Summing Up Two Trade Tastings - 120 Wines Tasted - Part I

It has been a lot of wine tasted the last weeks. Beside the lunch tasting with Bründlmayer I attended Vingruppens tasting of their assortment. Due to the current work load I arrived late and bottles of 2006 Cristal and 2011 Meursault Perriéres, Lucien le Moine from magnum had already been drained by greedy fellow tasters - I know who you are! :-)

But there was still lots of intersting things on the tables to taste, below are short notes of some of the wines I tasted, with a approximate score. It is fun and you learn a lot by this kind of speed tasting, but at the same time it is like cykling through a museum, you get a glimpse but there is no time for deeper analysis.

What better way to starte then with Champagne - none! From Louis Roederer the NV Brut Premier shows a steely, chalky pure nose and a crisp taste that lacks a bit of oomph (~86p), their 2007 Brut Vintage sports a creamy nose full of ripe yellow apples and a soft, very good taste (~88p), and the best of the bunch (since the Cristal stood their in empty majesty...), the 2009 Brut Rosé with its upfront, elegant starwberry scent paired with a lusty, creamy, lingering taste (~92p).

I moved on to another trio, this time from Pierre Péters. The NV Réserve Oubliée has a gorgeous caramelly note and lots of freshness. The taste is young, tight and focused. This has to be bought. (~92p). It time, the 2006 Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons will surely eclipse the Oubliée, but for now it shows of a restrained, refined and laid back nose and a concentrated, racy taste that reveal its potential but doesn´t bring much enjoyment today (~90p). Their Rosé for Albane has a pure, simple, upfront nose and a rather foursquare, tight taste with some dried raspberries. Good but lacks spirit (~82p).

I took the opportunity to retaste Lenoble Cuvée Intense Brut and Lenoble Rosé Brut and they showed the same as on the tasting lunch a while back.
The NV André Clouet Silver Brut Nature has a young, fresh, apply nose and a fresh, salivating taste with a high acidity and ripe yellow fruit. This is very good (~89p). Last  bottle tasted from the Champgane table was the NV Jacquesson Cuvée No 737. The nose is very elegant, poised and creamy with chalk, red apples and hyachint. The taste is young and perky with lots of sweet lemons, minerals and a hint of chocolate. Really fine (~91p).

I moved on the white wines and started with a duo from Catena. I retasted 2013 Chardonnay and it behaved exactly the same. The 2010 White Stones Chardonnay has a stony, elegant, withdrawn nose and a tight, juicy taste with yellow fruit and cap gun smoke. A bit narrow in the middle taste, although very good (~88p). I then poured the 2011 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay and was met with a stunning nose full of ripe lemons, butter cookies and assorted nuts. The taste is long and intense and filled with gorgeous fruit and a firm backbone. This is a stunner and a must buy (~94p).

White Burgundy is one of my favourite wines and the next bottles was fun to taste. 2011 Meursault and 2011 Meursault Clos des Ambres, both from Domaine Arnaud Ente both showed ripe, spicy Chardonnay fruit paired with a chalky, pure taste with a fine intensity. The Clos des Ambres has a fatter character and slightly more depth. Both were great examples of young white Burgundy, (~92p) and (~93p).
Another 2011 was poured next, the Savigny lés Beaune Clos des Guettes from Louis Jadot. The nose is young, cool and hebal with finely tuned lemon fruit. The taste is lean (in a positive way) with lots of lime and lemons, and some additional dry butter cookies. Very, very good (~90p).
La Chablisienne was represented by two bottles, the first was 2012 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre that showed a young, flinty nose with a fine nerve. The taste is racy, finely tuned and with a high, refreshing acidity (~91p). The Crand Cru, 2010 Château Grenouille is a gorgeous creature with finesse, refinement and purity. The taste has a laser like focus and notes of lemon cream, chalk and a impressive length. Give this beauty at least 5 years (~93p).

