TM


Tasting Notes
January/February, 2007

Tasting Notes Contents Page

QPR Winner   I give this award to wines that demonstrate an excellent Quality to Price Ratio. They are sometimes more expensive than the wines featured in my Best Buys section (which is cut off at $20), so while every Best Buy is also a QPR Winner,  not every QPR winner is an official Best Buy.  QPR winners are simply wines that are great values for a relatively  reasonable price. 

Alsace  Australia Bordeaux Burgundy Calif/USA  Dessert/Sparkling 
Germany  Loire       Rhone/South/SW France     Spain

Alsace (except dessert/sparkling)

2002 Riesling "Schlossberg" (Paul Blanck)

Lively and flavorful, this is beautifully balanced, and is just slightly off-dry. Perhaps it can just be called "fruity." Its sunny demeanor and flavorful finish make it very attractive. It seems to be drinking well at the moment. 89 points.

2000 Riesling "Heimbourg" (Zind-Humbrecht)
This has fine purity of fruit, and lovely balance. It is a touch fruity on the finish, but shows steel more and more as it airs out. It smells like classic Riesling, and is rather dry. It is bright and elegant, but a bit compact, and a little underwhelming for grand cru. 90 points.

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Australia (except dessert/sparkling)

1996 Merlot Reserve (Richard Hamilton) QPR Winner

This lovely Merlot, a long time favorite, is fully mature now, and maybe then some. Still, it has enough left to improve with air for a short while, and it still has delivers lots of flavors to the palate. It is elegant, complex, and laced with some forest floor and tobacco notes. This would be fun to stick into a Bordeaux tasting blind at this juncture. It will certainly destroy preconceptions of Australian wine. The tannins are pretty much resolved until the wine sits for a long while. The wine has a certain graceful brightness to it that is still appealing. It is, in my view, on the gradual downhill slide now, though. (A second bottle showed a little richer, a little less tertiary, although it wound up in a similar place after aeration.) Drink up. 89 points.

2005 Shiraz "9" (Marquis Philips)
Kirsch notes attack you on opening, but at first this seems ok. It is soft, and the mid-palate is elegant in weight. There is some alcohol noticeable in the back, but it seems to handle the 16+ fairly well at first. A quick taste of this is utterly deceptive, though. The longer it sits, the more alcoholic it seems. Its depth is ordinary and its intensity is modest. The wine has a touch of flamboyance, surrounded by alcohol and laced with kirsch. It actually has its moments, but it is hard to be impressed. 86 points.

1998 Cabernet Sauvignon "Langhorne Creek - Twin Rivers" (Birchwood)

This opens with a touch of flamboyance on the nose, a very ripe cherry note. However, the wine is beautifully balanced, elegant and rather gentle. It drinks very well. It took an hour or so of air to bring out more typical Cabernet Sauvignon notes, and then they were not the good kind, with the wine showing a bit green. This had moments when I liked it a lot, but it lacks intensity and I didn't much care for the developing green. 88 points.

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Bordeaux (except dessert/sparkling)  
1997 Chateau Barde-Haut
Smooth, and seeming fully ready to drink, this shows just a little liveliness, just enough intensity to be interesting. It is hardly a great performance, although rather charming, and it is laced with green notes, olives and bell peppers. This is rather pleasant to drink, and for an early maturing wine it shows nicely and has lots of charm. I predict it will get less interesting with time. 88 points.

1994 Chateau Léoville Las Cases

Served without decanting, this seemed earthy and reticent, with some tertiary notes around the edges, a little tobacco perhaps. It was elegant and bright, little more. Air dramatically helped this wine, as it expanded, showed a richer, almost oily texture, and more intensity, as well as more depth. I loved the finish. By the end of the evening, this was a very fine wine. 92 points.

1999 Chateau Montrose
Quite lovely, this seems to be drinking fairly well at this juncture. It is lively and bright, but the immediate impression on first attack is of concentration and cassis. With air, you find out that this wine is not nearly as concentrated as it first appears, and a touch of game emerges. The tannins are fairly moderate. The fruit is delicious and this elegant, well crafted wine is a pleasure to drink. I think it will develop fairly rapidly as time goes on. It certainly doesn't hurt to try one now. It could have used a little more intensity for a young Bordeaux. 89 points.

2004 Domaine de Chevalier
Sappy in the mid-palate, and soft and caressing in texture, this sweet, charming Chevalier is attractive and welcoming, if not particularly intense. There is a touch of lead pencil on the finish. It should develop into a wine that will be hard to resist. 89-91 points.

