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2005 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

Yowza!  What a great wine.  Seems to be at peak right now though should stay here for a while.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  What a great nose.  Cassis, black licorice, spice and slight blueberries.  Very deep.  On the palate, this is deep and complex.  Lots of black cherry and cassis fruit.  Underlying minerality.  Spice.  Amazing texture; luxurious.  Lots of glycerin.  Long finish.  Will work with bigger foods.  One of those wines where each sip makes you want another.  

2007 Kapcsándy Family Winery Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

Perhaps the best Merlot made in America.  This is drinking great right now, at or near peak.  Purple in color, thin ruby line at the rim.  The nose is great with coffee, cherries, black cherries, and spice.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Rich and luxurious.  Slight tannins.  Black cherry fruit.  Long finish.  This is deep and voluptuous with lots of complexity.  This should be here for a while (ten years?) and still last another decade after that.  

2012 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$450.00USD

Its hard to believe that a First Growth can exceed expectations, but this one did.  From a good not great vintage, this wine was tremendous.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is great with cherries, chocolate, and slight tobacco.  A soft texture that makes the wine very accessible.  Some silky tannins.  This is delicious.  Young but open.  Cherries and milk chocolate on the palate.  This will work with heavier foods.  This should get better over the next couple of decades, but it is great right now.  

ZD Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Abacus II, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This is an interesting wine.  It is a Cabernet made in a Solera style.  The first vintage had 1992 thru 1998.  This is the second vintage and then included a Solera of 1992 thru 1999.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cedar, cassis, dust and with air, an earthiness comes out.  Layered and complex on the palate,  Cassis and spice and underlying earthiness.  Good finish.  Basically, this is high end Napa Cab, but the Solera gives it a bit of complexity.  Needs big foods.  

1995 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1995
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

Decanted for sediment and served.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is earthy with cedar, spice, cassis, and slight celery note.  Much more developed and intense on the palate.  Cassis and slight tobacco.  Good finish.  Classic Bordeaux.  Served with hearty foods and meats.  This producer had some issues in the late 80's but since the mid-90's they have been doing a great job.  

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$1800.00USD

Its always a treat to drink wines from DRC.  This is obviously young but was drinking quite well.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  An intoxicating nose.  Earthy with macerated cherries, spice and a slight clay note.  On the palate, this took some time to open.  Sour cherries with a soft texture.  Tightly layered.  Long finish.  Very smooth, not bite.  A couple of ounces saved for day 2 was even better showing more depth and medium tannins.  Also a bit of anise on the finish.  For those lucky enough to be able to afford this and can find it, ageing will be rewarded.  

2013 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Gorgeous wine.  A blend of mostly Marsanne with some Roussanne.  Drinking great right now but Rhone white wines are always unpredictable.  Golden in color.  The nose has some peaches, wax with an herbal note floating above the rest.  Very nice.  It has a slightly oily texture with lots of body weight.  The peach notes carry thru to the palate.  Slightly orange citrus on the finish.  This will probably shut down at some point but then reopen and last for a couple more decades.  This will work with moderately hearty foods.  

2012 Louis Jadot Montrachet, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$450.00USD

Deep golden in color.  Perhaps showing some advanced signs but not all the way oxidized by any means.  The nose has some minerals, slight lemon peel and a bit of spice.   Someone mentioned caramel, but it seemed more like butterscotch from the oak.  On the palate, this isn't flabby but the acidity isn't noticeable either.  Lots of minerals, some lemon.  A bit of depth.  Slightly clipped on the finish.  Overall, this is a very nice Chardonnay, but when one buys and pays for Montrachet, the expectations are high.  This will work with lighter foods.  

2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1998
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

Wow!  Its vintage Krug, but still, wow!  This is still young but it is opening up now and really hitting its stride.  It has a couple of decades left or more, depending how you like older Champagne.  Light golden in color.  A nice mousse with lots of tiny bubbles.  This is a big wine.  The nose has toast, slight ginger, cherries and a slight hay note.  On the palate, this has a racy backbone of acidity.  At the same time, a broad palate with great complexity.  Some tart fruit on top with some cherry parfait in the mid-palate and underlying it all, great minerality and slight salinity.  An i

2000 Dom Perignon Champagne P2 Second Plenitude, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$325.00USD

This is a late release in which Moet leaves some vintage wine stored on its lees for 16 years before release.  It retails for around $325.  Light golden in color.  There is a nice frothy mousse with lots of small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, slightly soapy with minerals.  A bit of lemon peel.  With air, a bit of yeast comes out.  On the palate, the yeasty dough quality returns.  There is a very nice underlying minerality.  A creamy texture.  While this has good acidity, not the screaming acidity of the original release.  Age has mellowed it out.  This is very food friendly.  It is uncertain h

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