2010 Dominique Laurent Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Vieilles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Cotes de Nuits, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$509.00USD

Pop and pour, this was surprisingly open and accessible.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  This is big and bold.  On the nose, cherries, sandalwood, some black cherries and baking spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of fresh cherries and sour cherries with some underlying char.  Delicious and vital.  Long finish.  This seems to be a five to ten years from full maturity but drinking well.  It is great on its own and would delicious with salmon or tuna.  

2002 Dominique Laurent Bonnes Mares Vielles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Cotes de Nuits, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+

Great showing for this wine and in a perfect place of maturity.  Garnett in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is beautifully perfumed with cherries, cinnamon, sandalwood and slight earthiness.    Full bodied.  On the palate, this clean with bright cherry fruit.  Some underlying earthiness.  Levels of complexity.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This has big fruit.  The oak is now integrated and the tannins are silky.  Everything one could want in a Grand Cru at age 20.  It drinks great on its own.  Contemplative.  It also worked well with food.  While it might last longer, drink over

1985 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses, France, Burgundy, Cotes de Nuits, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1985
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$3400.00USD

Tasted two bottles of this.  They were part of a cellar purchase from which most of the bottles had been in excellent shape.  On opening, this was old and off a bit.  With a couple hours of air, it improved quite a bit although never got to the point of not being past prime.  Depending on one's level of enjoyment from wines with this much age, it seemed mostly a miss among the tasters.  I enjoyed it for what it offered.

2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne Plentitude 2, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$430.00USD

Spectacular Champagne.  The P2 series is held back for almost 15 years before being released.  This one is from the excellent 2002 vintage.  The extra time has served to make this a bit fuller and rounder but with all the verve of the original release.  Golden in color with some green hues.  A lovely stream of tiny bubbles in the fluted glass.  On the nose, this is smoky with lemons, salinity and spice (ground coriander?).  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is incredibly smooth and seamless.  Deep.  Notes of lemons, limes, smoke and salinity.  Great balance.  Incredibly long finish.  And, d

2001 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command, Australi, Barossa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Nice to get a chance to revisit this with some serious age on it.  The last time I tried it in 2014, it was great but young.  Purple in color, ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, leather and black pepper.  Velvety texture.  This seems fully mature.  Complex.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has black raspberries, some char, a bit of earthy funk and black pepper.  A bit sweet on the finish.  This is everything one wants in a mature Syrah.  Great on its own, this will work better with food.  It would work well with Lamb Curry.  

2001 Marquis Philips Shiraz Integrity, Australia, McLaren Vale, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$180.00USD

When Marquis Phillips wines burst onto the scene around the beginning of the century, this was the flagship and quite the divisive wine.  It was a poster child for the big, perhaps overblown style of Aussie Shiraz that was so popular at the time.  Most loved them but many disliked the style.  It was interesting to check in on this 21 years later.  If you loved it then, you will still and vice-versa.  Purple in color with ruby hues.  Mostly clear and bright.  It seems the color has faded a tad in the intervening 21 years.  On the nose, this is fresh and big with black raspberries, black oliv

2019 Comando G La Bruja de Rozas, Spain, Madrid, Gredos, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

I had the 2015 in a visit to the winery in the Sierra de Gredos mountains just west of Madrid.  It was interesting to revisit, this time at a wine bar in Charlotte, NC.  This is one of their "Village" level wines which is also much more affordable.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has sour cherries, some black cherries and thyme.  Light tannins.  On the palate, cherry, licorice and spice.  Great texture.  Delicious.  Nice on its own but better with food.  Nice finish.  This is Grenache but it is different than most with a bit of a "Pinot" profile to it as well.  Drink over the ne

2012 R. López de Heredia Rioja Crianza Viña Cubillo, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$24.00USD

This is the basic wine from this great, traditional winery.  Purchased at a Tapas restaurant, this is an excellent value.  It is a blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight dill, tobacco and slight mushrooms.  Medium bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, loads of fresh cherry fruit with just a bit of dried over a dry tobacco base.  Some spice.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but worked even better with a series of small Tapas plates.  Drink over the next eight

2019 Bodega Maranones Vinos de Madrid Picarana, Spain, Madrid, Gredos, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$27.00USD

This is a white from the Albillo Reale grape which is an indigenous grape to Gredos. I had the 2016 five years ago while visiting the winery in the mountains west of Madrid.  This bottle was found at the Barcelona Wine Bar in Charlotte NC.  Golden in color, a bit cloudy. The nose has minerals, saline, beeswax and slight thyme note. Creamy texture.

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