2004 Chateau Haut-Bailly
Smooth and suave, this beautifully focused Haut Bailly is bright around the edges and pointed in the elegant mid-palate. The finish is perhaps the best part, flavorful, persistent and lingering. 90-92 points.

2004 Chateau La Louvière
Bright and lively, this projects some red berry notes on the first attack.  Its texture is not as seductive as some of the other Graves I tasted in this vintage, and the mid-palate is modest. 87-89 points.

2004 Chateau Latour-Martillac
Soft in the middle, and bright on the edges, this loses focus quickly, but manages to project attractive flavors. It has little intensity and the finish is average. 86-88 points.

2004 Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion
This shows darker fruit flavors at first, but finishes with good acidity, giving it a lively air. It is relatively lush in the mid-palate, with a beautiful finish that delivers fine flavor to the tongue. This is 30% Cabernet Franc, 55% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. 88-90 points.

1989 Chateau Haut Marbuzet

I bought a lot of these from the 89/90 vintages. At this point, I would give the nod to the '89s. The '90s were more flattering in their youth. The '89s have held better, which is about as I expected. This shows surprisingly rich and remarkably tasty. I opened a suspicious looking bottle for lunch and was surprised to see so much richness and depth.  Plainly, there are tertiary notes, and some obvious maturity around the edges, perhaps a touch of oxidation. But the fruit is so dense and rich, that it would seem churlish to diss this wine, which cost less than $10 as a future. I started out looking for a glass or two and pretty much killed the bottle. Yikes.  90 points.

2004 Chateau Brane-Cantenac
Nicely presented, this is elegant, bright and fresh, although streaked with some green notes. It has appealing texture, though, and should drink well on the younger side, likely to be charming and gentle as it moves along its path to maturity. 88-90 points.

2004 Chateau du Tertre
Nicely focused, this is bright and tightly wound, a little harsh at the moment, with relatively nice mid-palate depth for this vintage and Margaux. I liked this wine's intensity, and it should cellar well. 89-91 points.

2004 Chateau Giscours
Focused, tight and gripping on the finish, this wine shows considerable power and a big hit of fruit. It seems to be one of the more ageworthy and backward wines from its performance at this tasting, and should cellar very well. It is rather bright and lively on the lingering finish, too. 91-93 points.

2004 Chateau Kirwan
Smooth and round on the edges, this lush, loaded with cassis notes in the mid-palate and very sexy. The mid-palate weight is elegant. Despite its lushness around the edges, this wine has focus and grip on the finish, too. It is supple and suave, and quite delicious. For pure sex appeal, it was one of my favorites from the Margaux appellation in this vintage. 91-93 points.

2004 Chateau Gruaud Larose
Full and generous, this nonetheless seems a bit simple and soft, too, with supple fruit and not much intensity. This needs to be able to show some intensity with cellaring. It is quite pleasant, but seems undistinguished. 86-88 points.

2004 Chateau Lagrange
Full bodied and mouth coating, with light tannins around the edges, this often seems to be the gripping, powerful wine that Lagrange often is. There are hints of green, however, on the finish.  Despite that, I liked the way this attacked the mid-palate. 90-92 points.

2004 Chateau Léoville Poyferré
Simply beautiful, this perfectly balanced and well structured wine exudes class and breeding. It throws off waves of delicious fruit that lingers on the finish. It is at once lively and seductive, charming and ageworthy. This might well be my favorite of the '04 Left Bankers on this page. 92-94 points.

2004 Chateau Clerc Milon
This is very classy, laced with cassis notes, and balanced by ripe tannins on the finish. It is beautifully balanced, focused, smooth and persistent. 90-92 points.

2004 Chateau d'Armailhac
Classic Pauillac, this shows good structure, some lead and a rather drying finish. Despite its classic notes, it has a middle-of-the road feel to it, always likely to be charming and attractive, never likely to be distinguished or special. 87-89 points.

2004 Chateau Haut-Bages Libéral
This, too, shows classic Pauillac notes,  tastes good and has some structure, showing tannic grip on the finish. Although it has the structure to develop, it also seems a bit light and a touch simple. Still, at its price point, this can be a good value. 87-89 points.

2004 Chateau Lynch-Bages
Smooth and elegant, this has a round, caressing texture. It finishes with surprising grip, considering how easy the first attack was. There is not much depth or real distinction, but it should evolve well and drink well. 88-90 points.

