Thursday, 28 November 2024

2020 Côte-Rôtie La Mouline, La Turque & La Landonne


I couldn´t make it to the annual Guigal tasting at Wineaffair, but they were ever so kind to let me pick up small bottles of the wines tasted. 
Previous wines tasted:

2020 Côte-Rôtie La Mouline, Guigal
A very handsome, layered nose with notes of violet licorice, pancetta, fine tobacco and chrushed rocks. Very deep.
The taste is young, focused yet velvety with notes of blackberries, red beets, spices and boatloads of violets. A finish that goes on and on and on. 8+ years.
97p   (tasted 2024/11)

2020 Côte-Rôtie La Turque, Guigal
A tight, iron filled nose with notes of ripe blueberries, bakelite, tiles, dried flowers and sun warm rocks. Beautiful.
The taste is rich and concentrated with taut tannins and notes of violet pastilles, ripe blueberries, asphalt and sweet minerals. Very, very long. 12+ years.
96p   (tasted 2024/11)

2020 Côte-Rôtie La Landonne, Guigal
A very deep, restrained nose with stunning notes of fir smoke, chrushed minerals, charcoal, violets and dried meat. World class.
The taste is very young, explosive and multi layered with power, finesse and intensity. Just wait 20+ years...
98p   (tasted 2024/11)

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

2017 Dogliani Superiore, San Fereolo


2017 Dogliani Superiore, San Fereolo
A cool, herbal nose with notes of cranberries, red currants, violets, church benches and some band aid. Very, very good.
The taste is open and juicy with a fine structure, sandy tannins and a long, warm finish. Drinking great but could age, I´m buying a bunch.
91p   (tasted 2024/11)

Previous vintages tasted:

Sunday, 24 November 2024

1964 Magnum Dinner


I keep on opening and drinking my stash of 64´s. This evening we drank all of my magnums from The Greatest Vintage Ever.

NV Brut, Louis Roederer
A bottle from the 60´s and I of course assume that the main part is from 1964... The nose is low keyed and earthy with notes of dried apples, red tea and nougat. Old but hanging in there.
The taste is dry and seedy with notes of autumn apples, earth and hay. A medium long dry finish.
84p   (tasted 2024/11)


NV Brut, Louis Roederer
I think this is the last version of Roederer Brut before the name changed to Collection. I have had it in the cellar for a couple of years. The nose is young and forward with notes of jasmine, chrushed rocks, fried nuts and spices. Very, very good.
The taste is fresh and racy with lots of ripe yellow fruits, a fine acidity and a long finish. 6+ years.
We toyed around with the two and a mix of 1/4 old and 3/4 new Roederer was even better than the young one.
88p   (tasted 2024/11)

1964 Chablis 1er Cru, Leon Rigault
Magnum. A large scaled, mature nose with notes of iodine, dry biscuits, orange peel and hay. Interesting.
The taste is dry and mature with noutes of oil cloth, dried herbs, yellow apples and chocolate wafers. Holding up well and very good with the food.
86p   (tasted 2024/11)



1964 Vino Amaro Dolcetto, Bersano
Magnum. Who said that Dolcetto can´t age? The nose is earthy and fresh with notes of red currants, dry violets, iron and hint of band aid.
The taste is tight and herbal with, for its age, perky black fruit, soft tannins and a sparse finish. Held very well to the following day.
89p   (tasted 2024/11)


1964 San Marco Grande Reserva, S.V.P Constantino
Magnum. Alive but both the nose and taste is earthy, dry and one dimensional.
68p   (tasted 2024/11)

1964 Côtes-du-Rhone Villages, Château de la Gardine
Magnum. A high, smoky nose with notes of cooked blueberries, moist earth, balsamic vinegar and red beets. Very much alive.
The taste is seedy and peppery with a fine structure, lots of dried black fruits and a longm dry finish. As with the Dolcetto, held very well to the following day.
89p   (tasted 2024/11)



