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Tasting Notes for JCGuthrie

(1,528 notes on 949 wines)

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Red
5/19/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
My wine buddy suggested a long decant for this and I'm glad I listened after sampling it a couple times during the afternoon. Opened and decanted at 11:45am, back into the bottle at 5:00pm and open at the restaurant for another 3 hours. Light red, slightly tart fruit with lots of cherry and some underbrush. Slightly lean, but elegant, and smooth on the palate. Better with food. I didn't write down a score, but perhaps 91-92.
White
5/19/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
94 points
Beautiful. Nose shows slight mintiness, sea spray, light white and yellow flowers, mineral and maybe a little honeysuckle. Very fresh and elegant on the palate.
White - Sparkling
5/20/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
This has filled out nicely over the last couple years. Well balanced and reasonably rich with good toasty notes.
Red
5/19/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
In a good spot now. Balanced fruit, bit of earth, some tertiary development.
Red
2018 Ridge Geyserville Alexander Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel (view label images)
5/18/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Another delicious bottle. An interesting comparison to the 2018 Lytton Springs, which I had a few weeks ago. My preference now is clearly the Geyserville, which comes across as more approachable right now - richer, more overtly fruity and more vibrant. I think both will age well and suspect it may be a closer matchup in five or ten years.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
5/10/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
91 points
Soft and floral, I like this quite a bit more than past bottles. No funk at all. Mostly plum, some slightly tart red fruit elements. Very soft on the palate.
Red
5/6/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Agree with the last note - this is in a good place now. Plums, garrigue, baking spices. Cooler fruit profile. Not a heralded vintage of this wine, but for me perhaps my favorite of the last several bottles/vintages I've opened.
Red
5/12/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Bought another case of this wine at auction based on the strength of the last bottle. No formal notes on this one, but similar experience to my last bottle. Delicious and very approachable right out of the bottle.
Red
5/9/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Black currants, bramble, cedar and anise on the nose. Quite fruit-forward on day one. On day two it picked up a more savory character, but the tannins seemed more pronounced. Amazingly this bottle made it to a third day, where it showed best, with plenty of savory herb notes and more relaxed tannins. For my palate this needs more time in bottle or a very long decant to show its best; it shows very young even at a decade old.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2012 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
5/7/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Charming from the first sip - pleasantly funky with savory mixed berries, cedar, forest floor and fresh tobacco. More of the same on the palate. Smooth and quite refined, albeit still shows some edge from the tannins. A new chateau for me and this was an exploratory bottle as I contemplate a potential futures purchase. Really enjoyed this.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
4/29/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Light orchard fruit on the nose. Palate is mostly dry with beeswax, lemon spritz, pear and candle wax. Good, but didn't impress me as much as the 2020 demi-sec tasted at the Domaine a couple years ago.
2 people found this helpful Comments (1)
White
2020 Château Couhins Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend (view label images)
4/19/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Lots of saline and sauv blanc character, but rounded with good depth. Lychee, white peach and pineapple on the nose, finishes with citrus and cut grass. This held up extremely well over several days under vacuum seal in the fridge, showing slight riper peach notes on the nose on the final glass. Good potential for future development and excellent QPR.
White
4/20/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Similar notes to the last bottle. Showed better with some air.
Red
4/22/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Dusty red fruit, herbal, some leather notes. This still shows quite young, but definitely has some tertiary development beginning. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
4/20/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Very light, red-fruited with a slight spiciness to it. Like this a lot.
White
4/21/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Fifth of five. Perhaps not representative as there was a distracting pine pitch herbal flavor not present in prior bottles. Regardless, still very drinkable with ripe peach and vanilla notes.
White - Sparkling
4/21/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
89 points
Pear and green apple on the nose. Chalky on the palate and quite lean. Solid, but not at the level of the Bereche Brut Reserve or Philipponnat Brut Royale that came next.
Red
4/17/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
93 points
Initially the nose shows dark red and black fruits with lots of anise and some bramble and pipe tobacco. With air red fruits dominate: red currants, dried cranberries, plum, more bramble. Palate shows darker red fruits with just a slight herbal quality that makes me wonder if there is some cab franc in the mix. Very light for a cab and soft on the palate. This has evolved nicely since my last bottles and there is plenty of life left. Delicious!