2004 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron
Simply lovely, this elegant wine has both focus and charm. It is impeccably balanced, and the flavors are quite tasty. Its depth is a bit on the light side for its status, but it is certainly attractive. 90-92 points.

2004 Chateau Pontet Canet
Full and bright, this is gripping and focused on the precise, lingering finish. This beautifully constructed wine has intensity and flavor, too. It's a winner from Pontet Canet that should hold well and develop with cellaring. 91-93 points.

2004 Chateau Lafon-Rochet
Elegant in the mid-palate and bright on the finish, this has an easy charm to it that should make it popular and attractive. It does seem a bit underwhelming in mid-palate depth, and likely to be on the early maturing side. 87-89 points.

2004 Chateau Phélan-Ségur
Smooth and friendly, this finishes with a little welcome brightness. It is,  however, streaked with green and fades a bit too quickly. I think this will be pleasant enough as an early maturing wine, but it provides relatively distinction. 84-86 points.

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Burgundy (except dessert/sparkling)

1992 Meursault-Perrières (Comtes Lafon)
This seems fully mature, but hardly dying. In fact, it has grip on the finish, with lingers, projecting hazelnut nuances and lees, with a touch of truffles. It is bright also, and nicely balanced. With air, the lushness diminishes, and the brightness takes over. I would not hold these too much longer for best results. 90 points.

1995 Savigny-les-Beaune "Les Marconnets" (Simon Bize)
In its youth, this wine often struck me as unbalanced, the acidity overwhelming the fruit. It seems to have come into balance now, although the fruit is on the mature side, showing tertiary notes, a touch of forest floor. It does have a certain elegance and charm that I rather liked, but it lacked intensity and was not quite as fresh as I might've wished. There were fruit flavors, still. 87 points.

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California/USA (except dessert/sparkling)
1995 Pinot Noir (Beaux Freres)
I didn't think this would be a long ager, but it is showing quite well. Admittedly, this was served from magnum. It seemed fresh, with a sweet finish, graceful and rather elegant. The mid-palate has thinned, and I don't think the wine is going anyplace from here, so it would be a good time to drink up. Charming and gentle, its finish may be a bit modest, but it is clean and tasty, showing fruit that is still fresh. 88 points.

1996 Pinot Noir "Olivet Lane" (Williams Selyem)
This is in a very good place now, drinking perfectly, still showing some liveliness, but not likely to improve. There are classic Pinot notes, turning to strawberry with evolution and air. The mid-palate is elegant. The modest intensity it shows on opening fades with air. This is quite elegant, still flavorful and showing very well. Drink up. 89 points.

1999 Zinfandel "Howell Mountain" (Outpost)
This is a perfect place to drink now. It evolves nicely in the glass, becoming relatively gentle, with lovely bursts of red berry fruit. It seems beautifully balanced and quite elegant. As it passes through several stages, it shows some aggressiveness only in the middle moments. I do not think it will improve further, and given how beautifully it shows now, this is a good time to pop 'em if you are holding them. 90 points.

1997 Cabernet Sauvignon "Eisele Vineyard" (Araujo)
With every passing year this wine, which seemed so awkward in its youth, shows better and better. It is in a beautiful place now, and probably this is the best showing of it I have seen. It opens sappy but with focus, and then expands in the air and in your mouth. It washes over your palate, providing a velvety coating and showing rich fruit and delectable sweetness on the finish. It maintains focus throughout. It holds brilliantly throughout the evening. Although by the end of the evening it is fully open and no longer improving, this wine demonstrates that it has not quite peaked--although it is close--and has plenty of life ahead. 96 points.
 

1994 Cabernet Sauvignon "Eisele Vineyard" (Araujo)
The 1994 is a wine that has also improved dramatically with age, although unlike the 1997 sibling, above, this seems to have peaked and is fully ready. It opens with some grip and subtle power, sweet on the back end, but integrating its parts quickly. With air it becomes gentle and harmonious. While it improved very much for a while, by the end of the evening, I though it had declined just a bit. Still, this is a wonderful wine. 94 points.

1999 Pinot Noir "Windsor Gardens Méthode à l'Ancienne" (Merry Edwards)

This needs about fifteen minutes of wake-up time, at which point it is raring to go and seems to be fully ready to drink. There are nice cherry nuances, and the wine seems elegant and carefully crafted. With air, some gamey nuances pop up as well. This has little intensity left, but a certain brightness. It is drinking beautifully now, and I do not think it should be held much longer. 88 points.

