Saturday 30 July 2022

2018 Old Garden Vineyard Mourvèdre, Hewitson


2018 Old Garden Vineyard Mourvèdre, Hewitson
A tasty Mourvèdre from ungrafted vines planted in 1853. A deep, smoky nose with notes of ripe plums, Finnish licorice, violets, scorched earth and mosquito repellent. Very, very good in a upfront, juicy style.
The taste is forward and fine with notes of plums, pipe tobacco, shoe polish and bonfire smoke. Very well balanced at14%. Long. 
91p   (tasted 2022/07)

Thursday 28 July 2022

2019 Dogliani Superiore Maioli, Anna Maria Abbona


2019 Dogliani Superiore Maioli, Anna Maria Abbona
A upfront, juicy Dolcetto with notes of ripe blueberries, damsons, rock dust and assorted spices. Very, very good.
The taste is structured and elegant with notes of blueberries en masse, tobacco, bakelite and gravel. Silky tannins. Very long. 6+ years.
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

Monday 25 July 2022

2018 Chianti Classico Riserva From Monte Bernardi Times Two

2018 Chianti Classico Riserva, Monte Bernardi
A fine, young, cool nose with notes of wet cement, red currants, summer gravel, thyme and hint of tobacco. Very, very good.
The taste is young and tight with a fine lightness, balance and seedy character. Notes of furniture polish, red currants and red flowers. Strict tannins. 6+ years.
89p   (tasted 2022/07)


2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Sa´Etta, Monte Bernardi
The Sa´Etta is another creature all together. The nose is very deep, tight and complex with notes of sandelwood, hard cherry candy, tiles, gravel and rosemary. Just lovely, although very young.
The taste is structured and racy with notes of ripe red cherries, tiles, dry licorice, paint and rosemary. Very, very long. Juicy tannins. Lovely. 8+ years.
93p   (tasted 2022/07)

Saturday 23 July 2022

Four Vintages Of Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill


The last tasting for the season in our monthly tasting group and J poured four amazing bottles of bubbly. 

2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
A somewhat mature, finely tuned, deep nose with notes of lemon fudge, lemon licorice, geranium, sweet minerals and dried apricots. Very fine.
The taste is racy and refined with a brilliant acidity and notes of chrushed rock, the inner white part of an orange, lemon fudge and dried flowers. A long, intense finish. For drinking now and the coming 10+ years.
94p   (tasted 2022/07)

2004 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
A high, pure nose with notes of peack, blood oranges, cap gun smoke, chalk and white flowers. Lovely. 
The taste is tight and intense with notes of lime, ripe oranges, wet steel and lots of sweet minerals. Very balanced. The finish goes on and on. Great wine. 6+ years.
95p   (tasted 2022/07)

2006 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
A young, stony, racy nose with notes of white flowers, ginger, warm summer gravel, dry passionfruit and smoke. An amazing nose. 
The taste is pure as a mountain river with fantastic notes of flint, green bananas, lime, smoke and grilled lemons. Electric. Stunning wine. 6+ years.
97p   (tasted 2022/07)


2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
A very deep, youngish nose with notes of lemon cream, ripe red apples, cap gun smoke and sun warm rocks. Very promising.
The taste is tight and intense with a crisp acidity and notes of ripe lime, chrushed rocks, grapefruit and smoke. Very long and balanced. 8+ years.
95p   (tasted 2022/07)

Thursday 21 July 2022

1989 Chateau Lanessan


1989 Chateau Lanessan
A lovely, mature nose with notes of forest floor, fresh stables, tobacco, corinthians and dried up black currant jam. Very, very good.
The taste is cool and mature with silky tannins, a good acidity and notes of dried black currants, tobacco, cold coffee and autumn leaves. Fully mature but will go on for 7+ more years.
More notes of Lanessan below.
91p   (tasted 2022/07)


Monday 18 July 2022

2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes, Pierre Naigeon


2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes, Pierre Naigeon
A wonderful, hedonistic, pure mature Pinot nose with notes of a sun warm autumn forest, dried strawberries, rotting vegetables and assorted dried herbs. High and intense. The real deal.
The taste is perfectly mature, tight and just gorgeous with notes of red beets, dried strawberries, smoke and fried herbs. Very long and balanced. A great Pinot. Only 265 bottles made…
96p   (tasted 2022/07)




Sunday 17 July 2022

2018 Dolcetto d’Alba, Bartolo Mascarello


2018 Dolcetto d’Alba, Bartolo Mascarello
A very fine, open nose with notes of fresh blueberryfruit, iron, bakelite and assorted herbs. Very, very good. On day two it is a bit more withdrawn with notes of forest floor, thyme and dried red berries.
The taste is inky and elegant with notes of asphalt, ripe blueberries and sage. Juicy tannins. Very fine. The taste has the same perky impression and fine structure on day two. 5+ years.
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

Wednesday 13 July 2022

2015 - 2020 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino


2015 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
All from half bottles. Some hints of maturity with good notes of forest floor, dried raspberries and dry licorice. A tad withdrawn.
The taste is good and dry with notes of assorted dried red fruits, cherry pips, gravel and dry licorice. Good but should be drunk rather soon. The weakest in the lineup.
85p   (tasted 2022/07)