The 2011 Clos Mireille Blanc de Blanc from Domaine Ott displays a upfront, gorgeous, summery nose with gooseberries, grass and white currants and has a wilful. cool, fresh taste. This I really like (~91p).
JA Ferret´s 2010 Pouilly Fuissé Author de Fuissé has a fine, elegant, grassy nose and a delicate, young taste with a fine acidity (~90p). Next up is two bottles of Sancerre, the 2012 Pierre Deschamps is light and friendly both on the nose and taste with fresh gooseberries and minerals (~86p). The 2013 Les Belles Dames, Gitton is pure and correct but rather anonymous (~83p).
Lastly, in this part, I tasted the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Magis Blanc from Lucien le Moine. I usually love the wines from le Moine, but not this one. A over the top, sweet nose with overripe yellow apples and glue. The taste is intense and hot with some bitterness in the end. No (~78p).

Barbaresco - Two Bottles - And Of Course - From The Greatest Vintage Ever!

Two more 1964´s down the hatch! :-)
But unfortunately one was corked, so we had to do with just the one - poor us - but that bottle was thoroughly enjoyed over the evening with family and some good food!
And I had to open a reserve bottle, but that's another story.

1964 Barbaresco, Abbacia S. Gaudenzio
Ever heard of this producer? Me neither. But if this how they made wine in the 60´s I would like to have case loads of their production.
The nose opens a bit shy but with air it transforms into a stunning beauty with notes of rose petals, dried strawberries, tobacco, forest floor, ceps and a warm asphalt road. Perfectly mature, laid back and refinement in a glass of wine. This is marvellous!
The taste is mature, velvety and with just the perfect ratio between fruit, acidity and tannins. Long,, long and long with notes of dried red cherries, rose petals, forest floor and gravel. The finish is perfectly dry with some dried up sweetness. Very balanced. A lovely warmth. This is drinking great on this evening!
94p   (tasted 2014/09)

1964 Barbaresco Riserva, Pietro Somaglia
Corked! #¤%&#"(/&%¤!

2012 Kunde Reserve Chardonnay

Opened this last night to along some nice shellfish.

2012 Kunde Reserve Chardonnay
A rather big but nicely put together nose with notes of lemon cream, pineapple juice, fried nuts, melted butter and sweet flowers. Has a core of crushed rocks and minerals. Very, very good.
The taste is full bodied and ripe with notes of yellow apples, lemon cream, sweet flowers and some vanilla dusted nuts. The finish is long and dry with a very fine cleansing acidity. Drinking really nicely with the crustaceans.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

Two More Bottles Of 1964 St Emilion

Last Friday, I grilled some tender noisettes of pork for dinner, prepared a Ratatouille that I sprinkled with goat cheese and cooked a red wine sauce with some leftovers 64 Barolo - a great dish for two mature bottles of 1964 St Emilion.
Popped and poured and enjoyed over a few hours.

1964 Château La Tour St. Christophe
A big, mature, fully open nose with notes of mildly clean stables, cooked red currants, old tobacco, dry leather and a nuance of dog fur! Very old fashioned, very typical and very yummy. Kept very well in the glass.
The taste is mature, dry and medium bodied with notes of cool red and black currants, old chocolate, tobacco and autumn leaves. A very good structure. A fine maturity although the nose is more impressive and hedonistic than the taste.
89p   (tasted 2014/09)

1964 Clos Trimoulet
Two St Emilion from the same vintage, but yet very different creatures. The Clos Trimoulet is deeper, denser and sweeter on the nose with notes of dark plums, earth, chocolate biscuits and pipe tobacco. Very, very good. Didn´t develop much in the glass. From time to time a bit rigid.
The taste is tight, mature but not as much as the La Tour St. Christophe, with notes of plums, chocolate wafers, autumn leaves, tobacco and leather. A fine warmth in the medium long finish where some tannin still are noticeable. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2014/09)

A Bottle Of Bubbly On Election Day - 2004 Premier Cru Blanc de Noirs, AR Lenoble

I have just performed my civil duty and on returning home I open a bottle of bubbly - what better way to cushion the blow of the likely result of todays general election in Sweden, in which we probably get a change in the administration for the worse... - Slayer have wrote a appropriate song about this time in place -  Hell Awaits...

