January 2011 Tasting Notes

• 1996 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses - France, Champagne (1/7/2011)
  
  beautiful, and just starting to drink perfectly. All the power of a 1996, but with an elegance and expressiveness with really nice toastyness. (97 points)
  

• 2002 Domaine Maillard Père et Fils Pommard La Chanière - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard (1/16/2011)
  
  still alot of verve and backbone with a neat translucent fruit shading. bright, flowery earth tones, red fruit galore. acidity in check. lacking the delicacy to make it a beautiful wine and the intensity to make it a powerful wine, it is good but not superior. (89 points)
  
• 1995 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera Crianza - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (1/12/2011)
  
  Held up incredibly well for a crianza. Nice green peppercorn and smoke note. Almost all spice and savory at this point. Classic Rioja tempranillo in a ribera. Interesting that it ages so elegantly and almost no sediment. Cork was almost soaked through, though. (89 points)
  
• 1997 Rodney Strong Symmetry - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1/11/2011)
  
  Rating based on juice today. On the edge of faded. Good complexity but la king verve (88 points)
  
• 2001 Alban Vineyards Syrah Central Coast - USA, California, Central Coast (1/12/2011)
  
  Still has a lot of fruit and a neat tapenade note. Med full body with blackberry and cherry. Olive, spice, not quite n. Rhine but not syrupy blueberry syrah either. Good integration. Short finish. (90 points)
  
• N.V. Hébrart Champagne Jean-Paul Hébrart Cuvée de Reserve 1er Cru Brut - France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne (1/7/2011)
  
  a bit bitter (88 points)
  

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