98 Vietti Barolo Rocche

1998 Vietti Barolo Rocche;
Ruby with brick rim. Starting out with cooked plums, and massive licorice, felt tired and old. I still desided to try to decant it, and it pulled together. Tar, licorice, ripe and heavy nose, just a touch of VA, some violet hig-notes. Fairly fresh acidity but low for Barolo, tannins feel ripe and polished, lots of licorice on the palate, good length, but disappointing. 90, barely

Madeira of the week 9: 1983 ABSL Verdelho

‎1983 Artur de Barros e Sousa Verdelho (Madeira)
Yes, this is a young Madeira. But the Olim brothers who run the family company ABSL makes some of the most elegant, nuanced, fruity and splendid of all Madeiras. Production rarely exceeds 3000 bottles a year, everything hand made, everything in canteiros, meaning heated by air in old lofts. Where can you by it? Normally only at their very old fashioned shop in Funchal. Fantastic! Very pale amber, dried apricots, raisins, bananas, vanilla (and it cannot be from the vastly old barrels....) fantastic layers and complexity. Fresh and high acidity, again nuanced feel, refreshing, lively, intense and still manages to be refreshing, long. 93

06 Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg EG

2006 Robert Weil, Kiedricher Gräfenberg Erstes Gewächs;
Pale gold, citrus, apples, touch of grapefruit. High acidity, apple peal, some tropical notes, gives more on the palate than on the nose, ripe feel, and ripe for a EG, more forgiving, not as tight, difficult to differentiate if it is the (light) residual sugar or the fruity flavours that give it such a nice balance, long. 92

1996 Latour Martillac

Vegard Heggem is sceptical, but bottle was emptied

1996 Château Latour Martillac;
(Served blind) Golden, ripe, mature nose, apricots, orange, minerals, almost petroleum. Fresh acidity, elegant playfullness, citrus, minerally palate and finish, more youthful than the nose as well, long, but drink soon. 93

1978 La Lagune

1978 Château La Lagune;
Bottom neck fill, ruby with garnet rim. Fairly intens nose for a 78, and more intense than the last bottle just a few weeks back. Licorice, plums, figs, leather, minerals and grilled peppers. Fresh acidity, tannins almost gone, they just make a curtain, a theatrical backdrop to the stage of flavours, very elegant, nice balance, some fruit lingers on the finish. 90

09 Closson Chase

2009 Closson Chase, Closson Chase Vineyards, Prince Edward County;
Pale lemon yellow, slight spritz, heavy nose, popcorn, smoke, butter, faint hint of citrus. Medium acidity, heavy body as well, alcohol burn on the finish. 85

1966 Latour

1966 Château Latour;
Mid shoulder fill, and wine was totally Maderized.

1966 Mouton Rothschild

1966 Château Mouton Rothschild;
Base neck fill. Ruby with garnet rim. Some cassis, leather, figs, prunes, maturing nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant and fruitdriven, but not telling quite the nice story some of these bottles can tell, fairly long. 92

1966 Léoville Las Cases

1966 Château Léoville Las Cases;
In the neck fill. Ruby with thin brick rim. Some dark and deep notes of fruit, plums, figs and thats it. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant texture, fairly long finish. I have had more open and layered bottles. 88

66 Léoville Barton

1966 Château Léoville Barton;
I.E.C Wine Society bottle. In the neck fill, ruby with brick rim. Redcurrant's, cassis and leather on the nose, more fruit driven than the Lascombes. Fresh acidity, mouthwatering feel to it, lean body, ripe and few tannins, a bit tight finish, tight in a way that feels right for this wine. 90

1966 Lascombes

1966 Château Lascombes;
Bottom neck fill, ruby with brick rim. Mature nose, slightly funky, leather, cassis, figs and prunes. A bit lean, some metal dust. Fresh acidity, ripe and few tannins, good length. 86

Madeira of the week 8: 1875 Barbeito Malvazia

1875 Barbeito Malvazia;
Golden with orange hue, absolutely seductive nose, amazing layers, bananas, flowers and fruits, dried and fresh, with raisins and nuts, subtle and elegant. Playful acidity, gorgeous balance, almost transparent texture, amazing length. 97

2003 Sassicaia

2003 Sassicaia;
Deep ruby, garnet rim. Coffee, leather, rich of plums and cassis, mint. Layered nose. Fresh acidity, but really couldn't be lower either for the ripe fruit on this one, or for the body, ripe tannins, good length. On the verge.... 92