2004 Premier Cru Blanc de Noirs, AR Lenoble
I really got a crush on the wines from this producer when I attended a tasting earlier this year. Since then I have bought some bottles, and this was one of them.
The nose is elegant yet upfront and lively with notes of red, ripe apples, dark fudge, sweet flowers and some smoky notes. Very, very good. Has a fine depth. Still on the young side of things.
The taste is creamy and focused with notes of earth, sweet flowers, mocca and a chilled Tarte Tatin. The finish is long and refined with a fine acidity. This is really, really good and will surely become even better in 3-5 years, I am glad to have some more bottles.
92p   (tasted 2014/09)

A Lunch Bottle - 2012 Pouilly-Fuissé, Domaine Georges Burrier

With some grilled fish for lunch I opened the new vintage of a favourite of mine in the 20 Euro range.

2012 Pouilly-Fuissé, Domaine Georges Burrier
A cool, fresh, open nose with notes of grape fruit, lemon cream, cotton candy and some gravel. When it warms up ripe melon notes emerge. Very good but not really in the league of the previous vintages.
The taste is cool and nice with notes of lemon cream, dried apricots, yellow apples and gravel. Young, tight and fine but again, not as good as previous vintages.
87p   (tasted 2014/09)

Tasting note of the 2011
Tasting note of the 2010
Tasting note of the 2009

What´s for dinner then? Can anyone say 1964...:-)

Tasting Lunch With Wines From Weingut Bründlmayer

Thomas Klinger from Weingut Bründlmayer has yet again visited Stockholm. As last year is was a interesting lunch with an outgoing, interesting and funny Thomas.

NV Brut Rosé
From magnum. This was poured on arrival. As last year it has a nice nose of almost ripe raspberries and some cinnamon cookies.
The taste is medium bodied with a fine acidity and delicate red fruit. Very good but I liked last years version better.
86p   (tasted 2014/09)

2010 Brut Sekt
Another magnum is poured while we were waiting to get seated. This is made from Pinot, Chardonnay and Grüner Veltliner and shows of a nose with notes of ripe lemons, spice and minerals. Very, very good.
The taste is young and creamy with notes of lemon peel, dried flowers, steel and minerals. A very good acidity. This should evolve well over the next 5+ years.
89p   (tasted 2014/09)

2013 Langenloiser Grüner Veltliner
The first Grüner has a medium bodied nose with notes of melon, fresh spices, minerals and grass. Good.
The taste is young, light and with notes of dried fruit, dry licorice, grass and gravel. A medium long finish. Very flowery in the finish. Good.
85p   (tasted 2014/09)

2009 Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben
The first Alte Reben has a tight, intense nose with notes of almonds, orange peel, grass and spices. A fine dried up sweetness. Very good.
The taste is young and spicy with notes of flowers, almonds, grass and gravel. A medium long, fine finish. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2014/09)

2008 Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben
A intense, focused nose with fine notes of dried flowers, melon, spice and some honeyd scents. Deep and fine.
The taste is young, elegant and with power. Fine notes of spicy lemons, flowers, licorice and minerals. The finish is long and expressive. Really good.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

2003 Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben
This beauty is served out of a magnum. The nose id packed with notes of sweet lemons, Gaia melon, flowers and bee wax. Very deep and refined. A fine maturity.
The taste is big, concentrated and ripe with notes of lemon cream, dry honey, sweet flowers, gravel and dry grass. A long, impresse finish. This is really fine!
93p   (tasted 2014/09)

2013 Heiligenstein Riesling
The Riesling line up starts with the 2013 vintage. The nose is cool and withdrawn with some notes of yellow pears, gooseberries and grass. Very stony. Good.
The taste is youg and tight with notes of almost ripe yellow pears, lemon peel and slate. A medium long, dry finish. A tad anonymous.
84p   (tasted 2014/09)

