09 Bibi Graetz Testamatta and It's a Game

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2009 Bibi Graetz Testamatta:

Deep ruby. Layered and complex nose, scented, floral, cherries, blue and blackberries. Lovely nose. Elegant acidity, ripe tannins, layered and refreshing, long. 91

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3 times Vin Santo

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2005 Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio Vin Santo del Chianti Classico:
Amber brown. VA nose overshadowing nuts and raisins. Freshish acidity and maderized dried fruits. Browning apples and bananas. 84

2006 Cantagallo Millarium Vin Santo del Chianti Montalbano:
Amber with deep golden rim. Starting out with VA notes but blew off to more raisiny, nutty and caramelized notes. Dried apricots and honey. Freshish acidity, rounded, sweet and mellow. A bit short. 86

2004 I Veroni Vin Santo del Chianti Ruffina:
(only about 800 bottles made) Amber. Figs, raisins, almonds and dried fruits. Fresh acidity, soft, sweet and rounded texture, good length. 89

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2008 Brane- Cantenac

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2008 Château Brane-Cantenac:
Deep ruby. Flora notes behind elegant cassis, blueberries, vanilla and a faint hint of herbs. Quite intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant texture and structure. Quite elegant and mouthwatering and a very elegant 08. Lovely effort and a good length. Goes to show how much more on really gets from a wine when one sits down than from my last tasting of it at the IMW Annual Claret Tasting just a few weeks back. 93

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2009 Brane- Cantenac

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2009 Château Brane- Cantenac:
Deep ruby. Intense and scented nose, floral, some mint. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant fruit. Needs time to open and show, so decant it for a few hours. Layered and complex, superb length. Somewhat sweet fruity feel. 92

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2010 Brane-Cantenac

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2010 Château Brane- Cantenac;
Deep ruby, Fresh nose, fruity and floral, cassis, and up front now. Fresh acidity, and a lively feel, ripe tannin. The somewhat lean and rustic body and texture I found during primeur that was honed away in June last year, have now become layered, good length. 93+

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2011 Brane- Cantenac

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2011 Château Brane- Cantenac:
(Barrel sample sent to me from the château) Deep ruby. Cassis, floral, somewhat scented, vanilla, quite layered and almost Pessac's smoky minerals. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant texture and long finish. 91

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06 Brane- Cantenac

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2006 Château Brane- Cantenac:
Deep ruby. Cassis, starting leather and somewhat scented. With hours of air, even floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, just shaking of the rawness that is typical of so many 06's. Ever so slightly lean palate, but that makes it more elegant. Needs 10 years in my book, long. 90+

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07 Pape Clément

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2007 Château Pape Clément:
Deep ruby, almost opaque. Massive cassis and vanilla with some Pessac minerals on the nose. Rich and full bodied, fresh acidity, ripe tannins, balanced but oaky finish. A massive 07. Long. 91

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2007 Sociando-Mallet

Date: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 Wine Tasting

2007 Château Sociando-Mallet:
Deep ruby. Floral notes, cassis and vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant body and texture, this bottle seems fruitier than last (decanted for four hours, not that it needed it, it just happened) bottle and less herbal, so typical of the vintage. Long. 88

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03 d'Yquem

Date: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

2003 Château d'Yquem;
Bright golden, vanilla, apricots, botrytis, pineapples. Good acidity, even if it could be much better to make the fruit sing as it should, very intense, complex, has what it needs except freshness of acidity, very long length. 90

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03 Rieussec

Date: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

2003 Château Rieussec;
Bright golden, pure apricots, marmalade and pineapples, slightly cloying, lacks acidity, does not clean enough, so very sweet and slightly bitter, ok length. Lacks freshness, even if the fruit is great. 83

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01 Lafite Rothschild

Date: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

2001 Château Lafite Rothschild;
Ruby, leather, blackcurrants, cigars, complex and very seductive. Extremelly elegant Pauillac, herbs, spices and some vanilla, fresh acidity, ripe tannins, pure and so elegant and balanced, fantastic texture, gorgeous finish and extreme length. Dear God! 95

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04 Latour

Date: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

2004 Château Latour;
Ruby, seductive cassis, cigars, leather, tobacco, gorgeous complex nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, great balance and fantastic texture, more power than expected, but power with finesse and complexity, not overkill and simple. Gorgeous length. One of my best Latour's, and it opened up a lot with air. 95

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01 Mouton Rothschild

Date: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

2001 Château Mouton Rothschild;
Ruby, some vanilla and tobacco, layered, cedar and blackcurrants. Fantastic acidity, ripe tannins, fresh and superb purity and very mouthwatering. Huge change since my last bottle that was more tightknit, starting to open up more nicely, showing more typical Mouton style with layers and seductive notes. 94

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