Warren's. Taut and somewhat reserved at this point, but the refinement is obvious. I need to buy some. Also need to urge Warren to buy the Lenny Kravitz Special Edition.
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Chardonnay
Erik's. Don't just like it, LOVE it. Has really developed since my last taste of it in Jan '17. More glycerine-texture, more forward on flavor with baking spices showing, mouth-filling. Exceptional.
1989 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Brut Alexander Valley Chardonnay
Gabe's. Oxidated--mild enough that some soldiered thru it but well over my limit.
2013 Fanny Sabre Meursault 1er Cru Charmes Chardonnay
Warren's. Pale, expressive, though somewhat reserved for Meursault and absent the underripe pineapple and white rock minerality I usually associate with this appellation.
1992 Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa
Had one of these last June. Noted at the time: "complex, with excellent balance and acidity. And get this: it had been passively stored for at least the last ten years of its life, no idea before that. The owner wasn't into wine at all. An amazing, apparently immortal wine." Well this bottle from the same stash, with a good cork, was just the opposite. Pretty rankly oxidated. Would not normally click 'Flawed' on an old Cal chard--you'd expect it to be OTH--but knowing that other great recent bottle have to do it.
2008 Mount Eden Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Pox comes to America? Oxidized. I had an 07 a few months ago that was in fine shape, so age isn't the issue here.
2008 Château Lafont Menaut Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sauvignon Blanc
Tim's. A nice aged white Bordeaux showing its semillon side a bit too aggressively right now with oregano and Lemon Pledge over mild citrus.
1959 Château de Sales Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend
Warren's. Classic old-old Bordeaux: dried plum and cherry, old leather, potpourri, black tea. Still has some tannins! Outstanding (because any non-1st Growth that survives 59 years is technically outstanding--I make no comparisons.)
1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Syrah
Mine. I know of no nose more captivating than a maturing Chave Hermitage: black cherry, black olive, graphite, charcoal and rare prime rib all combine to a heady, hypnotic blend. This bottle had all that, and it's still on its way up.
2009 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Bordeauxish complexity with the overt, sweet fruit of a warm Washington vintage. 15.2% alcohol--OUCH.
2018 Grosgrain Vineyards Grenache Los Rocosos Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
Doran's, and a new winery to me. Light vivid red color with strawberries, biscuits, red currants, and a very faint hint of something herbal. Frappato was the unanimous guess at the table--looked and tasted just like it. So interesting and tasty, just didn't resemble grenache as we know it. Young vines?
2000 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
This might have been the single vineyard Seven Hills, but I'm not sure. Definitely a surprise to the group as most of us know Januik to favor big oak and this wine didn't show that, though it had smoky notes that reminded us more of syrah than cabernet. It has aged extremely well!
1959 Marziano Abbona Barolo Nebbiolo
Warren's. A sad bottle, OTH with flavors closer to Vietnamese fish sauce than wine.
1982 Hinzerling Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Yakima Valley
Holy cow. This might be Washington Commercial Winery #1, and if it wasn't in 1982 then it had to be #2. There was NOTHING here then. Anyway, this wine was full tertiary with notes of smoked paprika, dried chiles and dill. Thanks Erik, it was an honor to taste this piece of Washington history.
2009 Marco Real Reserva de Familia Navarra Tempranillo
Vic's (hand-carried back from Spain). New worldish, or least very international with lots of oak. Decent structure but probably better suited to drink than hold. Didn't love it.
2014 Dillon Cellars Merlot Erratic Klipsun Vineyard Red Mountain
Another reminder that Miles was wrong about merlot. This showed the grape's characteristic sweet fruit that's somewhere between black currant and blueberry, along with some coffee and chocolate. Lively and balanced.
Very good.
1959 Bodegas Palacio Rioja Glorioso Rioja Tempranillo
Warren's. Just a little short of amazing, but excellent for a 60 year old wine from anywhere and actually recognizable as Rioja with notes of fruitcake and tea.
2002 Alder Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills
Tim's, from a winery that apparently folded. Too bad, this is excellent--great balance of fruit, acid and tannins, and it has some good secondary development and complexity. To the owner of the one bottle left in the CT universe: this easily has another ten years to go if stored properly.
2006 Quinta de Lemos Dão Dona Santana Touriga Nacional
No notes taken at the time, but I recall liking this. It was soft and easy but not lacking complexity, just right for current drinking.
2003 Lawrelin Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Doran's. Exceptional structure and acidity for a hot hot hot year like 2003 where overt ripeness and alcohol were almost unavoidable. Very good.
1959 Château Suduiraut Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Warren's. Bourbon color, with profound notes of honey, candied oranges, apricot and a dash of dark chocolate. Finish went on forever. Pretty incredible.
1927 Domaine Joseph Bory Muscat de Rivesaltes
Mine. Killer aromatics. Full of caramel, applesauce and burnt sugar notes with a light note of cloves and something bourbon-esque. The tiniest sip results in an aftertaste five minutes long. Immortal.