2012 Heiligenstein Riesling
A young, fresh nose with notes of star fruit, lemon, wet rocks and grass. Elegant. Very good. Needs time.
The taste is young and elegant with notes of lemon peel, grey pears, crushed rocks and grass. Young, focused and fine, but needs 3+ years to evolve.
88p   (tasted 2014/09)

2006 Heiligenstein Riesling
This one has matured, and into a fine creature. The nose is deep and refined with notes of candied lemon peel, model clay, dry grass and dried fruit. A fine dried up sweetness. Very, very good.
The taste is intense and mouth filling with notes of sweet lemons, crushed rocks, ripe grey pears and warm grass. The finish is long and full of finesse.
91p   (tasted 2014/09)

2013 Heiligenstein Lyra Riesling
The Lyra shows of a deep, penetrating nose with notes of lemon and lime peel, spices, wet rocks and grey pears. Very concentrated and very young. But the potential is there.
The taste is young, tight and lovely with notes of sweet lemons, slate, model clay, grey pears and a touch of chives. A very high acidity. Long and focused. Give this at least 5 years in the cellar.
91p   (tasted 2014/09)

2011 Zweigelt Reserve
This vintage is the first vesrion of the Reserve. It has a big, seedy, upfront nose with notes of ripe blueberries, damson, sweet licorice and a touch of dark chocolate. Seedy and good.
The taste is young, forward and warm with notes of ripe blueberries, cranberries, licorice and some wood burn notes. A long, dry finish. Will need some time to get together. Good.
87p   (tasted 2014/09)

2011 Pinot Noir Reserve
A young, fresh, spicy nose with notes of red currants, that turns into raspberries when the wine warms up, rowan berries, forest floor and a touch of oak, Young and healthy. Very good.
The taste is young, fresh and focused with notes of sweet lingonberries, dried raspberries, spices and forest floor. This has a future, give it 3-5 years.
88p   (tasted 2014/09)

2007 Pinot Noir Cécile
The four yeal older Pinot has a gorgeously mature, ripe nose with notes of crushed raspberries, warm spices, some tarry scents and warm, moist earth. This is fine.
The taste is round, mature and velvety with notes of sour/sweet raspberry coulis, forest floor, licorice and some wood smoke. A very fine acidity. Drinking great now.
91p   (tasted 2014/09)

2012 Muskateller Auslese
A fine, elegant nose with notes of ripe apricots, oil cloth, honey and a touch of saffron. Very, very good.
The taste is focused and fine with notes of lemon cream, dried apricots and honey. The finish is refined and with a fine acidity. Very, very good.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

2013 Heiligenstein Riesling Beerenauslese
A very deep, powerful nose with notes of overripe yellow pears, warm peaches, a touch of vanilla and sugared lemonade. Very sweet.
The taste is rich and oily with an almost over the top sweetness which is rescued in the end by a high acidity. Lots of tropical fruit, vanilla pod and overripe pears. Good quality, but not really my cup of tea.
85p   (tasted 2014/09)

Thomas Klinger in action!

Two Simple Yet Delicious Whites

One cannot always drink Montrachet, right...? :-) In fact, I wish I did, at least more often, but since that is not the case, I open some other bottles. These two are tasting samples from http://se.passioneitaliana.com/.

2012 Traminer, Terre di Ger

This Traminer from Friuli sports a young, fresh nose with notes of yellow apples, almond paste, melon and gravel. Not that deep but upfront and salivating.

The taste is immediate and nice with notes of elderberries, yellow apples, grass and gravel. A fine acidity in the medium long finish. A fresh note of oranges in the end of the finish. Very good. For drinking now. More info here - http://www.terrediger.it/ita/degustazione.asp?cat=1&prod=7

86p   (tasted 2014/08)

2012 Elibaria Vermentino, Contini

I didn't make a visit to Liguria this summer but I can't go a summer without at least one Vermentino, even though this one originate from Sardinia. And no Rossese, what is the world coming to...

Ah, well, this Vermentino has a young, open, lemon filled nose with additional notes of star fruit, cucumber, slate and warm grass. Easy going and nice.