2004 Pinot Noir "Rosella's Vineyard" (Loring Wine Company)
In my first look at this since having tasted it from barrel, I find a lot of good things here, but also some issues. This Pinot often struck me as lovely, yet I was conflicted about it. It seems to drink as well now as it ever will. It is soft and seductive, fragrant and showing typical Pinot nuances, but tending a bit more to strawberry than raspberry, perhaps a touch too ripe. There is little intensity, and the main impression once past the fruit, however, is alcohol, which shows a bit too much on the finish. There are many good things going on here, but better structure and more balance would make this a big winner. I came back to it a few hours later, and it was already cracking up, the alcohol more prominent, and not much left to recommend it. That is not a very good performance for a three (barely) year old Pinot. 87 points.

2001 Zinfandel "Dusi" (Ridge)
Some air helped this simple wine, but it remained, at the end, a wine that showed some heat, and lots and lots of sweet oak. It has little intensity, and the structure is correspondingly modest. This one-dimensional wine is best viewed as a simple quaffer, but the problem is that it is more in the $20+ range than the $12 range, which makes it a disappointment and bad QPR.  85 points.

1998 Pinot Noir "Rochioli Riverblock" (Williams Selyem)
In a so-so vintage, this is quite a revelation. Fruity and delectable, with good acid cutting through the fruit on the back end, this is mouth coating, seductively textured and just plain delicious, nuanced with cherries. It is rather pulpy and sappy, too. As such, it seems so young that it is hard to believe it is already nine years old. 94 points.

2001 Pinot Noir "Russian River" (Dehlinger)
There is some richness here, but it seems restrained, having been drunk right after the Williams Selyem. It is focused and elegant, and delivers plenty of classic flavors along the way. Lively around the edges, it shows some earthiness ultimately with air. It is perfect to drink now. 90 points.

2000 Pinot Noir "Octagon" (Dehlinger)
Rich and fruity, this friendly puppy is incredibly forward and deliciously sweet, sappy and youthful in the mid-palate. In the context of this vintage, this is a super performance. As with the '98 Williams Selyem on this page, above, it also seems remarkably young, hardly more than a new release. I loved the seductive texture, too. If there was a flaw, it was that some harshness and perhaps some herbal notes began to show on the finish with more air, but this is more a quibble than a biting criticism. 92 points.

2005 Pinot Noir "Cork Dancer 5.1" (Hitching Post)
Bright and intense, with a very sweet note in the mid-palate, this shows lively and well, with acid cutting the sappy fruit on the finish. This could use a little time to settle down, but it shows surprisingly well in some respects now. 88 points.
 

2005 Pinot Noir "Rebel - Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard" (Dain)
Soft and sensuous, this seems quite appealing, just a little flat at first. It enlivens with air, and projects lovely cherry notes and light tannins. It is suave and seductive, but not particularly complex or ageworthy. Its development is limited and I suspect that there will be little upside to extended cellaring. It should drink well for a few years, but it already seems quite approachable. 89 points.

2005 Pinot Noir "Savage Juliet - Hein Vineyard" (Dain)

The Savage Juliet is a more backward, harder wine than the Rebel, above. It is more focused, and more Burgundian, too. It shows tight, with velvet around the edges, only gradually opening. I liked the structure on this wine, but the fruit was far more seductive on the Rebel, and there was a certain eccentric note on the finish. Two or three years in the cellar may help this a lot. 88+ points.

2005 Syrah "Sojourn - Las Madres" (Dain)
Here's a California Syrah--and there aren't many--with that Northern Rhone bacon fat nuance, and hints of game. It is round, with intensity on the end, but its nose and flavor nuances would most likely make it fun as a Rhone Ringer. There is 5% Petite Sirah in this bottling. This is a nicely constructed wine that I will be interested to see again in a couple of years as its parts knit together.  89 points.

2005 Syrah "The Smart Set - White Hawk" (Dain)
This greets you with tingly tannins, despite having been opened for a couple of hours before we got to it.  It does not, on the surface, have as much character and personality as the Sojourn, above, but it is livelier and may need a little more time in the cellar comparatively. Its flavors are relatively muted at the moment. 88 points.

