10/16/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

It's a good Chard, but holy hell that price point is a bit ambitious, especially considering I can get Far Niente for half the cost!

12/5/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

German precision. Subtle, but with an unobtrusive complexity that you don't really notice but you appreciate the fuck out of. Subtle smoky-rubber nose, subtle smoky-cranberry palate. Longer than expected finish.

6/9/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Very tasty! Bright and cheerful, full of green apple and a tiny hint of lemon; even tinier hint of brioche which helps bring the tartness down to a nice balance.

4/30/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Nicely balanced, good depth.

4/22/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Holy fuck. I don't even know where to start.

CHB has been one of my bucket list wines ever since I discovered Bordeaux. This one - a magnum! - popped up on an auction and I threw in a bid, not really expecting to win. But I did! Weeeeeee!

It was a bit of a gamble. Slightly corroded capsule, stained/torn label, signs of past seepage listed. But I like Vegas, and at the time of bidding, my husband was half in the bag and gave me the green light ;D

We weren't gonna wait around though. They weren't lying about the condition of the bottle, so this wasn't a keep-for-special-occasion kind of deal. Friday night seems like a good enough reason! So I cut the capsule to reveal chunks of black mold and crumbly residue. Grabbed the ahso - good thing, because the cork was fully saturated and very soft. It depressed slightly, but I was able to get the ahso all the way down without dunking the cork.

We've had old vintages before which have literally crashed - we had to chase them down! - so we decided to only decant like 1/4 to see what would happen once it really met the air.

It came out a gorgeous ruby color with amber highlights. Not exactly bricked, though. Just pretty.

Bold nose. Cedar chips, barbecue, menthol. Even bolder palate. So much umami! Maitake mushroom, smoke, bacon, black truffle, forest floor, coriander, leather, clove, moss, and toasted sesame. The FAINTEST hint of black cherry - but make no mistake, the fruit is pretty much history. If this were a 750mL bottle, I doubt there would be any hint left. Deep and complex. And the finish lasts for, like, EVER.

Mind you, this is like 10 min from pouring. I can't wait to see how it evolves as the evening progresses. But all said & done, it was a good gamble.

2/19/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Pretty fantastic for what's apparently a shit vintage. Well, it's right up my alley, anyway. Deep only red color; medium amount of sediment. Took others' recommendations and decanted for about 3 hours (just enough to time to head over town, piledrive some sushi into my facehole, drive back home, kill a bottle of Billecart, and settle in for the evening). Nice nose, a balance of dank and fruit. Anise, wintergreen, loam. Palate is a nice smooth blend of many nuances, all very subtle. Tart pie cherries without the tart; cassis, leather, a dash of smoke. The K&L e-newsletter today was right - this is not for you big Cali Can drinkers!

8/20/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

We're guilty, we didn't decant. Bought it off the shelf, took it to our AirBnB, popped it. But STILL. Boom. This is fabulous. Rich nose of dark fruit and some wafty alcohol. Tiny hint of woods. Robust tannins, strong backbone, this wine gives zero fucks because it is so damn confident in itself. Danky, cedar, stewed plum, moss, tobacco, bell pepper, smoked something-I-can't-put-my-finger-on.....and if this kind of complexity is coming out without decanting....well alrighty then.

1/28/2016 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Fantastic. Rich, round, appley goodness. Like a cheap Krug.

12/12/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Nose of cocoa, blackberry pie, cinnamon sugar. Palate is velvety but tannic at the same time, a great balance between the two. Nutmeg, red and purple fruits, white tea.

11/7/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Milder than I was expecting. It's not the bold Bordeaux I thought it would be. But that's not bad! Just a surprise. Nose of birch bark, blackcurrant, a wispy highlight of wintergreen. Tannins on the palate are sneaky. You think they're not all that robust because the wine is smooth on the initial sip, but then the tannins pop up on the finish like O HAI U GUISE SUP HOW U DOIN. Despite that, though, the finish is kind of short. Got some leather and some dusty berry flavors but it's like they're hiding. I think what they want is to be left alone in the bottle for another 5 years or so before they get brave enough to show themselves.

9/18/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Fun! Fruitier than I expected. Nose: oak, moss, wafty layers of alcohol, dark plums. Palate: blackberry, white pepper, juicy black cherry, cocoa, earth. Really long finish. Super glad we got 3 bottles - I want MOAR.

9/18/2014 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Surprisingly good for AIRLINE CHAMPAGNE. This is served on Virgin. I shit you not.

8/15/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Very faint, weak nose. Pine trees, cocoa, holly berry. Palate: soft. Brown pear, black cherry. Medium finish. This is a very QUIET wine.

8/15/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

60% Cab Sauv, 20% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc. Nose: musty cellar, blowy alcohol. Palate: firm, earthy, blueberry/rhubarb finish. It's nice and soft but it's confusing because it's so well balanced. Had trouble picking out different flavor notes.

7/18/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Whoa! Nose: toasted bread, pepper, caramel, chocolate. Palate: caramel wagers, vanilla cookies, beefy tannins. Drinking great for such a young wine but it's hinting at a fabulous aging potential as well. I'd love to revisit this in 10, 15, and 20+ years.

7/26/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Interesting Bordeaux blend. A little bit on the poky side....not the best balance....but still pretty good. I think it would benefit from a few more years in the bottle. The Cab Franc comes out quite a bit and I think that might be my issue...is there Cab Franc in this? I'm too lazy to get up and check the label.

7/18/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Nose: hand sanitizer (??). Palate: dank, dark fruit, astringent. Interesting. I still give it 90 points.

7/3/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Interesting for a cheap Bordeaux. Musty raising nose. Rich palate, got birch bark and overripe cherries and oak. I'm still making up my mind....I do like it, but I don't think I could drink a whole bottle of it (HEY, for me, that's not a lot).

2/13/2015 - Bam_Man Likes this wine:

First one of these in 14 months. Consistent with my previous note. Still a youthful-looking opaque, dark crimson in color - but lightening at the edge now. Shows a complex - though subtle - nose of plums, violets, earth, vanilla and spice. Full-bodied, rich and very plush in texture. This has put on a bit of weight since last time, but remains elegant in style. There's slightly less definition and focus to its plum and black currant fruit now, giving this an even better sense of balance. The long, polished finish is loaded with tangy, dark fruit and pretty notes of oak, espresso and spice. The ultra-fine tannins are beautifully integrated. Modern in style, but so balanced, velvety and refined. Remains the best Oreno I've ever tasted. The '06 is still a massive, tannic monolith and may never be as good as this is now.
50+5+12+18+9=94

2/7/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Meh.

1/17/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Nose of earth, oak, millipedes (yeah), herbaciousness. Soft raisiny palate with a 20-mile-long finish. I am in love!

11/29/2014 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Not mind-blowing. Tart, smoke, rich juicy red fruit, but not worth the current average price. I actually would think this was a $35 bottle. So.....yeah.

9/18/2014 - partylikeakennedy wrote:

Oh sweet baby Jesus.