1964 Clos de l´Oratoire
Magnum. A earthy, deep nose with notes of mullberries, leather, tobacco and forest floor. A very fine dried up sweetness.
The taste is soft and still perky with notes of plums, leather and cold coffee. Very long and fine.
92p   (tasted 2024/11)


1964 Château Peygeneston
Magnum. A low keyed, mature nose with notes of undergrowth, old leather, smoke and cheap tobacco.
The taste is long and has a fine warmth but the finish is a touch foursquare.
84p   (tasted 2024/11)

1964 Château Cantemerle
Magnum. A fine, velvety nose with notes of hot earth, fresh stables, dried black currants and dark fudge.
The taste is tight and fine with notes of tobacco, earth and herbs. A tad short on the finish though.
89p   (tasted 2024/11)

1964 Château Chasse Spleen
I opened two bottles but one was corked. The good one displays a deep, sweet nose with notes of violets, black currants, dark bread and fir wood. Very, very good.
The taste is warm and mature with a fine dried up sweetness, dried black currants and charcoal. Long and fine.
90p   (tasted 2024/11)

1964 Château La Mission Haut Brion
Magnum. A deep, sandy nose with notes of forest floor, expensive tobacco, ripe black currants and warm tiles. Lovely.
The taste is rich and concentrated with tight black fruit, still some perky tannins and a long, long finish. Great wine.
95p   (tasted 2024/11)



1964 Boal, Justino Henriques
A deep, ethereal nose with notes of toasted almonds, paint, wet asphalt, chocolate wafer and incense. Very fine.
The taste is very intense and layered with notes of raisins, dry chocolate, tea leaves and iodine. A very long finish. Lovely.
93p   (tasted 2024/11)


Saturday, 23 November 2024

Two Fine Wines From Guigal


I couldn´t make it to the annual Guigal tasting at Wineaffair, but they were ever so kind to let me pick up small bottles of the wines tasted. 

2021 Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Rouge, Guigal
A cool, lightly meaty nose with notes of undergrowth, blueberries, violets and road dust. Open and very fine.
The taste is young and tight with notes of cranberries, bacon fat, iron and violets. A very long, fresh finish. Will be released on the 6th of December.
92p   (tasted 2024/11)

2020 Côte-Rôtie Château d´Ampuis, Guigal
A high, intense nose with notes of violets, blackberries, chrushed rocks, red beets and expensive leather. Very fine.
The taste is compleax and layered with a creamy blueberry fruit, polished tannins and a long, refined finish. Lovely.
95p   (tasted 2024/11)

Thursday, 21 November 2024

2010 Château Coufran


2010 Château Coufran
A nicely mature, round nose with notes of olums, autumn leaves, tobacco and stables in a distance.
The taste is cool and dry with fine notes of black currant leaves, tobacco and warm tiles. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2024/11)

Monday, 18 November 2024

Some Nice Bottles Lately

Tasted at a friends house a couple of weeks ago. Tasted double blind.

2021 Trascuevas, Artuke
This Viura dominated wine offers up a herbal, stony nose with notes of grass, thai basil and ripe lemons. Very, very good.
The taste is young and fresh with notes of assorted yellow fruit, grass and chrushed rocks. A very fine acidity.
90p   (tasted 2024/10)


2008 Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine Comte Ceorges de Vogüé
Starts of low keyed but opens up beautifully in the glass with notes of bonfire smoke, incense, root vegetables, dried raspberries and forest floor. Lovely.
The taste shows some maturity and the fruit is velvety and very fine, with a perfect acidity and a long, lingering finish. Great wine.
95p   (tasted 2024/10)



2005 Barolo Rocche, Vietti
A fine, warm nose with notes of cherries, smoke, violets and a fine floral notes. Very deep. 
The taste is concentrated and seedy with lots of ripe cherry fruit, a fine structure and still perky 05 tannins. Needs another 6+ years.
93p   (tasted 2024/10)