The taste is young and healthy with notes of lemon, yellow pears, ginger and gravel. A bit short on the finish. It kept for several days in the fridge without budging. Good. More info here - http://www.vinicontini.com/vini/elibaria/

85p   (tasted 2014/08)

A Night With Plenty Of American Beauties, Bottles Of Wine That Is...

M invited to an all American tasting. I of course came and drank and ate well, sitting outside on one of the last warm days this year. It turned out that all the reds were from the States, but both before and after these bottles we were presented with lots of other great juice - we didn´t complain!

All tasted double blind.

2013 Silvaner Trocken, Felix Keller
Interesting - Klaus Peter´s son has made this, and it is good! A young, salivating nose with notes of pear ice cream, grass, chalk and a fine salty note. Very, very good.
The taste is young, precise and fresh with notes of green pears, star fruit, rocks and chalk. A medium long, juicy finish. Very drinkable and yet complex. Very fine.
91p   (tasted 2014/08)

2013 Dalsheimer Hubacher Riesling, Felix Keller
Another tasting sample from Felix Keller. This Riesling is not as lively as the Silvaner and shows some four square notes of apricot, grapefruit and rubber.
The taste is young and racy with notes of grapefruit, lime and lots of crushed rocks. A very high, not really integrated acidity. Good but I guess it need some time to balance itself together.
83p   (tasted 2014/08)

2012 Riesling -RR-, Keller
Felix father is responsible for the next bottle. It has a spicy, cool nose with notes of summer flowers, pears, a hint of pine apple and seaweed. Very, very good.
The taste is young, focused and juicy with notes of ripe pears, pine apple, warm grass and chalk. A tight acidity. Long and fine. Really good but not better than his sons Silvaner.
91p   (tasted 2014/08)

2011 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese Auction, Willi Schaefer
This Auction bottle hits all my sweet spots. The nose is fresh as a daisy and complex with notes of dried apples, rubber boots, ripe pears, smoke and some cinnamon scents. Light as a feather but at the same time deep and structured. Great wine!
The taste is pure like a mountain river and utterly gorgeous, with notes of salted nuts, dried fruit, candied lemon peel. gravel and yellow apples. The finish goes on for over a minute and has a lovely dried up sweetness. It has a wonderful combination of sweet, sour and salty notes. Stunning!
95p   (tasted 2014/08)

2008 Mount Eden Chardonnay Reserve
Bottle 1.020 out of 3.2995 produced. The nose is medium bodied with notes of butter fried hazel nuts, corn, bonfire, a touch of coconut and butter biscuits. Deep and with a very fine framework. Lovely fruit. This is good!
The taste is big and steady with notes of assorted tropical fruits, lemon cream, summer flowers and hazel nuts. A fine acidity. Long and warm. A very fine mouth feel. Has intensity and focus. Really, really fine.
94p   (tasted 2014/08)

With the white starter wines out of the way, we could focus on the smattering of red wines that was to hit the table the upcoming hours...

2010 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir
First out another wine from Mount Eden, this time in the shape of a Pinot. The nose is young and funky with notes of warm spices, bay leaves, liquorice and cooked strawberries. More and more strawberries as it gets warmer. And some road dirt as well. Very good.
The taste is young and fairly light with notes of spiced up raspberries, red currants, bay leaves and moist forest floor. Medium long and nicely balanced. Again, very good.
89p   (tasted 2014/08)

2001 Ridge Geyserville
I tasted this a year ago, and although this bottle behaved much better than the previous one I can´t really warm up to this mixture of cooked blueberries, iron and green peppers.
81p   (tasted 2014/08)

1997 Merryvale Profile
I could have sworn that this was a Bordeuax, but since we knew it was only American reds, we started the guessing game with producers that make a more restrained variant of Cabernet. But we didn´t manage to name Merryvale.
The nose flows out of the glass with stunning notes of ripe black currants, stables, graphite, tobacco and leather. Even some horses in a distance. Wonderful ripe fruit, but yet restrained. Great!
The taste follows the nose with sweet, ripe fruit combined with balance, focus and a streak of sandy tannins, perfectly mature and integrated. The finish is long, expansive and magnificent. One of the highlights of the evening.
96p   (tasted 2014/08)

