1997 Cockburn´s Vintage Port

1997 Cockburn´s Vintage Port

From a great vintage, this Cockburn really shows its flying colours. The nose is big and rich with notes of warm asphalt, raisins, tobacco, nougat and sweet violets. Very fine.

The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of sweet plums, asphalt, fried nuts and violets. Complex and fine. This could go on for 10+ years but is impossible to resist today.

94p   (tasted 2023/12)

2004 Château Coufran

2004 Château Coufran 

A open, semi mature nose with notes of dried up black currants jam, plums, tobacco, graphite and violets. Very fine.

The taste is structured and fine with notes of dried black currants, gravel, tobacco and leather. Fine, sandy tannins. Maybe a tad dry in the end of the finish. 100% Merlot.

89p   (tasted 2023/12)

2006 Château Fonréaud

2006 Château Fonréaud

I have a special place in my heart for this Listrac. The 1982 was one of my first real "oh, this is a really good wine" back in 1987, if my memory serves me right (before any note book). Still remember where I drank it and with whom.

The 2006 offers up a restrained, forest floor nose with notes of dried black currants, graphite, gravel and dry tobacco. 

The taste is tight and dry with notes of red and black currants, lead pencil shaving and dry tobacco. I guess it needs a couple of years to integrate fully. 

87p   (tasted 2023/12)

Two Fine Bottles Of Chardonnay

2020 Côte de Beaune Les Pierres Blanches, Domaine de la Vougeraie

A deep, spicy nose with notes of peach, oranges, butter cookies and smoke. Very fine.

The taste is young and creamy with notes of tangerines, melted butter, chives and brioche. Long and fine, 5+ years.

92p   (tasted 2023/12)

2019 Chardonnay, Mount Eden

A deep, intense nose with notes of cap gun smoke, blood oranges, yellow flowers, sweet minerals and hay. Very complex and fine.

The taste is tight and focused with rich yellow fruits, a gorgeous balance, lip smacking acidity and a long, long finish. Just lovely. 4+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/12)

Four Bottles Of Port From Messias

The last tasting of the season in our tasting group is always devoted to fortified wines. This time it was HG that was in charge and he poured these four bottles.

10 Year Old Tawny, Messias

A deep, fine nose with notes of nougat, detergents, fried nuts and raisins. A fine, cool sweetness.

The taste is rich and nicely concentrated with notes of dried plums, sweet violets, nuts and dry chocolate. A long, fiery finish. 

88p   (tasted 2023/12)

20 Year Old Tawny, Messias

The 20 year old tawny is a stunner. The nose is high, deep and intense with notes of lanolin, toasted almonds, dried plums, sweet tobacco and aspahlt. Refined. Very fine.

The taste is tight and focused with notes of dried red apples, nougat, figs, tobacco and earth. A very fine length. Lovely.

94p   (tasted 2023/12)

30 Year Old Tawny, Messias

A deep, complex nose with notes of chocolate, figs, smoke and scorched earth. Very fine although a tad blunt.

The taste is deep and sweet with notes of dried red berries, smoke, asphalt and chocolate covered nuts. The alcohol is noticeable in the finish.

91p   (tasted 2023/12)

40 Year Old Tawny, Messias

As the bottle says - at least 40 years old. This is a beauty with a bottomless deep, gorgeous nose with notes of dark almond paste, chocolate wafers, moist earth, dried flowers and iodine. Intense and multi layered.

The taste is immensly structured and balanced with a abundance of flavours in the shape of dark fudge, violets, hot earth, toasted almonds and rich chocolate. Already old, this will go on forever. Great wine.

96p   (tasted 2023/12)

2018 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière

2018 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière

A big, juicy nose with notes of plums, tobacco, dark bread and sweet violets. Very deep and fine.

The taste is tight and nicely concentrated with notes of dark chocolate, plums, smoke and tobacco. Long and fine. 6+ years. Drunk over two days, and with all Bordeuax, best on the first day.

So far, the only wine that the Sensory glass haven´t been the best choice for.