2016 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
The winner in the lineup. Great from the get go and this will go on for 10+ years. A deep, high nose with notes of wild strawberries, Falu red paint, rosehips en masse and minerals. Handsome.
The taste is tight and nicely concentrated with notes of summer gravel, rosehip, dried strawberries and licorice. Cool tannins. If I had been poured this blind I would definitely had gone with a Barolo.
92p   (tasted 2022/07)

2017 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
A tad broader and darker than the others with a deep, warm nose with notes of toasted almonds, earth and chocolate wafers. 
The taste is broad and tight with a fine warm cherry fruit, some rugged tannins and long finish with notes of cooked strawberries, rosehips and herbs. 4+ years.
87p   (tasted 2022/07)

2018 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
Consistent with the vintage in general, more discreet with fine, balanced fruit. The nose is somewhat withdrawn with notes of raspberries, rosehips and new leather. Very, very good.
The taste is medium bodied and fine with notes of fresh raspberries, earth, dry licorice and rosehips. Low keyed tannins. 4+ years.
89p   (tasted 2022/07)

2019 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
An open, cool nose with notes of red currants, strawberries, roses and mosquito repellent. Complex and fine.
The taste is tight and fine with a great balance between fruit, acidity and tannins. Will evolve well, give it 5+ years.
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

2020 Langhe Nebbiolo, Paolo Scavino
Young and perky, the nose oozes out of the glass with notes of licorice, sunwarm tiles, raspberries and ripe flowers. Very fine.
The taste has a nice weight and offers up notes of ripe raspberries, fir wood, rosehips and licorice. A fine concentration. Young and very promising. 6+ years. 
91p   (tasted 2022/07)



Monday 11 July 2022

2010 & 2020 Dogliani San Luigi, Chionetti

2010 Dogliani San Luigi, Chionetti
This 12 year old Dolcetto offers up a deep, iron clad nose with notes of forest floor, shoe cream, dried blueberries and asphalt. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and seedy with notes of violets, dried blueberries, damsons and ink. Still some unresolved tannins, even a tad rowdy. 5+ years. And Dolcetto can´t age?!
88p   (tasted 2022/07)


2020 Dogliani San Luigi, Chionetti
Tasted 9 months ago - Barolista: 2020 Dogliano San Luigi, Chionetti - and it hasn´t changed much. A very fine wine that will evolve beautifully over the next 10+ years.
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

Sunday 10 July 2022

2014 Blanc de Blancs, Louis Roederer


At the Stag´s Leap tasting - Barolista: Lunch Tasting With Wines From Stag´s Leap - we were treated with this beauty before the tasting.

2014 Blanc de Blancs, Louis Roederer
A very handsome, bisquit laden nose with notes of ripe lemons, flint, dried up vanilla ice cream and minerals. Very fine.
The taste is young and racy with notes of birch sap, flint, grilles lemons and sweet minerals. A very fine acidity. Long and lingering. 8+ years.
94p   (tasted 2022/06)

More notes on Blanc de Blancs from Roederer - Barolista: 1998 - 2011 Loius Roederer Blanc de Blancs


Friday 8 July 2022

1975 Bordeaux - Finally Dried Out?


I started tasting wines in a more serious way in 1988/89 (my first notebook is from 1991 (and I am now on my 59th)) and I remember reading about the stern 75 Bordeaux that never would come around. The verdict then were that the fruit would die long before the tannins (except for some wines like Petrus...). 

"For a decade or more, pundits have been writing down the 1975 claret vintage: too tannic, too austere, too dry, too tough for its own good"
Clive Coates: Grands Vins (1996)

"There are a number of badly made, excessively tannic wines where the fruit has already dried out and the color has become brown. I have always been struck by the tremendous difference in the quality of wines in this vintage"
Robert Parker: Bordeaux (1998)

Fast forward to 2022. M generously opened 12 bottles of 1975 (although two bottles (without labels) were of the 1970 vintage when the corks were drawn).
These 1975 bottles were all healthy and in most cases mature but definitely not overly so. These could still go on for several years. With the tannin rumour still connected with this vintage, these can be bought for a resonable price. 
The best -75 I have tasted is La Mission Haut Brion, a near perfect wine.