2001 Syrah "Roll Ranch" (Ojai)
This is beautifully structured, opening intense and powerful, with fine focus, and brightness around the edges. It is beautifully balanced, and its backbone promises that it can hold and evolve well. There is velvet here, and that iron fist lurking underneath. This is approachable but not quite ready to drink. 93 points.

2004 Syrah "Sonoma Coast Estate" (Failla)
Elegant and graceful, this has impeccable balance, and a nice finish. It is bright around the edges, charming and simply a pleasure to drink. It could use another year or two of cellaring, but it already seems rather gorgeous. 92 points.

2004 Syrah "Rosella's Vineyard" (Roar)
This is one of those go-for-brokers, rich, a touch flamboyant and full bodied. The first impressions are more impressive than the final ones, though. The wine fades a bit on the finish after significant air, and the alcohol becomes a bit noticeable. Still, this is certainly fun and a wine that can provide a lot of fun. 90 points.

2005 Syrah "Cuvée Christine" (Pax)
This is a blockbuster in terms of its initial onslaught, its grip, acidity and finish. However, it doesn't take long to find out that this is a wine that actually has a lot of elegance, a graceful mid-palate, and nice balance. There are hints of bacon fat, and brightness on the edges. It evolves beautifully, and I liked it more as it aired out. I did not have a lot of time with this. It has the potential for improvement. 92+ points.

2004 Syrah "Slacker" (Linne Calodo)
Can't say this is my favorite winery--too often their wines seem hot and a bit clumsy to me. This is actually a bit better than some. It is very sweet, but finishes harsh. It seems disjointed and never becomes terribly charming to drink. I think the alcohol is always a bit too noticeable on this wine, but not to the point of destroying it. It has its moments and the fruit is sometimes quite tasty. 86 points.

2003 Syrah "Rim Rock Vineyard" (L'Aventure--Stephan Vineyards)

Sweet fruit attacks the palate, and there is a bit of oak around the edges. The dominant impression, though, is just waves of flavor, making this wine very sexy and very delectable. My only question was where the structure was, and I was pleased to see some intensity develop with a little more air to support that lovely fruit. I have not had this wine before, but this was a pretty nice showing. 90 points.

Pleiades "V - Old Vines (Sean Thackrey)
Bottled in 1996, this has held pretty well for a wine that cost less than $15 on release, but it is showing some age. I have had very good with Thackreys aging. This shows earthy notes, a lighter but still respectable and elegant mid-palate, and an air of maturity and tertiary nuances. It is still well worth drinking, although it perhaps suffered a bit being stuck in with a bunch of young, powerful Syrahs. 85 points.

1987 Pinot Noir "Jensen Vineyard" (Calera)
This wine, from Calera's glory days, has held rather well, as Calera's wines tend to do. My last note of a couple of years ago is very similar, but this bottle showed even a little better. Since it is my last, it's worth another note. It was very impressive on opening,  showing sweet, maturing but vibrant fruit, and seeming very flavorful still. I loved the cherry nuances.  It still had decent body and depth, and hardly seemed like an 20 year old pinot. There was still some grip on the finish, which was respectably long and lingering. It is impeccably balanced, all the components integrated. The fruit has thinned, certainly, with age, but it is has held very well and shows nice earthy notes, too. 93 points.

2004 Chardonnay "Reuling Vineyard" (Aubert)
Buttery and rich, this has a round, sensual texture, and some power.  There are some stones on the end, but they are hard to find at the moment given the vanilla and butter. A couple of years in the cellar could greatly improve this concentrated, rich Chard. I loved the texture. This was served from magnum. 93 points.

2004 Pinot Noir "Rosella's Vineyard" (Roar)
This projects lots of flavor, and provides an elegant mid-palate. I liked the red berry notes in the mid-palate. It finished, actually, a little earthy, perhaps as a result of some funk on the nose, which I attributed to reductive aromas. Several people noted the issue when this was opened, and it did mar the wine somewhat, never quite blowing off.  There were still many other things here to like.  The wine seems to provide balance as well as some complexity. 90 points.

2002 Pinot Noir "Cuvée Catherine" (Kistler)
Having had some big bruiser Catherines in the past, I was surprised at the balance and relative elegance of this young Pinot. Oh, it is plenty dark, and throws off persistent flavors. It is a fruity wine, and makes no apologies for it, nor should it. But there is good acidity, some elegance in the mid-palate weight, and restrained use of oak. Overall, this is a wine that pulls its parts together beautifully, while not sacrificing flavor. It is poised and persistent. It seems to drink quite well now. The tannins are light. 95 points.

