Well, considering the sheer number of major life events I've had this past year, I haven't done too bad a job of keeping up with posting notes. However, it's been easier to keep up with batches of notes from tastings and such, whereas individual wines or pairs of wines here and there simply fell through the cracks. So here are 9 awesome wines from the past year, several of them benchmarks in my wine drinking experience.
Clos du Mont-Olivets, La Cuvee du Papet, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007
Pure, medium-deep red. Awesome, rich, intense nose, with amazing fruit and nice depth. Cherry, blackberry, raspberry, red and black currants, tar, fig, and rocky mineral, with a hint of Provencial herbs on the finish. Abundant, chalky tannins hide beneath the awesome fruit. Amazing, intense, rich fruit, complimented by impressive depth and complexity. So fully constituted that it will be appreciated by both modernists and traditionalists. Approachable now with decanting, will last for 15 - 20 years from now. The greatest Chateauneuf I have had, and damn delicious too! ***** [3/19/11]
Vesevo, Aglianico, Beneventano 2005
From Campania. Captivating color: impenetrable ruby-black. Excellent, excellent nose: dark, aromatic, smokey, with tobacco and mineral. On the palate, dark, bitter cherry, blackberry, hint of blueberry, citrus-tomato acidity, roses, tobacco leaf, and tar/smokey mineral. Huge, dark, dense, very tannic, and with generous acidity. Only opened up completely after breathing for 4 hours on day two. This is a serious ager, with up to 20 years ahead of it. Wow! **** [6/5/11]
Chateau Musar, Blanc, Bekaa 2000
Some premature ullage: top shoulder, darkened color, and the cork was weak. Decanted 13 hours. The color is liquid gold. Citrus oil, apple juice, apricot, tropical fruits, nectar, vanilla, burnished/oxidized notes, smokey, boytritus funk, and mace. Long, long finish - a great finish. Somewhat like a mature Sauternes, especially on the nose. Intense body, wonderfully mouth-filling. Awesome! One of the greatest dry whites I've had. Needs another 10 years, and a pristine bottle probably has 20 - 30 years ahead of it. ***** [6/5/11]
Rudd, Chardonnay, Bacigalupi Vineyard, Russian River Valley 2003
Light golden yellow, very youthful. Excellent nose. Apricot, nectarine, pineapple/marmalade, orange blossom, beeswax/honey/hazelnuts, and nutmeg. I would almost swear this saw some boytritus! Full bodied, ripe but extremely elegant. Like a dry Sauternes. Best Chardonnay I've had that wasn't a 1er Cru Puligny. Up to 10 years ahead of it. **** [8/21/11]
Elki, Syrah, Elqui Valley 2006
An excellent Syrah nose of dark fruits, with an exotic whiff of apricot notes, and earth, reminiscent of a Northern Rhone. Then you take a sip, and oh my lord! Black cherry, blackberry, cassis - some of the most intense, palate penetrating flavors I've ever encountered - orange rind, apricot, smoked ham, with black earth and black pepper. Absolutely captivating, this is the same experience as a ripe Cote Rotie, though not quite as gamey. Amazing!!!!! 5 years ahead. **** [9/4/11]
Can Blau, Montsant 2009
Intense blackberry, tart cherry/currant, tobacco, tarry slate/mineral (like the licorella terroir of Priorat), tobacco leaf, and pepper. Intense, high-toned acidity. Great stuff! Mazuelo (Carignan), Garnacha, and Syrah. **** [10/8/11]
Chateau Puech-Haut, Prestige, Coteaux du Languedoc 2009
Dark purple. Dense, rich, but firm nose of dark fruit and barnyard. On the palate, black cherry, black raspberry (with blackberry emerging as it opens), currant, and barnyardish earth, with a hint of tobacco as it opens, and later, dried fig. Huge body, with astringent structure, in fact almost bitter on the finish until it opens a bit in the decanter. Rustic but balanced and elegant. Best Languedoc I've had, both impressive and pleasurable. Needs a few years to soften, has 10 years ahead of it. The label leaves it a bit ambiguous as to whether this is AOC or not. **** [11/13/11]
Domaine Huet, Le Haut Lieu, Sec, Vouvray 2009
Tasted twice on the same day, first the last glass from a bottle that had been open for several days, then later from a fresh bottle. The fresh bottle showed an excellent, rich nose, but with little fruit on the palate at first, and astringent structure; however, the balance improves dramatically with air. The well-breathed bottled showed ripe, creamy pineapple, pear, tart tangerine, and mineral; the balance is so exquisite that it can live for 30 - 40 years, and Huet's reputation suggests it could be even longer. The greatest Loire I've had. **** [12/12/11]
Charles Elner, Brut Prestige, Champagne 2000
Light golden with a strong hint of salmon - an impressive, rich color. Extraordinary nose: raw bread dough, red fruit, and orange rind. Similar on the palate, with a note of ripe apple, citrus rind, and stoney mineral. Medium-full bodied, rich but elegant, with unique character. A special Champagne experience. 10 - 15 more years. **** [12/12/11]