2001 Château Montrose
A very refined, classy Bordeaux nose with notes of ripe black currants, coffee powder, cigar box and red apple skin. Very handsome.
The taste is cool and sandy with gorgeous fruit, a stunning balance and a long, long finish. Drinking great tonight but could go on for 15+ years.
Montrose is one of my favourite Bordeuax estates. I arranged a 100 years tasting of Montrose nine years ago - https://barolista.blogspot.com/2015/11/100-years-of-chateau-montrose-1911-2011.html
95p   (tasted 2024/10)



2001 Château Pontet-Canet
The second 01 Bordeaux offers up a deep, forward nose with notes of ripe black currants, fir wood, leather, clay and clean stables. Hints of maturity.
The taste is tight and finw with notes of charcoal, black currants, iron and tobacco. Ripe, taut tannins. Very fine.
93p   (tasted 2024/10)

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

A Fine Lineup Of Whites From Guigal


I couldn´t make it to the annual Guigal tasting at Wineaffair, but they were ever so kind to let me pick up small bottles of the wines tasted. I started with the whites.

2022 Condrieu, Guigal
A laid back, tight nose with notes of hay, apricots and candied oranges. Some minerals after a time in the glass.
The taste is medium bodied and nice with notes of fried apples, apricots and oil cloth. A fine warmth in the finish. For drinking now and the coming 6+ years.
89p   (tasted 2024/11)

2022 Condrieu La Doriane, Guigal
The Doriane is, as always, a whole other creature. The nose is deep and concentrated with notes of tangerines, fresh hay, spices and a fine smoky note.
The taste is luscious and balanced with pure yellow fruit, a very good acidity and a long, pure finish. Great wine.
94p   (tasted 2024/11)

2022 Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc, Guigal
A broad, stony nose with notes of dried peach, smoke, candied lemons and chalk. Very, very good.
The taste is broadshouldered yet elegant with a fine warmth, great fruit and energy. Very long and juicy.
91p   (tasted 2024/11)

Tuesday, 12 November 2024

2007 Barolo Zonchera, Cerretto


2007 Barolo Zonchera, Cerretto
A earthy, smoky nose with notes of cooked cherries, licorice, fir wood and tobacco. Got better and more open on day two.
The taste is tight and fine with notes of rich black cherry fruit, tobacco, asphalt and dried flowers. The taste was also better on day two.
The last vintage in which Cerretto used the Zonchera name (which derives from the Zonchetta estate) was 2009.
89p   (tasted 2024/11)

Monday, 11 November 2024

1964 Tokaji Szamorodni, Tokaj Kereskedöház Rt.


1964 Tokaji Szamorodni, Tokaj Kereskedöház Rt.
From a 50 cl bottle. The nose is dry and a touch salty with notes of nuts, dried apricots, paint and iron. Resembling a dry sherry.
The taste is dry and mature with notes of nuts, autumn apples, chrushed rocks and dry licorice. A tad foursquare on the finish.
86p   (tasted 2024/10)

Friday, 8 November 2024

A Barolo Tasting Dinner - Flight V


In my quest to drink all my 64´s this year when I turn 60, I invited some friends and opened 15 bottles of Barolo from The Greatest Vintage Ever. It turned out great. Each flight will get its own post.

1964 Barolo Marchesi di Barolo
An open, smoky nose with notes of moist earth, dried meat, plums and asphalt. Very good in a broadshouldered way.
The taste is dry and earthy with notes of dried black fruits, undergrowth, dry licorice and leather. A very good dried up sweetness. 
88p   (tasted 2024/10)

1964 Barolo La Delizia, Fontanafredda
A deep, sweet nose with notes of moist earth, dried strawberries, incense and tobacco. Very lively and fine.
The taste is still concentrated and delivers a tannin kick in the finish, with notes of dried roses, wild strawberries, earth and licorice. Long and fine.
93p   (tasted 2024/10)



1964 Barolo Riserva, Borgogno
A high, pure, intense nose with notes of pipe tobacco, rosehips, cooked black cherries, fir wood and shoe polish. Very fine.
The taste is tight and focused with big sweet fruit, still some tannins that give support and a long, balanced finish. Bottles like this can go on for 10+ years. Great wine.
95p   (tasted 2024/10)

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Two Unassuming Bordeaux Bottles