2002 Chardonnay "Ritchie Vineyard" (Aubert)
There are some oak and lees notes on opening, but this is a beautifully balanced Chardonnay overall that shows some minerality as well, with good acidity. It is focused and flavorful, and provides a lingering, persistent finish. Its parts integrate beautifully with air. This is a class act all the way. 94 points.

2002 Chardonnay "Dutton Ranch" (Kistler)
There is some oak and petrol on opening, but this smooths out and comes together very quickly. It is a charming and flavorful Chardonnay, but it does finish a touch short. Its gentle charm makes up for a lot, though. 90 points.

2001 Chardonnay "Cuvée Cathleen" (Kistler)
As with the '02 Catherine Pinot Noir, this surprised me for its elegance, given that it has often been big and oaky. The purity of fruit here was remarkable, as this wine projected pristine Chardonnay flavors. It had a certain Burgundian feel, more minerals and steel than oak, with acid on the lovely finish. This is a treat. 95 points.

2000 Zinfandel "Atlas Peak Mead Ranch" (Turley)
Not the best vintage in California Zinfandel, this 2000 nonetheless delivers. It is drinking beautifully at the moment, showing bursts of red berry fruit, an elegant mid-palate and good balance. It becomes a bit more intense with air, but its parts integrate beautifully, too. I enjoyed every sip of this. 90 points.

1999 Zinfandel "Nervo Late Picked" (Ridge)
As with most of Ridge's late picked Zins, this actually has a bit of residual sugar on it. However, the Nervo, for some reason, always seems among the best balanced of that group, which is true in 1999 as well. It is a touch sweet on the end, but it airs out beautifully and shows fine balance. It never overwhelms, but never vanishes or seems insipid, either. It is a very fine effort that is utterly charming. 91 points.

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Dessert/Sparkling
2001 Sauternes (Chateau La Tour Blanche)
This wine seemed awkward to me, perhaps entering an odd stage. Dominated by oak and vanilla, it was hard to find the fruit and the wine was curiously closed and austere otherwise. There's nothing particularly wrong with this; it is just tight at the moment. Come back in a few years. Things will change, but it can't do better than 92 points today. Then, just a couple of weeks later I had a bottle that seemed open and luscious. Call it 95 points.

1992 Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese "Ungsteiner Bettelhaus" (Kurt Darting)
A bit past prime, this shows apricots and some liveliness. It is not particularly unctuous and the apricots have a bit of dried-out feel. This is still worth drinking, but was rather underwhelming at this moment. 88 points.

1997 Sparkling Wine (Lamoreaux Landing) QPR Winner
This Finger Lakes sparkler has held beautifully. Nearly at age 10, it shows a clean, fruity finish, with nice acidity and a touch of toast. Its concession to age is a little thinning from when I had it first (2001). It is a bit light but graceful and flavorful. I held a bottle, too long I feared, but this repaid the gamble. 88 points.

1977 Port (Fonseca)
Despite having been open for fourteen hours (and double decanted for another five) before being tasted, this had a pungent, sweet nose, redolent of chocolate, which nuance followed through onto the palate. It was soft in the middle, with some grip on the end, nicely textured and simply delicious. It has always been a rich, sexy Port and it retains that aspect here. Simply lovely. 96 points. 

1990 Sauternes (Chateau Rieussec)
Ripe and rich on opening, this is tinged with apricots and quite delicious. It rounds into form and its parts integrate quickly, as it loses its flamboyance and settles into its routine. It shows very well, and is still lively and youthful. 91 points.

1990 White Riesling Late Harvest (Greenwood Ridge)
When this first opened, it had that dried apricot, touch-of-tea aspect to it that made me think there was nothing left but a load of sugar. It was dark amber in color. It surprised me with some aeration, although clearly the fruit is a long way from how it shows young. Holding these wines this long requires some palate adjustment and it can be an acquired taste. This nonetheless shows pretty well. Its dominant impression is certainly waves of sugar. It is very, very sweet. But there is acidity there as well, and as it aired out it actually became rather lively, and somewhat mouthwatering. In some senses this is an over-the-hill wine, but I liked it quite a bit anyway. It may not be what it was, or even what it was intended to be any more, but it is pretty tasty. 89 points.

