2005 Saxum 44 Month Barrel Age James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+

This was an experiment Justin Smith did back in 2005.  He let the wine stay in barrels for 44 months before bottling it.  This extended ageing as it is called is interesting.  One might think the wine would be ready earlier but conversely, it seems to take even longer for the wines to be ready to drink.  This one is now in a great place and if you have one, consider popping the cork.  A GSM blend, but mostly Syrah.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, iodine, decayed meats, leather, slight bacon fat and an earthy/musk.  On the palate, this has a wonderful lightness a

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

Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+

Note:  Back label is pictured for this review.  This wine has reviewed many times but it been a few months.  Light golden in color.  The nose is big and bold and excellent.  Slight oxidation with clean and vibrant baked bread.  Much more vibrant than some prior bottles.  Also some slight ginger and a bit of apples.  On the palate, this is explosive.  Great balance.  Slight apples with a nice minerality.  Served at just cooler than room temp which was perfect (maybe 62F).  Complex and deep.  Food friendly.  If well stored bottles of this are still on the shelf, it is worth finding them and b

1996 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1996
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+

Wow!  Incredible.  Opened, decanted and it was singing and drained quickly.  Ruby in color, just a bit of browning on the edges.  The nose is ethereal.  Cherries, dried cherries, slight tar, dried roses in an intoxicating perfume.  On the palate, this is just getting to maturity.  A wonderful texture that is velvety yet slick.  Each sip makes you want another one.  On the palate, this still has light tannins; just enough to grip.  Great acidity.  Layers of fruit, tar and earth.  Long finish.  Worked great with food.  No hurry as this has a couple of decades left, but no regrets about drinki

2011 Erta di Spinelli Varno Risala Toscana IGT

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

This was a new wine for me.  Apparently, in some vintages it will have some Petit Verdot or other international varietals but in 2011 it was 100% Sangiovese.  They really nailed it in this very good if not great vintage.  Purple in color.  The nose is cherries with some sandalwood and slight vanilla.  Clean and bright if still young.  More open on the palate, but at the same time, this is quite tannic.  A very structured wine.  It needs some time flesh out but it is very deep and yet elegant at the same time.  Cherries, macerated cherries and slight coffee notes on the palate.  Good acidity

2012 Pian Delle Vigne (Antinori) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Ferrovia, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Pop and pour, this was pretty tight, so the wine was decanted which helped.  Still, it probably needs five more years but has a couple of decades of life left.  Drank side by side with the regular 1999 version of this wine.  Ruby in color with some purple, lighter than the 99.  The wine in general, however, is a much bigger wine.  The nose is gorgeous with cherries, black cherries, sandalwood and dry Earl Grey tea.  On the palate, this is tightly wound, but it already shows great layering and complexity.  A wonderful texture; slippery yet bold if that makes sense.  Great acidity.  Long fini

1999 Antinori Pian Delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1999
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This was decanted for sediment and then drink over a few hours.  This was drunk side by side with the 2012 Riserva which was interesting and fun.  This is a deep ruby with some purple at the core in color.  Darker than the 2012.  It seems to at peak right now.  Not showing old age but certainly mature, tannins resolved and getting close to sliding downhill.  The nose is earthy with damp tea leaves, cherries and just a hint of sandalwood.  Complex and layered with funk, forest floor and cherries.  Very good acidity.  Worked very well with food.  Nice finish.  This was probably never an amazi

2006 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

It is amazing how much wine Moet can make and be so amazingly consistent.  Of course, Dom Perignon, is at the top of their heap.  Light gold with slight silver in color.  A steady stream of tiny bubbles form a nice mousse.  The nose is nice with slight toast and a sort of lemon/tangerine quality that is really nice.  Very clean.  On the palate, that lemon/tangerine quality continues with a nice dose of carbonation.  Incredibly smooth and easy yet with depth and also precision.  Long finish.  Probably not the greatest ever vintage of DP but still excellent.  Drinking quite well at the moment

2002 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese, Germany, Mosel, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

An Internet wine friend passed away this week.  Although I never met him in person, we shared many discussions usually about German wines.  He took amazingly detailed notes.  This bottle was opened among people who knew him and shared with others with a toast.  AP 2 602 041 008 03.  Bought on release at a local wine store in Moreland Hills, Ohio (since changed ownership and moved).  The cork came out easily enough.  Medium golden in color.  The nose took a minute to blow off some bottle age, then showed nicely.  A slight diesel note along with wet rocks and slight pineapple.  On the palate,

2010 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

From Magnum.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries and slight licorice.  Quite tight.  On the palate, the cherries continue, but this is really tight right now.  Seems monolithic.  Not sure where this goes from here, but hopefully, it starts to open up in the next couple of years.  Doesn't seem to really have great depth but who knows.  Perhaps some upside potential.  For now, however, it is very good and enjoyable.  One of those wines where expectations balance against reality.  

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