2006 Jaffurs Ampelos Vineyard Syrah
I have had a couple of bottles of Jaffurs before but not this one. This stunner has a deep, concentrated nose with bucket fulls of sweet black cherries, black olives, iron & blood, pine resin and mosquito repellent. Forceful, deep and hedonistic!
The taste is intense and thick with gorgeous black fruit and notes of black olive tapenade, peppered meat, asphalt and rust. A very long finish with sweet tannins and a fine warmth. This bold creature could use another 3-5 years in the cellar, but drinking great today.
93p   (tasted 2014/08)

2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe203 2a
Complete black in colour, and that deep and dark trait goes through on the nose as well, with notes of ripe blackberries, glue, meat, liquorice and sweet violets. Very powerful, and still very young.
The taste is big and broad, sporting an of the chart intensity and warmth (15,3%) with notes of black cherries, blackberries, liquorice, violets, resin and raw meat. The finish is counted in minutes. Very impressive but it doesnt´t sing as, for example, the 2002 Just For The Love Of It did earlier this year.
93p   (tasted 2014/08)

2003 SQN Papa
What a surprise! I have had the 03 Papa twice before, both times double blind and both times I thought that it has been a train wreck. And now a third bottle, and it present itself in a whole other fashion. Go figure.
The nose is deep, concentrated and tight with notes of black- and blueberries, sweet tobacco, glue, violets and black pepper. Deep and sweet.
The taste is young, focused and sweet with a massive blueberry fruit and notes of liquorice, violets, meat stock and new leather. A very long finish with a nice warmth. Very, very good. This is far from the over the top way it has presented itself the previous times.
90p   (tasted 2014/08)

2002 Shafer Hillside Select
I had this gorgeous creature a year ago and it was virtually identical on this night - great juice!
94p   (tasted 2014/08)

2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
Another Parker 100 pointer! And this time I have to agree, well almost. The nose is very deep and profound with gorgeous notes of sweet black currants, blueberries, the best tobacco money can buy, soot, fresh herbs and freshly grounded coffee. A bottomless depth. This is what dreams are made of. A breath taking nose.
The taste is utterly captivating with an almost perfect mix of power, intensity, complexity and sensuality. The tannins and acidity lends support and structure to the massive yet refined black currant fruit. The finish is an on going joyride which you never want to get of from. Give this beauty another 8+ years to add maturity to this mix and a perfect score will not suffice...:-)
99p   (tasted 2014/08)

Then it was time for liquid dessert! The bottles below was thoroughly enjoyed but even though I made good use of the spittoon, my notes on these bottles are not crystal clear... Both the Huet and Rieussec are in the upper 90p scale and on the Keller I had noted a 91p.
Thanks M for a, again, great evening!

Four Bottles Of 1964 Barolo

The hard work of drinking all of my 1964 bottles continues. This evening with four bottles from the greatest vintage ever. :-)

1964 Barolo, Angelo Germano
At first virtually no aroma at all. It needed two hours in the decanter to blossom into the best of these four, with a gorgeous nose of dried red berries, cherry pips, spices, dried mushrooms, earth and some tarry notes deep down. A very fine warmth. This is good!
The taste is velvety and mature with fine supporting tannins and notes of red cherries, dry liquorice, autumn leaves, mushrooms, rose petals and earth. Still kind of perky in the finish. Very, very good. Alas, my only bottle, wish I had more.
92p   (tasted 2014/09)

1964 Barolo, Cantine Borgo
Corked!#%¤(/#¤)/#¤!

1964 Barolo, Fratelli Adriano
This Barolo is definitely more outspoken than the Germano above. The nose is big and ripe and with notes of mature black cherries, muscovado sugar, sweet tobacco, red apples and fried mushrooms. A bit over a top but likeable all the same.
The taste is more dry than the nose leads you to believe, with notes of red and black cherries, red apple peels, warm rocks, dried mushrooms and dried flowers. A medium long, warm finish that ends dry. Very good.
86p   (tasted 2014/09)