Red
3/28/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
flawed
Oxidized or heat damaged
White - Sparkling
3/23/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Light and zippy but with good depth and bite. Light stone fruit, essence of lemon. Finishes tart with just a hint of biscuit. Needs some more time to round out, for my palate.
White
3/22/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Much better than the last bottle. Saline and cooked lemon on the nose. Palate shows more lemon with nice depth and acid.
Red
3/26/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Funky red fruit, slightly herbal notes. Reminds me a bit of a Chinon in some ways, but with a much lighter body. Tasty!
White
3/16/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Similar to the last bottle this showed a very pretty nose with plenty of reduction, but the palate was nowhere near as angular. A beautiful wine with plenty of life ahead.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
1985 Château Beychevelle St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
3/16/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Cork was soaked almost all the way through but came out in one piece. Up against a '94 Cos this showed significantly more age...given some of the other notes here perhaps excessively so. Regardless, still very enjoyable with its aged balsamic, high-toned red fruit and leather notes. Seemed to actually improve through the evening, in fact. I have one more bottle, should probably open it sooner than later.
White
3/17/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
93 points
Oxidative style but so much freshness, depth and verve. Highly perfumed nose of apricots and peach with vanilla, flan and a light sherry background. Much of the same on the palate along with savory caramelized apple, fresh pear and golden raisins. I wasn't sure what to expect with this wine but really enjoyed it.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
3/17/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Dusty black fruit, dark plum, lots of underbrush, slightly floral, Indian spices on the nose. Palate shows black fruit and tar. Finishes quite tannic; needs food to show best.
Red
3/21/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Similar to my last bottle, but perhaps showing a little more depth. Pours light red, lots of red cherry, great acid, good depth. Killer QPR.
Red
3/7/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
No detailed notes, but really enjoyed this bottle. Made in a lighter style than most zins, with a mix of red and black fruit.
Red
2005 Château Fleur Cardinale St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
3/8/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Initially I got a mix of red and black fruit, but it was a bit flat and quite woody. I made a mental note to hold my remaining bottles until some tertiary notes begin to appear. Three hours later it started to open up and I got primarily black fruit with anise and floral notes. As with other 2005s, this wine probably needs more time to show its best.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
3/9/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Spectacularly good right out of the bottle, with sweet red cherry fruit and a beautifully perfumed nose with layered fruit and aromatics. Drank well with extended air, although a hint scorched earth showed up later. I'd say this is at the tail end of peak but should hold strong for several more years. Recommend not decanting if you have these. Last bottle of 7 and would love to source more at the right price.
White
3/14/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
94 points
So fresh, with sea air, light lemon and light stone fruit on the nose. Nice depth on the palate with a long and lingering saline finish. Great acid. Drinking beautifully, this seemed to have the extra gear I was looking for in the first bottle.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2009 Château Saint-Pierre St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
3/2/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
No detailed notes, but I got a lot of oak upon first opening. After decanting for an hour or two the oak felt better integrated, but my overall impression wasn't as strong as with the last two bottles.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
3/2/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
On day one gravel and herbal notes slightly overpower the brambly red fruit and give the impression of a lean wine. Similar to my last bottle this showed notably better after a day or two under vacuum seal in the fridge. The herbal qualities retreated a bit and the fruit came to the forefront, resulting in a much more balanced flavor profile. Note to self: give these some time in the decanter in the future.
Rosé
3/5/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
91 points
A unique rose, in my experience. On the nose I get some light tangerine and thyme notes. Light and viscous on the palate but with deep acid and a savory tang - tangerine, grapefruit and lemon combined with some light red fruits. Lots of mineral too. I like this a lot. 91+
Red
2/24/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Out of magnum. This took some time to open up. Gamey red fruit; seems like it's in a good spot now. CdPs seem to be more hit and miss for me these days and while I wouldn't search this out again, it was solid.
