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