1985 Champagne Charlie

1985 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie;
Pale golden, apples, thight and shut, some brioch with air. Elegant mousse, fresh acidity, lively feel, not too complex, but such elegance, lemony, and lasts and lasts, and such youth still.... 93

85 De Venogue Brut

1985 De Venogue Vintage Brut;
Pale golden, tiny bubbles. Lot's of brioch, yeast, some burnt aromas, quite full nose. Fresh acidity, elegant if a bit lazy mousse. Fairly rich, acidic and oxidized apple on the palate, fresher and younger feel, good length. 90

2000 Vega-Sicilia Unico

2000 Vega-Sicilia Unico;
Ruby. Leather, cassis, anise, blueberries, layered, refined and complex and feels more open right now than both the 98 and 99. Lively acidity, ripe tannins, gorgeous texture and structure, perfect balance, very long. 94-95

99 Ornellaia

1999 Ornellaia;
Deep ruby, bright garnet rim. Cassis, peppers, black pepper, ripe morellos, perfumed. Fresh acidity, sweeter fruits and somewhat fuller texture, lots of coffee on the palate, long finish. With air, even fruitier, but also gaining in elegance. 93

96 Comtesse de Lalande

1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande;
Ruby with garnet rim. Seductive nose, some herbs, leather, fine tobacco, cassis, perfumed, complex and layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, starting to evolve, superb and elegant, very long. 95

1985 Biondi-Santi Riserva

1985 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva;
Bright ruby, garnet rim. Redcurrant's, cherries, closed, leather, minerals, seductive nose, layered, complex. High acidity, high of ripe tannins, mouthwatering, superb texture, better than my last bottle, long but not too intense finish. 94

01 Tignanello

2001 Antinori Tignanello;
Ruby with garnet rim. Tobacco, cassis, leather, some herbal notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fairly intense, long. 89

06 Vall Llach

2006 Vall Llach;
Deep ruby, intense, massive nose, coffee, leather, dark fruits. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, more well behaved on the palate, one of the more "elegant"Priorat's of late, and fresh enough to drink. 92

05 Valdicava Madonna del Piano

2005 Tenuta Valdicava Madonna del Piano Brunello di Montalcino;
Ruby, cherries and cherry-stones, some vanilla and oak, leafy notes and a touch of Earl Grey. Fresh acidity, high of ripe tannins, balanced, good length. 90

07 Ramonet PM Les Enseigneres

2007 Ramonet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Enseigneres;
Pale straw yellow. Extremelly closed, one of the most closed noses ever. Started to open after four hours in the decanter, but then it was finished. Some lemon and minerals, clinging to a tiny piece of butter. Fresh acidity, some smoky notes on the palate, again lime, lemon and quite intense minerals, mixed with a touch of popcorn and burnt butter, and browning (burnt) oak. Long length. 91 for now.

06 Valandraud

2006 Château Valandraud;
Deep ruby, huge nose for Bordeaux, ripe, blueberries, still feels tighter and fresher than most Valandraud's I've tasted. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, balanced, some coffee in the finish, long. 93

07 Two Hands Ares

2007 Two Hands, Ares Adelaide Shiraz;
Towards black, massive, ripe, on the verge of extracted. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, huge thing, whit alcohol sweetening on the top of it all. Numbing to the palate. 87

07 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri

2007 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri;
Deep ruby, cherries, morellos, cherry-stones, leather and anise on the nose. Fresh and fairly high acidity, ripe tannins, elegant fruit, long length. 92

09 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port

2009 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port;
Dark ruby, purple rim. Intense of dark fruits and chocolate. Fresh acidity, complex and heavy now, needs time, good length. 92

2000 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

2000 Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne BdB;
Pale straw yellow, tiny bubbles. Very closed nose, beautiful mousse and acidity, feels rounded and way more youthfull than a Cristal a few weeks back, closed and almost austere now, needs a few years to settle it seems. 93

07 Suduiraut

2007 Château Suduiraut;
Golden, peach, apricots, tropical, some berries and beeswax. Fresh and beautiful acidity, elegant, but this bottle had a vague hint of some slightly bitter touches in the end. 93

02 Roederer Rosé

2002 Roederer Vintage Brut Rosé;
Pale pinkish orange, tiny bubbles. Again this narrow feel, and narrow for a rosé, just a whiff of some berries. Elegant acidity, tender and elegant texture, a bit short. 89

