Beautiful nose, classic Krug. Searing and bright acidity on palate. Rich weight but so energetic. Really beautiful. Showing well at this very early stage. Citrus bite finish. A wow wine for me. Can be enjoyed now but will continue to develop for decades. Spectacular. 95+
Showing more maturity and roundness than the Krug. Less acidity and more oxidative in character. A big nose of sweetness and oxidized citrus fruits. Based on the lack of pressure when the cork was removed and the way this showed, I don't think this was a representative bottle.
From magnum. Big nose of bell pepper, sweeter fruits and smoky notes. Slightly drying tannins. Older California? At peak for me. This was more rustic yet sweeter on palate than the 80 SS.
Nose is similar to the magnum of 74 regular (same bell pepper, smoke, red fruit) but with less sweetness. Mostly resolved tannins. I found this to be a bit tired compared to the 74. Fun to try these wines together.
Mint and dark fruit nose. Much more concentrated than either of the previous Caymus wines. This was astonishingly still quite youthful. Inky, rich and ripe black fruits dominate both the nose and palate. A bit over extracted for me at this stage, so I can't imagine what it was like on release. Still showing a good dose of wood and heat on the palate. Too concentrated/over the top for me. Meh
Classic old school Bordeaux nose but this went downhill from there. Drying tannins and with unbalanced acidity overtaking the fruit. A much harder wine than both the 86 Mouton and Cheval Blanc. An austere style of Bdx that, based on this bottle, would have been better a few years ago. The person who brought this indicated he's had other better bottles so this might not be representative.
Nose still youthful but still showing classic Mouton nose of currants, dark cassis and rubber/tar/smoke. Not as open and approachable as the 86 Cheval Blanc, but continued to open up in the glass for hours. Chiselled profile with condensed fruit balanced by incredibly energetic acidity. Needs another decade but wow this is good now. Insane potential. 94+
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
The youthful (and magnificent) nose had a lot in common with the 86 Mouton served alongside. But compared to the dense, tightly formed fruit and structure of the Mouton, this was extremely elegant on the palate. Silky, resolved and classy. Outstanding.
A funky and ripping nose of savory red fruits, tar, olive tapenade, barnyard and smoked meats. Well integrated tannins with bright acidity and juicy yet mature dark fruits. Balanced yet wild and extremely enjoyable. At peak. Excellent.
Smells like Madeira, kind of. Rusty lemons and apple cider. Caramel notes on finish. Interesting old bottle of Barbaresco but not very pleasurable to drink.
Perfect provenance and it showed as this bottle was still fairly youthful in some ways. Nose is absolutely killer. On the palate sweeter red fruits with minerals and savoury flavours. This wine is so well balance it’s hard to describe. Reminds me of well-aged Haut Brion on the palate. The structure is still there but it’s wrapped in this silky and elegant profile. Drinking beautifully. The best Cali wine I've ever had. Drink or continue to hold. Spectacular.
Classic Raveneau with loads of citrus, saline and lemon cream. Continued to get better for hours in the glass. This is simply killer 1er Cru Chablis. Drink or hold. Outstanding.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
This is perfectly mature right now and boy is it good. Complex layers of red fruits with smoke, spice and savoury earthy notes. Sweet red fruits on the palate with perfectly balanced acidity and soft fine tannins. Has the power you'd expect from Beze but the refinement and lacy profle you'd expect from Chambolle. Outstanding.
This is exactly what Bordeaux is to me. Classic left bank/Pauillac type notes of darker red fruits, pencil shavings, cassis and cigar box. Has presence and an authoritative profile, but it's all class. For drinking right now, this is really good but should continue to develop positively over another decade or so. Killer middle aged Bordeaux.
1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
France, Champagne
From magnum. Corked.
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1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 95 Points
France, Champagne
Beautiful nose, classic Krug. Searing and bright acidity on palate. Rich weight but so energetic. Really beautiful. Showing well at this very early stage. Citrus bite finish. A wow wine for me. Can be enjoyed now but will continue to develop for decades. Spectacular. 95+
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1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
France, Champagne
Showing more maturity and roundness than the Krug. Less acidity and more oxidative in character. A big nose of sweetness and oxidized citrus fruits. Based on the lack of pressure when the cork was removed and the way this showed, I don't think this was a representative bottle.