NV Cava Brut "Vinya 16 Propia" (Castel Roig)
There's a little toast and some acid on the finish that makes this a bit piercing at first. It warms up nicely, though, and eventually shows some decent fruit on the end. It is simple and ordinary, but has its moments. 85 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau Coutet)
This is 75% Semillon, and the rest Sauvignon Blanc but for a tiny dollop of Muscadelle (2%). It is very sweet, rich and absolutely delicious. There is some noticeable oak around the edges, but also some brightness cutting through the thick fruit. It is big and luscious. I really liked this. 92-94 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau de Fargues)
If the Coutet, above, was rich and thick, this seemed to turn up the hedonism notch one more crank. Sweet and lush, laced with pure apricot notes to die for, this dense, concentrated de Fargues just made me drool, because it was so succulent. I'm not sure to what extent it will make old bones, but it is simply delicious. It may well shut down, but there is going to be a time--like now--when it can be profitably drunk young. 93-95 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau Doisy-Daëne)
This is usually one of the better values in Sauternes, and that is certainly true this year. It is very focused, nuanced with apricots, and tightly wound. It is more compact than some of the bigger wines, but very pleasing. 89-91 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau Guiraud)
Focused, and rather restrained, this shows fine acidity and a gripping finish. It is lovely and graceful, but a bit closed. The flavors have trouble poking through. It is on the lighter side, but it will be bright and charming. 88-90 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau La Tour Blanche)
After the rather amazing 2003, this is a couple of steps back, much lighter, perhaps more typical. It is still quite delicious, though, showing lovely tropical fruits and finishing with grace and elegance. 89-91 points.

2004 Sauternes (Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey)
Bright and penetrating, this is nuanced with peaches and has a certain focus some of the lusher wines here do not. Its acidity makes it rather refreshing and drives home the peach flavors to the tongue with insistence. Very nice. 91-93 points.

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Germany (except dessert/sparkling)
2004 Riesling Kabinett (Schloss Johannisberg)
This historic estate, dating back to the 8th Century, with library wines going back to the 18th Century, is pricey. But the quality is there. This opened rather stolid and weighty--hardly a wine that you would think was a Kabinett given its depth and richness--but air caused a major transformation. It more or less exploded in the glass, expanding, taken on more flavor, and blossoming in general. It is a very interesting and very powerful Kabinett. 89 points.

1990 Riesling Auslese "Urziger Wurzgarten" (J.J. Christoffel)
As of my last taste of this, around five years back, the wine was simply an acid freak, so powerful and intense that it made people wonder if decanting it was a good idea. This taste shows the wine rounding into form, with the fruit asserting itself and the delicate sweetness cutting the edges of the acidity in that manner typical of great Mosel Rieslings, the acidity and sweetness mingling harmoniously and dissolving into an harmonious whole over your tongue. Beautifully structured and still a little intense, this shows some burnished tertiary notes around the edges, but it is still youthful. Impressive and dominating, this is also a wine that now tastes good and drinks well. 95 points.

1993 Riesling Spatlese "Winninger Uhlen" (Freiherr von Heddesdorff)
Pleasant, if a bit modest, this has some mature notes around the edges, some moderate sweetness and modest liveliness. It drinks nicely, but has little special about it, and seems fully ready. It is an average performance all around. 87 points.

2004 Riesling Spatlese "Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr" (Schloss Lieser)
Pleasant, but not particularly complex or intense, this has some obvious sweetness and a relaxed, easy feel. It is, of course, rather young and may yet go through some stages that reveal more. It seems a bit on the simple side. 87 points.

1993 Riesling Kabinett "Graacher Domprobst" (Willi Schaefer)

It wasn't the best vintage, and this is only a Kabinett (technically--I suspect it has to be a Spatlese in legal terms). Yet, this shows quite nicely, demonstrating not only its liveliness, but the capacity to improve with air. I thought on opening it was light and fading, but it showed intensity and picked itself up, seeming fresher as it aired out. There is a lot of grapefruit here, and the acidity is somewhat overshadowing the fruit. There might even be a touch of sourness on the finish. Still, this shows rather well and it drank well throughout the evening. 88 points.

1994 Riesling Spatlese "Abtsberg" (Maximin Grunhaus)
This feels fully mature, with light acid, but remarkable remaining sweetness, almost making me drool. There is not much intensity here, but the sweetness lacing over the palate as the wine warms up and airs out made this very tasty. For all of its good points, this is not the most distinguished or best structured Spat I've had from this house. 90 points.

