I write a note on everything I drink on CT so that I have a detailed record for my own purposes, but I’m not always great about posting here. Working on changing that.
A FEBRUARY EVENING AT GREG'S PLACE - (2/7/2026)
- NV La Rogerie Champagne Grand Cru Le Bourg Sud - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium straw in the glass. The nose is of chalk, lemon, white chocolate, vanilla wafer, and white flowers. The palate enters on the crisp white flower sand chalk-tinged lemon. Acid is medium plus with immaculately balanced lowish dosage with 3-4 g/l perceived. The finish is medium plus showing just a touch of autolysis. All in all this is a fabulous bottle of Champagne. (93 points) - 2023 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Le Petit Chemarin - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light straw in the glass. The nose is lovely and quite floral showing grapefruit blossom, musky florals, chalk, candied lime, and some flinty matchstick. The palate enters on yellow and white fruit. Some viscosity, perhaps just a little RS. Acid is nicely textured, medium plus. The finish features a lovely candied grapefruit note with impressive length. In the end, this was challenging to unpack. The musky notes left the group wondering if this was a blend containing some gewurtz or muscat. After being told it was monovarietal, we landed with Chenin Blanc from the Loire. I was impressed this wasn't overly grassy, yet nicely mineral with crisp acid. Quite pleasurable. (93 points) - 2018 Mayacamas Vineyards Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light gold in the glass. The nose shows some rotten egg sulphur initially which dissipates with air but never totally goes away. Aromas are of egg, cream, fresh cut red apple, and chalk. The palate enters on the red apple and lime tinged notes. Medium plus acid and a very chalky finish close things out here. Initial impression was this is Chablis due to the chalky character, though I was never convinced this was a top quality producer. Good, not great. (91 points) - 2005 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This pours light to medium ruby in glass with some depth at the core, very little bricking. The nose is lovely showing dark cherry, spice, orange peel, rose petal, a touch of leather, and some cumin seed. The palate enters on the dark cherry fruit. The tannin is fierce and high with high acid. The finish goes nicely citrusy showing the orange tinged dark cherry. The finish is medium plus in length. All in all, this is a big and structured bottle of Barolo. Very true to its warm vintage and Serralunga origins. Pouring blind for other tasters they flirted with guessing this as a modernist, but upon reveal it all made sense that this is just a monster when you consider vintage and location. While the fruit is darker toned than I usually go for, I had to admit this was in a wonderful spot with fabulous expression. The only thing I could have used less of was the tannin. Even for Barolo this was massively tannic. Well done by the group for mentioning the specific vintage, Serralunga, and even Brovia as a producer. (94 points) - 2006 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass. The nose is fairly muted on opening only grudgingly revealing a woodsy, twiggy, sinewy character with light cherry, rose petal, and forest floor reluctantly showing themselves. The palate enters on the red fruit with medium plus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish fizzles out a little short, clipped by the structure. All in all, I could tell this was a quality bottle of wine and clearly very traditionally styled, but wow was the nose shy. Guessed Mascarello from the mid 2000s. Provisional 91 point score that could and should improve with age, but it seems this wine needs a lot of age. (91 points) - 2011 Flavio Roddolo Langhe Cabernet Sauvignon Bricco Appiani - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours youthful medium ruby in the glass. Opaque at the core, and clearly darker than the previous two bottles of Barolo. The nose shows some light but noted reduction followed by farmyard, charcoal, animal fur, black tea, black cherry, black currant, and celery seed. The palate enters on deep and rich fruit with medium tannin and medium acid. The finish is long and complex and very gamey showing that farmyard character. All in all, the group was convinced this was Cabernet driven. When told it was from the Langhe, I guessed Roddolo as I had consumed a few bottles of their Barolo when I was in Piedmont and it was a rare bottle that showed a little Brett. Very nice stuff but you need some Brett tolerance. (93 points) - 1964 Pio Cesare Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours very light garnet to amber in the glass. Clearly old Nebbiolo from appearance