1993 Domaine Les Chagnasses
From a magnum. This Lalande-de-Pomerol sports a low keyed, mature nose with notes of autumn leaves, vintage leather, plums and coffee.
The taste is nice and dry with lots of autumn flavours, soft tannins and a medium long finish. 
87p   (tasted 2024/10)


2012 Château Croque Michotte
An open, herbal nose with notes of cranberries, violets, smoke and hints of Seville oranges. Very good.
The taste is cool and medium bodied with a fine balance, some warmth and a spicy finish. A very nice drink.
87p   (tasted 2024/10)

Monday, 4 November 2024

A Barolo Tasting Dinner - Flight IV


In my quest to drink all my 64´s this year when I turn 60, I invited some friends and opened 15 bottles of Barolo from The Greatest Vintage Ever. It turned out great. Each flight will get its own post.

1964 Barolo, Aldo Conterno
A low keyed, mature, sweet nose with notes of dried raspberries, fir wood, licorice and cep. Very fine.
The taste is soft and refined with ripe red fruit, velvety tannins and a long, lingering finish. A joy to drink.
This and the Francesco Rinaldi below were also tasted 10 years ago when I turned 50 - Barolista: Barolo Boys Does 1964 Barolo & Barbaresco.
93p   (tasted 2024/10)


1964 Barolo, Francesco Rinaldi
The 1964 Francsco Rinaldi is an enigma. 10 years ago, see link above, I thought it had been in some sort of time warp. It felt much younger than the rest of the wines. 
Now we skip forward 10 years - this bottle behaves exactly the same as 10 years ago... 60 years old and taste like a 20 year old wine. I noted the same note of burnt rubber. I like it a lot but it is a strange creature.
92p   (tasted 2024/10)

1964 Barolo, Oddero
A beautifully mature nose with notes of dried strawberries, forest floor, paint, rosehips and vintage leather. Very deep and fine.
The taste is velvety and sweet with gorgeous fruit, still some silky tannins in the finish, which is long and lingering. On top of its game. Great wine.
94p   (tasted 2024/10)


Sunday, 3 November 2024

2018 Dogliani San Luigi Vigna La Costa, Chionetti


2018 Dogliani San Luigi Vigna La Costa, Chionetti
This has been a stunner since the get go, see previous notes below. Now it has gone into hiding. The nose is very backward, deep and earthy with delicate notes of plums, iron, cinnamon and shoe polish, but only when you swirl the glass vigorously. Needs plenty of time.
The taste is tight and restrained with locked up black fruit, taut tannins and a long, balanced finish. Glad I have more. 8+ years.
92p   (tasted 2024/10)

https://barolista.blogspot.com/2021/08/five-fine-bottles-from-chionetti.html
https://barolista.blogspot.com/2023/01/two-2018-dolcetto.html

Friday, 1 November 2024

A Barolo Tasting Dinner - Flight III


In my quest to drink all my 64´s this year when I turn 60, I invited some friends and opened 15 bottles of Barolo from The Greatest Vintage Ever. It turned out great. Each flight will get its own post.

1964 Barolo, Pio Cesare
A deep, ethereal nose with notes of wild strawberries, rosehips, leather and shoe polish. High and refined.
The taste is handsome and elegant with gorgeous red fruit, still some silky tannins and a long, warm finish. Great wine. No hurry to drink bottles like this.
94p   (tasted 2024/10)


Mushroom ragu, fried sweetbread and a herb oil

1964 Barolo, Franco Fiorina
Two years ago - Barolista: Seven Decades Of Barolo - 1958 - 2013 - this was a stunner. The bottle tonight have had a tough journey during the years, ending up old and tired. As with the Cappellano in the previous flight, drinkable but not very enjoyable.
78p   (tasted 2024/10)

1964 Barolo, Marchese Fracassi
A deep, spicy, mature nose with notes of raspberries, paint, incense and dry tobacco. A very fine warmth.
The taste is round, velvety and balanced with notes of dried raspberries, forest floor, Christmas spices and earth. Long and fine.
92p   (tasted 2024/10)