excellent concentration, nicely layered sweet red fruit, rich yet precise, generous fine mousse, bright acidity and mineral, and a long sweet red fruit driven finish. This is a deeper and richer than Cristal and DP. Drinking beautifully. (96 pts.)
2003 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast(2/14/2020)
Surprisingly fresh nose, concentrated yellow pit fruit, peach, pineapple, also a hint of lemon curd, sweet spices and crushed rock. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of ripe yellow fruit, rich yet showing good balance and harmony, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. There is a hint of heat at the end. With air, more clear fruit expression and better balance. I dare say very Burgundian minus heat at the end. Excellent showing. (94 pts.)
2005 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve- USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma(2/14/2020)
Expressive nose displaying intense black fruit, crème de cassis, blueberry pie, a hint of cherry, strong American oak/cedar, vanilla, caramel, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated cassis, rich, good acidity and mineral and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. The American oak expression reminds me a big Aussie wine. It remains incredibly youthful. I believe the American oak expression will become like Torres Gran Corona, i.e. noticeable but not too bothersome. This is a quintessential Parkerized wine. If you like a cult cab, you will enjoy this more than me. (93 pts.)
2009 Sine Qua Non Grenache Upside Down- USA, California, Central Coast(2/14/2020)
Expressive nose displaying ripe black fruit, blackberry liqueur, blueberry pie, cherry jam, a hint of fruit cake, lavender, sweet spices, smoked meat and mineral. Excellent concentration, concentrated very ripe blue fruit, unctuous, good acidity and mineral, and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. For my palate, too much ripe fruit. Still needs time. (93 pts.)
Second Night - Strip steak
I brought a 13lb pack of Costco USDA prime strip. Perhaps due to having three well done burnt pieces, we devoured all 13lbs.
1992 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l’Hérault- France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault(2/15/2020)
Perfectly mature nose displaying sweet red and black fruit, cherry liqueur, blackberry, caramel, black pepper, sweet spices, sous bois, cedar and earth. Beautifully integrated palate, finely layered sweet red fruit, silky and rich, medium acidity, good earthy mineral and a long sweet concentrated red fruit driven finish. Drinking beautifully, showing generous mature sweet fruit. (95 pts.)
1996 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année- France, Champagne(2/15/2020)
Very well stored example. Light golden color. Complex nose displaying decadent yellow fruit with a hint of red, peach, baked apple, lemon curd, a hint of raspberry, crème brulee, sweet spices, mint, truffle, brioche and earth. Fully integrated palate, layers upon layers of concentrated yellow and red fruit, rich and deeply toned yet refined and precise, generous amount of fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long decadent yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and mint at the end. Excellent showing. (96 pts.)
2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley(2/15/2020)
Very youthful expressive nose displaying ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, blackberry liqueur, smoked meat, a hint of lavender, dark spices, vanilla, wet tobacco, leather and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense jammy black fruit, dense and rich, medium acidity, earthy mineral and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with smoke meat and dark spices at the end. This remains incredibly youthful. Drinking nicely. (95 pts.)
2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard- USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville(2/15/2020)
Expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe black and blue fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry concentrate, crushed blueberry, vanilla, ink, lead pencil and mineral. Perfectly integrated palate, beautifully layered concentrated black fruit, intense yet incredibly refined and silky palate, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long cassis fruit driven finish with vanilla and ink at the end. Really surprised by how harmonious and balanced this is showing. Perfectly approachable, drinking beautifully. (98 pts.)
2009 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley(2/15/2020)
Expressive youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry concentrate, cherry, tobacco, leather, dark spices, a hint of green, tapenade, black pepper and earth. Not showing much cannabis which I found in other vintages. Nicely integrated palate, very finely layered concentrated black fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long refined black fruit driven finish with tobacco and black pepper at the end. This remains very youthful. Very unique expression of Syrah. (95 pts.)
13 May 2005 - Grange des Pères verticale - report by Jacques Prandi : 11. Vin de Pays de l’Hérault 1992 :
DS16,5 – PC16 – MS17 – JP16,5 - Prix : 143 €
Robe très évoluée, avec des reflets marron.
Nez très viandé, vieux bois, truffé, profond et fin.
La bouche est tenue, fine, fraîche et avec une belle longueur. L’équilibre est superbe avec beaucoup de finesse pour un vin de très bonne tenue.
That’s an all-star line up, looking forward to continuing tracking the tasting notes as you post them. More importantly, where are you skiing and how is the snow?
2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut- France, Champagne (2/16/2020)
Unbelievably energetic and precise nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow citrus fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, caramel, a hint of cedar, white flowers, rainwater, smoke and mineral. Exceptional concentration, finely layered concentrated yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, beautiful detailed, energetic and precise, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long perfectly ripe yellow fruit driven finish with perfume and citrus at the end. This is the first time Steve H. is drinking the 08 Cristal and mentions how much he loves the incredible amount of dry extract. Although incredibly youthful, it is drinking beautifully. (98 pts.)
2012 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (2/16/2020)
Medium expressive nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, pineapple, peach, key lime pie, crème brulee, smoke, sweet spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layers concentrated yellow fruit, dense and rich, good acidity and mineral, and a long decadent concentrated yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and vanilla at the end. This is starting to show maturity but can easily last for another decade or two if kept properly there is still ample fruit. (94 pts.)
2015 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage- France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (2/16/2020)
Pop and pour, expressive nose displaying ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, blueberry concentrate, licorice, meat, lavender, dark spices and impressive limestone mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated black fruit, rich yet polished and fluid, good acidity and mineral, and a long rich black fruit driven finish with a hint of licorice and limestone at the end. Although it clearly expresses the 15 ripeness, it is also fluid and beautifully balanced. It already shed opulent primary fruit. My guess is this will develop like the 05 which, for my palate, the best Chave going back to the 90. (97 pts.)
2004 Kistler Pinot Noir Cuvée Elizabeth Bodega Headlands- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (2/16/2020)
Expressive nose displaying very ripe incredibly concentrated black fruit, blackberry jam, blackberry liqueur, blueberry pie, lavender, baking spices and earth. There is noticeable alcohol. Excellent concentration, packed ripe jammy black fruit, deeply toned and thick, medium acidity and earthy mineral, and a long ripe black fruit driven finish with noticeable heat at the end. There is a hint of Pinot but it is built like a big syrah. (91 pts.)
2014 Sine Qua Non Lightmotif- USA, California (2/16/2020)
Although youthful, really big and heavy, dense white and yellow fruit, lychee, lanoline, honey, mineral and a hint of heat. Very good concentration, dense concentrated white and yellow fruit, big and oily, medium acidity and mineral and a medium to long white fruit driven finish with a hint of heat at the end. A bit too heavy for me. (91 pts.)
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