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Loire (except dessert/sparkling)

2004 Pouilly-Fumé (Daguenau)

Crisp and much grassier than the Silex bottling in this vintage, whether or not you think that is a good thing, this wine is also lighter, and quite piercing. It is a more classic Loire in those respects, which might make it appealing to purists, but it lacks the distinction of the Silex in my view. Still, it is quite well made. 89 points.
 

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Rhone/South/Southwest France (except dessert/sparkling)
2001 Cabernet-Syrah Vin de Pays du Gard (Mas de Guiot) QPR Winner
This has been a fascinating value wine. When I first tried it, it seemed tart and acidic, and I was not impressed. A year later, it had rounded into form, and was fruity and lovely,dominated by the Cabernet notes. This time, the Cabernet nuances have receded, and the wine is very much Syrah, showing some of that bacon fat character typical of the Northern Rhone.  It is not a fruity wine now, although it drinks nicely. It is more a character wine of modest depth, although with a nice mouthfeel. When opened, there was that initial burst of acid, and I feared it was cracking up. Then, it rounded into form. It is very well done, and well priced. Its ability to go through various incarnations is impressive. 88 points.

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Spain (except dessert/sparkling)
2000 Coma Blanca (Mas d'en Gill)
The nose is mute, but this is rich with a lovely finish. There almost seemed to be a touch of botrytis on the wine, but it showed nice acid and fine balance. Based on this brief taste, I would say that I liked the 1999 of this somewhat better, but this shows quite nicely. 90 points.

2003 Alonso del Yerro Maria (Vinedos Alonso del Yerro)
Intense and gripping, showing fine focus, this sports some drying tannins at first, but comes around beautifully. Its elegance and precision, along with fine flavors, make this rather compelling. 93 points.

2001 Reserva (Heras Cordon)
There were many good things about this Rioja Reserva, including its seductive texture, and a rather flavorful finish. It is, however, drenched in sweet, vanilla-scented oak, and it was hard to get past that. I just can't deal with this style of Rioja any more. A little time saw some integration of the oak, but it remained rather pungent for as long as I had it. It made the wine seem a bit simple, for whatever other virtues it may have had. 87 points.

2001 "Tomas Esteban" (Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz)
This small production bottling is superb in this vintage. Pure and clean for the most part, it shows a touch of oak on the finish, but also some delectable fruit. It is bright, precise and intense, with a tightly wound core of fruit. Its mid-palate is on the elegant side. It is very nice, although looking back on my notes for the suggested price point of earlier vintages, a triple digit price may not make it a particularly good value. 93 points.

2003 Aalto PS
This opened rather mute, showing little but oak. The oak was not the whole story here, however. With every passing moment, the wine expanded, became more intense, took on more weight and showed more character. Despite double decanting, this was a wine that demonstrated that it was not quite approachable and needs some cellar time. It remained a bit oaky, but cellaring will take care of most of that. This has a lot of potential, as yet unrealized. 94+ points.

1991 Seleccion Especial (Mauro)
In a night of mostly young wines, we finally had something with a little age on it, and this showed quite well. The maturity was welcome at this point. It was big, but balanced, with some oak on the edges, but also fine purity of fruit poking through. I loved this wine's focus, and the touches of leather and earth in the background. While not the most profound wine encountered on the night, its maturity granted it a note or two of complexity that the others did not have. 92 points.

2003 Numanthia
Big and bold, this delivered waves of sweet fruit. It seemed wonderful and open. With some air, the structure popped up, and there were moments when the finish began to seem a bit harsh. I went back to it at the end of the evening, and saw its parts integrating again, making a delicious wine, with a lingering finish and caressing texture.  95 points.

2003 Tinto "Seleccio Vi Negre"(Arret) QPR Winner
I have had mixed reactions to this inexpensive wine (around $10). Originally, I liked it quite a lot. A second taste seemed almost candied, a bit on the carbonic maceration side of style, if it was in fact not vinified that way. Now that the dust has settled, this is a good time to reevaluate this. The wine, a blend of grenache, cabernet sauvignon and carignan, retains a somewhat odd, candied note on the finish that I didn't particularly care for. I held it open a good long while, and I was surprised to see that it actually developed a little more character. It actually expanded in the glass. It retained a bit of a that candied note--it isn't going away--and it hardly seemed profound, but there did come a moment, after an hour's air or so, when I found myself liking this again. It won't be to everyone's taste, but note that a lot of $10 wines don't react well to an hour's worth of aeration, and this held well to Day 2, as well. 85 points.

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