02 Roederer

2002 Roederer Vintage Brut;
Pale lemon yellow, tiny bubbles. Kind of narrow, but very refined nose, has a nice nerve to it. Elegant acidity and mousse, nuanced, layered, seductive, Cristal light, very long, if a bit tender feel to it. 93

1963 Ferreira Vintage Port

1963 Ferreira Vintage Port;
Deep garnet, garnet rim. Sediments. Red berries, anise, leather, hint of spices. Fuller body than Fonseca's, fresh acidity, lively, elegant, long, younger feel to it as well, but not as complex, nuanced and layered. This was a slightly above average bottle. 93

1963 Fonseca's Vintage Port

LW opening the 63

1963 Fonseca's Vintage Port;
Garnet, brick rim. Astonishing nose, so layered and nuanced, complex, floral, all sorts of berries and cakes, like entering a patisserie, a spice shop, and a regular bakery at once. Superb! Fairly sweet attack, superb acidity, coffee, mocca, dark chocolate, very long indeed, my second bottle, very similar from the last, this one slightly more nuanced. 96

2007 Foreign Affair Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine

2007 Foreign Affair, Bella Niagara Peninsula Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine;
Bright ruby, garnet rim, prunes, cooked strawberries, figs. Good acidity, a bit short and flat, light feel to it. 85

Madeira of the week 7: 1890 D'Oliveiras Verdelho

1890 D'Oliveiras Verdelho;
Amber with orange rim. Almost floral nose, tender, caressing, citrus, lovely nose. High and lively acidity, very refreshing, nuanced and layered. A bit more secretive style, mouthwatering, very elegant, sublime texture, stunning wine. 97

Madeira of the week 6: 1900 D'Oliveiras Malvazia

1900 D'Oliveiras Malvazia;
Deep amber, thin, gold rim. Intense, layered, massive complexity, lost for words. Rich, massive intensity, waves of flavours, dense texture, superb balance, briliant acidity, (shines like a diamond, even if I'm not sure if you can actually say briliant acidity). So playful and refined, stunning and incredible length. WOW. 99-100

1978 La Lagune

1978 Château La Lagune;
Into neck fill, ruby, brick rim, lots of sediments. Leather, fresh dirt, prunes, sweet tobacco. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, just on the verge of being too old this bottle, no signs of iodine or drying tannins, but just. The 79 a few months back was fresher and younger. 84

2000 DRC GE

2000 Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Grands Échézeaux;
Bright, pale ruby, almost free of sediments, evoking nose of red berries, redcurrant's, raspberries, wild strawberries, spices, a touch of vanilla, a whiff of forest floor, one of those noses you would wan't to smell for ever. Fresh and fairly high acidity, tannins ripe and not to eager, palate is fresh but meager compared to the nose, seems to gain another dimention after about thirty minutes, for my palate at peak now, and I cannot imagine this to become any better.... 92

1982 Canon-la-Gaffeliére

1982 Château Canon-la-Gaffeliére;
Fill in neck, ruby with thin brisk rim, some sediments in the last glass poured. A descreet nose of sweet tobacco, plums, blueberries, leather and chocolate. Medium acidity, fairly fresh feel, mature, at paek or slightly degrading, balanced and quite elegant, good length. 88

1962 Canon-La-Gaffeliére

1962 Château Canon-La-Gaffeliére;
Top shoulder fill, dead as a Dodo.....

Spritzy 02 Musar

2002 Château Musar;
Ruby. cherries, anise, stone fruit, slightly on the sour side, some VA. Fresh acidity, some spritz, the glass needs to stand for about fifteen minutes to loose it, shaking the bottle gives a pressure, so a slight refermentation or something has occured in the bottle. But after the spritz has gone, it's a typical, and lovely Musar. I haven't encountered this in the 02 before, but it's been a while since my last bottle. Without the spritz. 89

1979 Biondi-Santi

1979 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino;
Bottle # 33845. In the neck fill, ruby with brick rim, deeper and not as brilliant as normal for Biondi, or this vintage. Leather, figs, anise, morellos, lacks the purity and transparency of ea perfect bottle. High acidity, leanish body, sour cherry stones and licorice, good length. A good, but not great bottle. 86

1971 Biondi-Santi

1971 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalciono;
Bottle #14060. Top shoulder fill, Maderized.