Flight I
1970 Château Grand Mayne 
One of the bottles that was sold as a 1975 (no label) but turned out to be a 1970. 
A large scaled, open, mature nose with lots of mushrooms, forest floor, old leather and lacquer. Very, very good.
The taste is round and mature with notes of dried plums, undergrowth and old chocolate. A fine dried up sweetness.
89p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château La-Tour-du-Pin-Figeac
A medium, deep, dry nose with notes of smoke, dried up black currants, gravel and dog fur. Fully mature and maybe a tad more than that.
The taste is tight and dry with notes of smoke, dried up black berries, gravel and old leather. Good. 
85p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Clos Rene
Sadly corked.
No rating   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château Troplong Mondot
A large scaled, smoky nose with notes of cassis, plums, clean stables and cigarr smoke. A fine depth.
The taste is fine, even refined, with notes of tobacco, plums, earth and iron. A fine dryness in the finish. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2022/07)



1975 Château Magdelaine
A deep, earthy nose with notes of tobacco, dog fur and dry chocolate. A touch of VA. A fine dried up sweetness.
The taste is mature and steady with notes of bakelite, plums, earth and tobacco. Long and fresh. Will hold for many years to come.
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château Soutard
A cool, deep nose with fine black fruit in the shape of plums, blackberries and additional notes of asphalt, tobacco and clean stables. Very fine.
The taste is still on the young side of things - as Soutard usually is - with perky tannins, fine black fruits and a long, taut finish. 5+ years.
92p   (tasted 2022/07)

Flight II
1970 Château Haut Bailly
Second bottle (without a label) sold as a 1975 but turned out to be a 1970. 
A fresh, open, mature nose with notes of cassis, sweet tobacco, dried strawberries and fresh stables. Very fine.
The taste is pure and silky with notes of iron, tiles, tobacco and a fine mix of red and black currants. A very fine dried up sweetness. Long. Perfectly mature.
91p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château Gloria
A tight, irony nose with notes of sand, damsons, dried black currants and gravel. A bit taut. Not a charmer.
The taste is straight forward bit a nice concentration and cool, dry black fruit. Old school. A decent lenght with a nice warmth. Good.
85p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château de Pez
A surprise! The nose is deep, earthy and very fine with notes of mushrooms, dried black currants, meat and Christmas spices. Lively. Very fine.
The taste is rich and concentrated with a great black fruit, velvety tannins, a fine structure and a long, lingering finish. This could still be cellared for 8+ years.
93p   (tasted 2022/07)



1975 Château Les Ormes de Pez
A soft, mature nose with fine notes of moist earth, pipe tobacco, iron and some meaty scents. A hint of VA. Fully mature.
The taste has more structure and power with fine black fruits, some tannins and a long, balanced finish. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château Malartic Lagraviére
A sandy, deep nose with notes of forest floor, smoke, black currants and tobacco. A very fine maturity.
The taste is mature and finely structured with notes of dried black currants, tobacco, smoke and mushrooms. Very long. 
90p   (tasted 2022/07)

1975 Château Calon-Segur
A very deep, still tight nose with notes of cool black currants, dry licorice, forest floor, asphalt and fine tobacco. Still not fully mature.
The taste is tight and concentrated with gorgeous black fruit, perky tannins and a long, long finish. This still needs 5+ years in the cellar. Great wine.
94p   (tasted 2022/07)

Tuesday 5 July 2022

1998 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes De Nuits, Jayer-Gilles


1998 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes De Nuits, Jayer-Gilles
Last time, although I don´t remember the vintage, I tasted (double blind) a Bourgogne Hautes from Jayer-Gilles I thought it was a Grand Cru. The 98 tasted today reached a Premier Cru in quality. These are some really fine wines.
The nose is wide open, deep and gorgeous with notes of forest floor, (over)ripe strawberries, licorice, fresh herbs and that intoxicating scent of rotting vegetables. Lovely!
The taste is mature, structured and fine with notes of dried raspberries, forest floor, licorice and herbs. A fine length. A very fine warmth. Almost fully mature.
92p   (tasted 2022/07)

Monday 4 July 2022

2020 Saint Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc & Rouge, Guigal

These were tasted at the same occasion as:

2020 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Blanc, Guigal
A very deep, perfumed nose with notes of dried mango, lime, white pepper, white flowers and dried up vanilla ice cream. Lovely.
The taste is handsome and elegant with notes of white currants, lemon cream, dried mango and sweet minerals. A long finish with a dry finish. 6+ years.
93p   (tasted 2022/06)


2020 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Rouge, Guigal
A spicy, black peppery nose with notes of fir wood, juniper berries, violets, sun warm gravel and hints of dark chocolate. Very deep and fine.
The taste is taut and tight with notes of blackberries, fir wood, iron and sweet violets. A fantastic tannin structure. Great wine. 8+ years.
94p   (tasted 2022/06)

Sunday 3 July 2022

2017 Syrah Rosella´s Vineyard, Roar


2017 Syrah Rosella´s Vineyard, Roar
An open, direct and yummy nose with notes of blackberries, boatloads or violets, lavender, smoke, hints of bacon, iron and dark flowers. Very fine.
The taste is young and balanced with notes of geranium, plums, smoke, new leather and violets. A fine acidity. Medium long. Handsome and a lovely drink today although it will go for 8+ years.
92p   (tasted 2022/07)

Friday 1 July 2022

2019 Chateau Cantemerle


Chateau Cantemerle
A seedy, ink laden nose with notes of ripening black currants, graphite, fresh tobacco and new leather. Young and balanced.
The taste is tight and medium bodied with silky tannins, a good acidity and lots of fine black fruits. Needs 8+ years. 
Time to open my 64 magnum? :-)
89p   (tasted 2022/07)