Funny, I picked up a couple of these from HDH retail not too long ago (about the same price it went for yesterday), so it seems they were way low on the estimate (obviously!). A case lot is very rare indeed.
Down to Earth Wines (Rob Panzer on WB) was also selling the 2011, but I think he sold through – The '11 was a little higher ($199?) even though Rob works on slim margins… wasn’t much of it as I understand…
2002 Pierre Moncuit Champagne Brut Millésime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs- France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne(12/13/2014)
Very aggressive bubbles – though that just might be a function of my being the first person at the auction and the bottle having just been popped. Lots of aromas of stone fruit and bread dough. The palate is quite restrained, showing a lot of nutty character, as well as some baked fruit. Definitely on the fresh side of things. (90 pts.)
NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut V.O.- France, Champagne(12/13/2014)
They covered the disgorgement date with a label, so I have no idea. Evidence and provenance points to a recent release. Initially this was very, very volatile with lots of chemical aromas – nail polish remover came to mind. With air, this stuff all blew off, showing the classic oxidative nutty aromas that are typical of Selosse wines. The nose strongly evokes crushed seashells, hazelnuts, bread. The palate is quite acidic and chalky as is typical. Intense and concentrated, this is significantly better when flat and warm – decanting is a must! (93 pts.)
2004 Aubert Chardonnay Reuling Vineyard- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast(12/13/2014)
I like my chardonnay to taste like chardonnay, not oak. (70 pts.)
2010 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling ‘Rotlay’- Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer(12/13/2014) #27-11, 8.5% abv. Big time petrol on the nose with moderate stone fruit, melons, and lychees. The palate is incredibly sweet – dessert level, to be sure. Lots of honeyed notes, along with tons of floral flavours. There’s a lovely vein of green acidity that keeps the narrative flowing. Amazing stuff. (95 pts.)
2006 Domaine Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet- France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru(12/13/2014)
A bit aggressive on the creme-brulee nose. There’s also a hint of saline and lime peel. The palate is very restrained but slightly bitter. I’m not totally sold on this bottle. There’s a definite egg custard component that I get from Ramonet, but this is really austere and not showing much else right now. (90 pts.)
1996 Château Palmer- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux(12/13/2014)
Completely spot-on nose, with the classic Margaux perfume. A good dose of pencil shavings, figs, and cough syrup. The palate is, sadly, a bit tired and dried up, with a palate that is mostly just acid and not showing much else.
1964 Bodegas Bilbainas Rioja Reserva Vendemia Especial- Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja(12/13/2014)
How does this have so much fruit still? A bit of leather, a lot of fruit, and a slight hint of animale. The palate has incredible verve still, with a bit of a fruit jerky flavour. I don’t know how these are still alive, but they’re totally kicking around and causing a big fuss. My cellar needs more of this stuff. (93 pts.)
1984 Dominus Estate- USA, California, Napa Valley(12/13/2014)
This is a really, really green and herbaceous Dominus. Tons of stems and green character, with a light background smattering of sweet black fruit. Tannins are quite soft now, but there is yet distance for this to go. Quite nice, despite its being very astringent. (90 pts.)
1973 Bodegas Olarra Rioja- Spain, La Rioja, Rioja(12/13/2014)
A bit drying out on the nose and palate. There are some aromas of fruit leather and cow leather as well. There’s still lots of life in this bottle too, but it does pale in comparison to the 64 that we drank alongside, which had a much bigger fruit component. Still, this is a perfect wine just to drink, and asks me the big question of why I don’t own more old Rioja again (88 pts.)
1998 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne- France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage(12/13/2014)
This has a lot of high-toned aromas with some tomato paste, nail-polish remover, and black fruit. The palate is a bit empty for me, and doesn’t deliver the promise of the nose. A bit hot and hollow, this really isn’t my cup of tea (read: glass of wine). Very, very big, of course. (83 pts.)
1996 Joseph Phelps Insignia- USA, California, Napa Valley(12/13/2014)
A lot of pencil shaving character on the nose, but there’s some confected fruit flavours that remind me of 2003 France. Very, very big and ripe, but the palate doesn’t have much to show for it. Simultaneously heavy and empty on the palate, this is just a boring bottle of wine. (83 pts.)
1975 Château Phélan Ségur- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe(12/13/2014)
A bit opaque, with a classic dirty Bordeaux nose that features more barnyard. Some notes of stewed fruit and leather, this is exactly what you’d expect from a bottle like this. (88 pts.)
1996 Château Léoville Las Cases- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien(12/13/2014)
From half-bottle. A big dumb brute, let it sleep for 20 years.
2007 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese Auction- Germany, Nahe(12/13/2014) #20-08, 9% abv. Lovely classic aromas of peach and minerals on the nose – almost kaleidoscopic. The palate has tons of fresh fruit and mineral, with just a bit of smoke too. So long… (93 pts.)
1997 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Spätlese- Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer(12/13/2014)
This has a bit of a lactic component to it which strikes me as really, really weird. Quite acidic and not much fruit, this is a really lean and restrained with some lychee and tart fruit notes. Not particularly interesting, but not bad either. (88 pts.)
2001 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Auction- Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer(12/13/2014) #13-02, 7.5% abv. An absolute monument of a wine, this is huge (and not just in Japan). A very vibrant nose of lychee and honey, one could just sit for hours sniffing the glass. Once it hits the palate though, it’s going to knock your head off. This is just a monolith. Stone, mineral, stone fruit, honey, flowers, and completely insane concentration (no one could drink more than an ounce at a time). Loooooooooooong. Incredibly delicious now, but there is definitely stuffing in this bottle for the next 30 years. (98 pts.)
2002 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet- France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet(12/13/2014)
The nose had a bit of creamed corn and citrus, and I thought it’d be alright. On the palate though, the stewed and browned apples are a dead giveaway. Its glory days are past.
1959 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890- Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja(12/13/2014)
Slightly corked. Still lots of fruit and stuffing underneath that layer of wet cardboard though. Leather, earth, and fruit on the palate, this has plenty of interest despite the wet blanket of cardboard that gets in the way. NR (flawed)