92p   (tasted 2023/12)

2013 Dolcetto d´Alba Boschi di Berri, Marcarini

2013 Dolcetto d´Alba Boschi di Berri, Marcarini

This 10 year old Dolcetto still behaves like a youngster. The nose is upfront and juicy with notes of red cherries, red apples, warm sand and some smoky scents. Very, very good.

The taste is fine and silky with notes of violets, iron, dried cherries and smoke. Polished tannins. Long and fine. 6+ years. Note on the 2015 here - https://barolista.blogspot.com/2023/06/2015-dolcetto-dalba-boschi-di-berri.html

90p   (tasted 2023/12)

1988 Dolcetto d´Alba Bussia Soprana, Aldo Conterno

1988 Dolcetto d´Alba Bussia Soprana, Aldo Conterno

A fine, deep nose with notes of dried strawberries, root vegetables, iron and undergrowth. Needed time to open up. Very, very good.

The taste is dry and fine with notes of rowan berries, dried wild strawberries, violets and iron. Very much alive, indeed so that I slightly preferred it on day two. 

88p   (tasted 2023/12)

Two Fine Bottles Of Riesling

2019 Dalheim Hubacher Riesling GG, Keller

A young, cool nose with notes of white peach, mustard seeds, chalk and grass. Very crisp, pure and fine, but oooh so young.

The taste is racy and refined with notes of white currants, peach, chrushed rocks and a penetrating acidity. Very long and, again, very young. 10+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/11)

2010 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese, Dönnhoff

A lovely, somewhat mature nose with notes of ripe oranges, cookie dough, rain wet asphalt and rubber. Complex and fine.

The taste is rich and structured with notes of orange, mango, hay and chrushed rocks. Very, very long. 3+ years. 

93p   (tasted 2023/11)

Tasting Dinner With Great Wines - Pol Roger, Jadot, Chave, Cappellano, Fonseca & More!

A couple of weeks ago we had our semi annual tasting dinner in our tasting group. As ususal the table was filled with stunning food and beautiful wines.

Flight I

2004 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Pol Roger 

A fine, elegant nose with notes of tangerines, biscuits, chalk and fresh flowers. Very fine.

The taste is juicy and fresh with notes of chives, tangerines, toasted bread and chrushed rocks. A fine acidity. 5+ years.

92p   (tasted 2023/11)

2006 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Pol Roger

A deep, willful nose with notes of ginger, candied lemons, smoke and freshly baked bread. Lovely.

The taste is tight and complex with boatloads of yellow fruit, a crisp acidity and a long, long finish. 8+ years.

94p   (tasted 2023/11)

2014 Cuvée Minerale Blanc de Blanc, Agrapart

A restrained, delicate nose with notes of lemon peel, cement, hay and chrushed rocks. Very, very good.

The taste is high and tight with notes of assorted nuts, lemon peel and lots of minerals. Structured. A tad bitter in the finish, needs time, 8+ years.

88p   (tasted 2023/11)

2012 Cuvée de Goulté Blanc de Noir, Marie-Noelle Ledru

A fine, somewhat mature nose with notes of smoke, ripe red apples, undergrowth and herbs. Very fine.

The taste is ample and balanced with notes of apples, almond paste, dried flowers and herbs. A lovely finish, drinking great now but could improve with 4+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/11)

Flight II

2009 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne, Louis Jadot

A deep, smoky nose with notes of lemon cream, yellow flowers, butter cookies and cut grass. A very fine nose.

The taste is creamy yet tight with sweet yellow fruit, a fine acidity and a long, warm finish. Some oak in the finish. Gorgeous. 

93p   (tasted 2023/11)

2009 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon, Domaine Leflaive

A round, earthy nose with notes of cellar apples, moist autumn leaves and old tobacco. Muffled.

The taste is fat and dry and old with dry fruit and a warm, sparse finish. Not an ok bottle but drinkable with the food.

82p   (tasted 2023/11)

2011 Ermitage de L´Orée, Chapoutier

A deep, focused nose with notes of ripe flowers, sandelwood, peach, vanilla ice cream and iodine. Very complex and fine.

The taste is rich and concentrated with lovely fruit, an impeccable balance and a long, giving finish. Great wine. 