Red
2/27/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Pop n' pour. No detailed notes, but this showed beautifully right out of the gate, with an intense and yet incredibly pretty red cherry perfume. Really nice wine that's ready to go now but will likely drink well for at least another decade.
Red
2/25/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Decanted about two hours. Red fruit, olives, dry herbs and raspberry with a gamey finish. I liked this, but others seemed to like it a lot more, including my wife.
Red
2/25/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
I double decanted this at home for sediment and then gave it an hour or so of air in the bottle. Same bottle as rocknroller, and similar reaction in terms of this bottle not being quite on form. Good depth, with game and red pepper notes complementing the usual funky Pegau fruit, but also some scorched earth and iron notes that were less welcome.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Sparkling
2/28/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Citrus, honeycrisp apple. some light toasty notes that becomes more pronounced with air. A very nice champagne at the price point.
White - Sparkling
2/9/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
90 points
Initially this shows high-toned yellow fruit, toast and a slightly waxy character to the fruit. With some air it gains complexity and I got more biscuit notes. Better with food than by itself, especially upon opening.
Red
2018 Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel (view label images)
2/8/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Tasted right out of the bottle and then consumed about an hour later. On first taste this showed dark fruit and good length, but it was hard to focus on anything other than the oak, which completely overwhelmed. An hour later it showed much better, with more discernible dark berry notes and dried herbs. Definitely recommend giving this some air.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2/10/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
93 points
Very similar notes to my last bottle - high-toned red fruit with leather, forest floor and just the right amount of herbal pyrazine character to add interest. I loved this. Flighted with the 1990 Clos de l'Olive. The Clos d'Olive was also red-fruited but leaned darker - black cherry vs red cherry - and showed more earth and mushroom notes. Both excellent and I scored them similarly. Would love to buy more of both if I ever found them on the market at a decent price.
White
2/5/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
My last bottle of 8. This was such a good vintage for Fevre; an earlier bottle held its own against a couple of Fevre's premier crus. Lots of sea spray and light citrus. An easy bottle to reach for when looking for something fresh, consistent and affordable.
Rosé
2/4/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
87 points
Fruitier than I was expecting - mostly cantaloupe with ginger and tangerine accents. I get a bit of that artificial watermelon jolly rancher flavor that I don't care for. Refreshing, but not especially complex. Lacks the mineral and depth of Baudry's rose, which is my benchmark for the region.
Red
2/6/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Darker and denser than the 2015, this shows dark red and black fruit on the nose with hints of mineral, earth and that typical Chinon herbal character. Again, riper and more fruit-forward than the 2015, but still has a nice balance between fruit, herbs and acid. 92 now, with good potential for another point or so down the road.
2 people found this helpful Comment
White
2/2/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Complex nose with sea spray, ginger, citrus zest; slight reduction. So elegant on the palate with mixed citrus, light flowers, tons of acid, nice depth.
2 people found this helpful Comments (1)
Red
2009 Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
1/27/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Really nice dark fruit and mushrooms on the nose. Soft on the palate, very tasty. Slightly short on the finish.
Red
2/3/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
92 points
Brick red color. Beautiful, funky nose with black soil, cooked mushrooms, saddle leather, fresh tobacco and tart cherry. More of the same plus some mint notes on the palate. Some would find this a bit lean I'm sure, but for those like me that enjoy tertiary flavors it's really a nice wine. Reminds me somewhat of a high quality aged Chinon, but more leather and less herbal. I didn't have high expectations for this bottle given the vintage, but clearly the provenance on this bottle (birthday gift a couple years ago) was great, and it really impressed me.
Red
2010 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
1/29/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
93 points
Tasted double blind in the first of two pairings of red wines from anywhere. Initially placed it as Bordeaux, but second-guessed myself and said Napa. Regardless, this had great depth and balance, with darker red fruit and earth notes. Really tasty now, but still on the younger side. I understand it had been decanted about 4 hours.
5 people found this helpful Comments (3)
White
1/22/2024 - JCGuthrie wrote:
88 points
Grassy and herbal, with some light stone fruit and saline on the nose and palate. Mouth watering acidity, finishes slightly tart.
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