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2014 Andremily Syrah No. 3, USA, California, Santa Barbara - Wine Review

Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

This was a great wine, but I had hoped it to show a bit better.  I gave it 12 hours of air and that wasn't enough.  There is a glass left in the bottle and I am curious how it will show later today.  That said, it was an excellent wine.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted herbs and char.  On the palate, there is a nice texture.  The wine is quite tight and seemingly ver fully unwound.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit with an underlying char.  Nice finish.  We served with a variety of chocolate desserts and that seemed to work well.  

1998 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch Limited Release, Australia - Wine Review

Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+

My friend Chris opened this for us.  He has had it since release.  It had been opened earlier in the day and given air.  This is still quite young but with air, it was superb.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cedar, eucalyptus/mint and slight fresh tobacco.  Full bodied.  Great texture.  On the palate, there is a lot of fruit.  The cassis carries thru along with the eucalyptus.  Also some coffee and hints of dill.  Complex.  Great with food.  Not at all the kind of wine one thinks about as coming from Australia yet it seems to show its sense of place.  Quite a treat.  Impressive.  

2013 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+

I opened this at 8:00 am for serving about 12 hours later.  It needed more time or a decant.  Still, once in the glass it continued to open up all night.  Just a gorgeous wine.  A bit more time and this probably merits a perfect score.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, gravel, char and slight cedar.  On the palate, just a wonderful juicy, lush texture.  Almost seamless.  Voluptuous.  Lots of bluieberry and cassis fruit with underlying gravel.  Pinpoint acidity.  Long finish.  Worked great with dinner.  While there is upside for holding it is fantastic right now.  Just an

2007 Seven Stones Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+

Gorgeous.  This wine is sexy and almost seamless.  Although youthful, it is drinking beautifully at age ten with a decade or two left.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, sandalwood, blueberries, and cedar.  On the palate, just a great texture.  Deep, it shows nice layering as it unwinds in the glass.  Cassis and blueberries with minerals and char.  Quite smooth.  Long finish.  It is delicious.  Worked great with food as well.  

2001 Fernando Remírez de Ganuza Rioja

Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

In a great plae right now.  No hurry but showing mature development.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has some slight funk to it.  Not a lot, but some.  Cherries, dark cherries, cigar box and leather as well.  On the palate, lots of black cherry and cherry fruit.  Layers of earth and forest floor.  Good balance.  Wonderful mouthfeel.  Nice finish.  Worked well with food.  While this was a bit modern in style in its youth, it has aged just beautifully as it turns into an older Rioja.  

2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, France, Bordeaux, Graves - Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Very nice showing.  Perhaps a bit past prime, but very good nonetheless.  Golden in color.  The nose has a very slight oxidation to it.  Minerals, limes, slight wax, slight melon notes.  On the palate, this has a nice, slightly oily texture.  Melons and waxy notes.  Slightly burnt orange peel.  Nice finish.  The fruit is persistent but certainly no longer boisterous.  It wored well with vegetarian matzoh ball soup. Still, I would drink these sooner than later at this point.  

2015 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, USA, California, Sonoma - Wine Review

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Light golden in color.  The nose is very nice.  Clean with no overt oak showing.  Green apples, slight lemon cream and slight pineapple.  On the palate, this is again clean with plenty of fruit.  Green apples, slightly tart, slight lemon.  An undetrlying minerality  It worked well with a difficult food match (fried pickle poppers).  Nice finish.  Still very youthful, it wiill be interesting to revisit this.  

NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme, France - Wine Review

Score: 
98
Grade: 
A

What a week.  My second time trying this amazing Champagne.  I opened this bottle about an hour prior to serving and I think it helped it.  It seemed to bring out more fruit.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great with a bit of toast, pears, green apples and minerals.  On the palate, there is a tartness I didn't get previously.  Tart green apples which I really enjoyed.  Minerals.  Slight lemon notes.  This is deep.  It explodes on the palate.  So smooth and easy though.  An amazingly long finish.  Just a baby, this has years left to maturity.  

2014 Carlisle Syrah Sonoma County, USA, California - Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

What an outstanding value.  Under $30 for this quality of a Syrah.  It will certainly improve with some cellar time but is great right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, plums, black pepper, slight roasted herbs and hints of grilled meat.  On the palate, this is lush.  Ripe but not over.  Plenty of boysenberry fruit with underlying char.  Nice finish.  Easy drinking but more, this is delicious.  Great job!

2012 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux Vineyard, USA, Washington, Columbia Valley - Wine Review

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

From the younger vines in the Champoux vinyard, hence the name (although the vines are around 30 by this time).  A delicious Washington state Cab from an Oregon producer.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, slight bell pepper (in a good way), leather and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied and bold.  Firm tannins.  Deep but tightly wound.  Lots of cassis and black cherry fruit.  Nice finish.  This needs some time and should peak in another ten years or so.  There is some upside. 

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