96p   (tasted 2023/11)

2014 L´Hermitage, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

A young, crisp nose with notes of spicy lemons, smoke, peach and chrushed rocks. Deep and fine.

The taste is high and pure with notes of grilled lemons, biscuits, smoke and iron. Intense and very fine. 6+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/11)

Flight III

2004 Barolo Brunate, Marengo

A deep, and a touch meaty nose with notes of dried raspberries, licorice and Langhe earth. Very fine.

The taste is structured and a tad mature with notes of hard cherry candy, licorice, earth and tobacco. Long and fine. 5+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/11)

2004 Barolo Vecchia Vigne Brunate, Marengo

A very deep, multi layered nose with notes of moist earth, even some truffles, raspberry licorice, tobacco and smoke. Just lovely.

The taste is racy and refined with gorgeous fruit, a taut structure and a long, lingering finish. Wonderful. 7+ years.

95p   (tasted 2023/11)

2004 Barolo Piet Franco, Cappellano

A deep, finely tuned nose with notes of dried cherries, moist earth, mushrooms, a hint of dog fur and violets. Very refined and utterly gorgeous.

The taste is pure and intense with a hint of maturity, stunning red fruit and a finish that just goes on and on. A beautiful wine. One of the highlights of the year.

Since the late Theobaldo didn´t want his wines to be scored, I never do   (tasted 2023/11)

2004 Barolo Margheria, Azelia

A deep, herbal nose with notes of ripe cherries, dark licorice, Lange earth and cold coffee. Very fine.

The taste is tight and seedy with notes of dried cherries, tobacco, fir wood and sweet minerals. Long and fine. 6+ years.

93p   (tasted 2023/11)

Flight IV

1977 Vintage Port, Fonseca

A deep, fine nose with notes of cocoa, toasted almonds, nougat and fried herbs. A tad restrained though.

The taste is big and fiery with notes of raisins, charcoal, assorted nuts and asphalt. Very good but not really coherent. A surprise when the bottle was revealed, have had extraordinary bottles of this.

89p   (tasted 2023/11)

40 year old Tawny, Quinta das Lamelas

A high, ethereal nose with notes of assorted nuts, hay, raisins, candied orange peel and iodine. Very complex and fine.

The taste is rich, concentrated and very, very long. Notes of damsons, bakelite, nuts and diesel oil. Just stunning.

94p   (tasted 2023/11)

2018 Dolcetto d´Alba Bricco Mirasole, Giuseppe Mascarello

2018 Dolcetto d´Alba Bricco Mirasole, Giuseppe Mascarello

The Dolcetto´s from this adress is always fine, and the 2018 Bricco Mirasole is no exception. The nose is elegant and fresh with notes of violets, red currants, mustard seeds and iron filled earth.

The taste is young and tight with notes of ripening blueberries, dried herbs, violets and chrushed rocks. Lively and long. 6+ years.

91p   (tasted 2023/12)

I have finally bought some Sensory glasses - www.sensory-glass.com - which have been crafted by Roberto Conterno. When we visited Roberto in November 2018 - Barolista: Not So Long Overdue Notes - The Barolo Boys Visit Giacomo Conterno - the glass was just on the market and we got to hear the story behind it from Roberto himself, and it proved how great it was when we tasted, among others, the Monfortino :-)

Now I´m testing it at home with all sorts of wines. In the picture above it is, from left to right, Riedel Cabernet, Riedel Pinot/Nebbiolo and Sensory. 

A hands down win for Sensory...

2011 Viña Tondonia Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia

2011 Viña Tondonia Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia

Today it was 12 years and 1 month since I I started this blog. Time to open a 2011. The 10 year anniversary was a tad bigger.

By now I have made 2.049 posts and have had 1.277.109 views. 

This Rioja offers up a high spirited nose with notes of dried strawberries, wet tobacco, red beets and licorice. Deep and fine.

The taste is dry and intense with notes of dried rowan berries, red currants and tobacco. More narrow on the palate compared to the nose. Ends on a dry note.

89p   (tasted 2023/12)