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1974 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
From magnum. Big nose of bell pepper, sweeter fruits and smoky notes. Slightly drying tannins. Older California? At peak for me. This was more rustic yet sweeter on palate than the 80 SS.
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1980 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Nose is similar to the magnum of 74 regular (same bell pepper, smoke, red fruit) but with less sweetness. Mostly resolved tannins. I found this to be a bit tired compared to the 74. Fun to try these wines together.
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1974 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Mint and dark fruit nose. Much more concentrated than either of the previous Caymus wines. This was astonishingly still quite youthful. Inky, rich and ripe black fruits dominate both the nose and palate. A bit over extracted for me at this stage, so I can't imagine what it was like on release. Still showing a good dose of wood and heat on the palate. Too concentrated/over the top for me. Meh
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1975 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Classic old school Bordeaux nose but this went downhill from there. Drying tannins and with unbalanced acidity overtaking the fruit. A much harder wine than both the 86 Mouton and Cheval Blanc. An austere style of Bdx that, based on this bottle, would have been better a few years ago. The person who brought this indicated he's had other better bottles so this might not be representative.
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1986 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Nose still youthful but still showing classic Mouton nose of currants, dark cassis and rubber/tar/smoke. Not as open and approachable as the 86 Cheval Blanc, but continued to open up in the glass for hours. Chiselled profile with condensed fruit balanced by incredibly energetic acidity. Needs another decade but wow this is good now. Insane potential. 94+
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1986 Château Cheval Blanc 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
The youthful (and magnificent) nose had a lot in common with the 86 Mouton served alongside. But compared to the dense, tightly formed fruit and structure of the Mouton, this was extremely elegant on the palate. Silky, resolved and classy. Outstanding.
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1988 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Clos Vougeot Flawed
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This bottle was unfortunately DOA.
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1985 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
A funky and ripping nose of savory red fruits, tar, olive tapenade, barnyard and smoked meats. Well integrated tannins with bright acidity and juicy yet mature dark fruits. Balanced yet wild and extremely enjoyable. At peak. Excellent.
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1974 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barbaresco
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Smells like Madeira, kind of. Rusty lemons and apple cider. Caramel notes on finish. Interesting old bottle of Barbaresco but not very pleasurable to drink.
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1974 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Chianti Rùfina Nipozzano Riserva 88 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rùfina
Nice acidity. Balanced and holding on. Very nice.
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1975 Fontanafredda Barolo 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Pretty nose. Needed time to open up. Was quite nice once it opened up.
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1974 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Mountain 96 Points
USA, California
Perfect provenance and it showed as this bottle was still fairly youthful in some ways. Nose is absolutely killer. On the palate sweeter red fruits with minerals and savoury flavours. This wine is so well balance it’s hard to describe. Reminds me of well-aged Haut Brion on the palate. The structure is still there but it’s wrapped in this silky and elegant profile. Drinking beautifully. The best Cali wine I've ever had. Drink or continue to hold. Spectacular.
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2004 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Classic Raveneau with loads of citrus, saline and lemon cream. Continued to get better for hours in the glass. This is simply killer 1er Cru Chablis. Drink or hold. Outstanding.
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1985 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
This is perfectly mature right now and boy is it good. Complex layers of red fruits with smoke, spice and savoury earthy notes. Sweet red fruits on the palate with perfectly balanced acidity and soft fine tannins. Has the power you'd expect from Beze but the refinement and lacy profle you'd expect from Chambolle. Outstanding.
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1995 Château Montrose 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This is exactly what Bordeaux is to me. Classic left bank/Pauillac type notes of darker red fruits, pencil shavings, cassis and cigar box. Has presence and an authoritative profile, but it's all class. For drinking right now, this is really good but should continue to develop positively over another decade or so. Killer middle aged Bordeaux.
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1998 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Savoury nose with loads of white pepper and delicate red fruits. Palate is rustic yet shows some elegance. Really nice.
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