1982 Château Sociando-Mallet, France, Bordeaux, Haut-Medoc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Bordeaux wines from 1982 are often still drinking great.  While one might think a wine such as this might be over the hill, that is not true.  At least for this bottle.  It still has some youthful freshness.  It is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  No real bricking or browning.  On the nose there is cassis, dust, slight cigar box and hints of cherry.  On the palate, this has lively energy.  Cassis and cherries with some underlying dried herbal notes.  Not a big wine.  Some depth and slight layering.  Nice finish. 

2006 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$118.00USD

Of course, 100% Chardonnay.  Another great showing from this bottle.  Really firing on all levels with just a bit of air.  Light green/gold in color, clear and bright.  A lot of very small bubbles.  On the nose, this has smoke and lemons.  With air, a bit of chalkiness comes out.  On the palate, this has a nice bite of acidity.  It is, however, full bodied and round with no sharp edges.  The lemons carry thru along with a bit of yeast.  This is starting to show some age on it although it easily has another ten and probably twenty years at peak.  It will go with almost any food.  One of the

MV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 167eme, France, Wine Review

Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$160.00USD

The Krug MV is always a stellar wine but this edition is based on 2011 which was a very difficult vintage.  It also includes almost two hundred different wines going back to the 1995 vintage.   Forty-two percent of the cuvée is made up of Reserve wines.  This wine is stellar.   It has 47 % Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay and 17% Pinot Meunier.  Light pale gold in color.  Lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose has lemons, brioche and slight smoke.  On the palate, those flavors come thru.  It takes a bit of time to open though.  Good acidity.  With air some green apples come out.  Lots of energy here but

2006 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$170.00USD

Always a great wine, this luxury cuvee is one of the great wines of Champagne.  A real treat to drink.  Gold green in color with a lot of tiny bobbles.  The nose is big and excellent with chalk, slight brioche, a bit of lemon cream, and slightly nutty.  On the palate, this is a big wine but still very young.  Great acidity.  Lemons, slight vanilla, with lots of depth and complexity.  A very long finish.  This needs a few more years until peak but is delicious today.  The score has a couple more points of upside possible.  It easily has fifteen more years left at the top.  It will go with ju

2008 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a very nice Cabernet using mountain fruit which tends to be more concentrated than valley floor fruit.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is very nice with cassis, slight minerals, spice and a bit of floral notes.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Concentrated cassis fruit with mineral undertones.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well right now but it should last easily for another five to seven years.  It drinks well on its own and should go well with roasted meats or fowl.  

1989 Château Haut-Batailley, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1989
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries, dried cherries, dust and spice.  There is also a bit of raisin.  On the palate, the fruit is more dried cherries but some fresh cherries.  The raisin continues thru slightly.  Not a lot of complexity.  This seems to be on the way down and probably ought to be drunk now.  It will still work fine at the dinner table.  Stews would be a nice match. 

1970 Borges & Irmão Porto Alto Douro, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1970
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This was a new producer for me, but 1970 was an excellent year for vintage Port and they need to be drunk.  Garnet in color with some browning, a bit hazy and dull.  The nose is nice with tart cherries.  A little bit of smoke as well.  On the palate, this is nice but past prime.  Cherries with some alcohol.  A hint of raisins.  OK finish.  Certainly worth drinking and a nice wine to have a small glass of at the end of an evening.  

1985 Wolf Blass Black Label, Australia,

Vintage: 
1985
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

75% Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale & Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 20% Langhorne Creek Merlot - 5% Eden Valley Shiraz.  This is the flagship wine of this property.  The bottle was gifted to me a couple of years ago, and it got opened at the end of a 1980's Bordeaux tasting which seemed appropriate.  It did not disappoint and held its own in the tasting.  Purple with ruby swirls, ruby at the rim, not much bricking.  On the nose, this is dusty with black cherry fruit and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this has some depth with nice layering that is immediately apparent.  Good aci

1986 Château Mouton Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1986
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$840.00USD

I have been lucky enough to have this on a few occasions.  Never has it been open or showing anything like it's lofty status with the critics would indicate so I approached with trepidation.  No need.  This bottle was amazing.  Everything it was supposed to be including still a bit on the young side.  It is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Bright but mostly opaque.  On the nose, lovely cassis, cigar box, ash and slight pencil lead.  The lead becomes more pronounced with air and there is some chocolate and spi

1988 Château La Dominique, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1988
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

This wine showed quite well considering the vintage and pedigree and age of the wine.  Ruby in color, purple at its core, clear and bright.  The nose has dried cherries, slight dust, a bit of mint.  With air, some fresh cherries.  On the palate, fresh and dried cherries above a baseline of tea leaves.  Medium bodied.  A bit of drying tannins underneath.  Nice finish.  This is very food friendly and easy to drink.  Probably a bit past prime but still enjoyable.  Drink up now.  

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