1964 Barolo, Dott. Giacomo Damilano
I have tasted a few Damilano´s from younger vintages and never been impressed. And this 50 year old bottle didn´t really win me over. The nose is big and unfocused with notes of canned mushrooms, cooked root vegetables, liquorice, sugared coffee and moist earth. It is a bit flabby on the nose.
The taste is better and tighter with notes of cherry pie, dry liquorice, undergrowth, leather and asphalt. Some dry tannins but the sweetness of the fruit matches them. Good, and worked well with the food.
82p   (tasted 2014/09)

Long Time No See - Two Bottles Of Rioja

When I started drnking wine more seriously for 20+ years, Rioja was frequently poured, both at home and at tastings. No more. Not for the latest 10 or so years.

When browsing through my first two notebooks, from 1991/92, I found lots of Rioja´s:
1987 Marques de Riscal Reserva
1983 Conde de Valdemar Reserva
1985 Vina Herminia Reserva
1985 Marquis de Arienzo Reserva
1981 Vina Ardanza Reserva
1985 Monte Real Reserva
1985 Imperial Reserva
1970 Vina Pomal Gran Reserva
1978 Marques de Caceres Gran Reserva
1982 Marques de Arienzo Gran Reserva
1976, 1982 Reserva 904 Gran Reserva
1985 Martinez Bujanda Gran Reserva
1964 Monte Real Gran Reserva

If I look through my two latest notebooks, how many bottles of Rioja? None.
And now, two bottles in two days!

2004 Marqués de Arienzo Gran Reserva, Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal
An open, soft, nice nose with notes of raspberries, sweet licorice, oak vanilla and....wait for it...dill. The tell tale of old school Rioja, the scent associated with the American oak treatment. And one of the reasons I gave up Rioja for many years. It is not that much, but it is there. Some smoke also. Good but lacks a bit of character.
The taste is medium bodied and dry with notes of dried raspberries, Christmas spices, earth and some oak vanilla. The taste is nice until the end, when the dry wood tannins dominate the mouth. Needs food. Fairly nice but not my cup of tea.
81p   (tasted 2014/08)

2008 Marqués de Riscal Reserva, Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal
The four year younger Rerserva is fresher and more delicate. The nose is young, fruity and medium deep with notes of red currants and cherries with some smoke, vanilla pod and tobacco leaves. Very good.
The taste is cool, lively and medium bodied with notes of red cherries dusted with vanilla powder, tobacco, earth and smoke. A fine warmth in the medium long finish. This is drinking very well.
87p   (tasted 2010/08)

Another interesting reflection when looking through these first two notebooks, is how many great bottles I used to drink! :-) And these bottles, see below, was bought by myself and friends on a student loan economy, which goes to show how prices on these wines have gone through the roof the last 10-15 years...
And it also reflects how Bordeaux focused my drinking was then :-)

1981, 1989 La Mission Haut Brion
1970, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985 Margaux
1970, 1981, 1983 Mouton-Rothschild
1970, 1981, 1983 Lafite-Rothschild
1970, 1978, 1982, 1985 Latour

1970 Petrus
1986, 1985, 1983 & 1977 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
1981, 1983, 1985, 1986 d´Yquem
1983, 1985, 1988 Tignanello

1989 Echezeaux, DRC

1976, 1983, 1985 La Tache, DRC

1969 Richebourg, DRC

1981 Romanee-Conti, DRC

1949, 1989 Musigny VV, Comtes de Vogue

1985 Chambertin Clod de Beze, Rosseau

1990 Gevrey-Chamberton Clos St-Jacques, Rosseau

1989 Clos de la Roche, Dujac

1990 Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, Drouhin
1978, 1980, 1984 Ridge Monte Bello
1937, 1949, 1955, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1989 Montrose

1928 Palmer
1959, 1961 Calon Segur

1961 Pichon-Baron
1972, 1975, 1978, 1983 Musar
1970, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1989 Cheval-Blanc
1982, 1985, 1989 Haut Brion