alone. The nose is lovely and quite evolved showing orange pekoe tea, dried orange, tar, dried red cherries, and turned dry soil. The palate is lean entering on dried red fruit with a distinct orange peel character. Tannin is low, acid is medium plus. The finish is medium in length closing out on black tea. I guessed this was Barolo from '58. This pristine bottle was recently produced in Piedmont and was drinking fabulously. (94 points) - 1970 Berberana Rioja Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass. The nose is mature, lifted and very complex showing decaying orange, cumin seed, leather, brine, dried red currant, and liquid smoke. The palate enters on the lean red fruit with low tannin and medium plus acid, which is a tad shrill. The finish is quite lean here. In the end, I guessed this could be an old lean year La Chapelle or Chave given the lean red fruit yet briney character. Upon reveal this reminds yet again how old Rioja can be fabulous stuff. (93 points) - 1995 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Even more advanced than my last bottle. Essentially undrinkable. - 2004 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours medium ruby in the glass. The nose is of red plum, violet, truffle, charcoal, varnished furniture, shoe polish, Turkish delight, and sandalwood. A stunning aromatic display. The palate enters on the bright red fruit with a core of Turkish delight sweetness. The tannin is velvet and medium minus with medium acid keeping this very precise and fresh. The finish is long and gorgeous turning nicely red fruited and floral. All in all, most guesses veered toward a particularly elegant Pomerol from the 1998 vintage with its lovely plummy fruit. While not even close, that guess was a testament to the quality on display here, and yet again testifies to Musar as one of the great wines of the world. Unanimous WOTN. (95 points) - 1985 Château Canon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Corked (NR/flawed) - 2011 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
This pours light purple in the glass, no bricking. The nose is highly aromatic and wonderfully appealing showing pepper, granite, butchered meat, blueberry, coffee, crushed granite, star anise, liquid smoke, and violet. The palate enters on the blueberry fruit. The tannin is velvet textured with medium acid. The finish turns to blueberry and is long and complex with some black olive and coffee notes rounding things out. I poured this blind to others who love the Northern Rhone and I knew had never had Cayuse and they were all guessing Northern Rhone, though some briefly wondered about a very cool California expression. What impressed me besides the nose was the impeccable texture and core of perfectly sweet fruit. I think I liked this a point or two more than most of the group. (95 points) - 1993 Ridge Geyserville - USA, California, Sonoma County
This pours medium ruby in the glass with light bricking and a deep core. The nose is gorgeous showing mulberry, vanilla, coconut, plum, black truffle, peonies, spice box, and strawberry. The palate enters on the dark fruit with lovely cool medium plus acid, and medium minus tannin. The finish is long though with tar and fennel rounding things out. I thought this was quite an appealing bottle and very nicely textured. Others detected the American Oak here and guessed Rioja. I think this is another one I liked a point or two more than the group consensus. (93 points) - 2009 Domaine des Chezeaux Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light ruby in the glass with some pink at the rim, no bricking. The nose is of grapefruit, red cherry, cranberry, sea salt, raspberry, and peonies. The palate enters on lean red fruit with cranberry and raspberry, taking charge. The tannin is medium minus with medium plus acid. The finish continues the ethereal red fruit and floral display. Guesses were squarely centred in Burgundy and as I recall were focused on cooler/balanced years like 2010 or 2007. Upon reveal this was a lovely showing for a 2009 Burgundy, a vintage some at the table usually don't care for. Very true to its Chambolle origins. (92 points) - 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Cuvée Constance - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
[Tasted Double Blind] This pours deep gold in the glass. The nose is gorgeous of crisp red apple, caramel apple, honey, and ripe pear. The palate enters on crispy red apple with medium plus perfectly balanced acid. The sugar levels are quite high here, yet oh so appealing. The finish is long and complex replaying all of the lovely honey and orchard fruit of the nose. All in all, this is tremendously appealing stuff. I initially thought Alsatian, but a taster guessed Huet and the game was over. Wonderful stuff. (95 points)