Wine

[[C]hEWy]

Vintage is one thing but it's still best to buy from reliable producers.

I got that from Bottles & Bottles.. Happened to spot 1 branch near my workplace..

But I bought a Cote d Rhone from them before, it was quite okay for the price.. but the 2 last night - haiz.. seriously.. won't buy from them liao

 

[ikileo]

it's not so much the retailer but it's good to start doing homework and research on the producers. the more producers u are familiar with, the higher chance for you to make a right purchase decision.

now with internet and so much info online, it's easy to find a review.

 

[[C]hEWy]

it's not so much the retailer but it's good to start doing homework and research on the producers. the more producers u are familiar with, the higher chance for you to make a right purchase decision.

now with internet and so much info online, it's easy to find a review.

Noted, with thanks bro.

Edit: Just checked with Vivino (cannot totally trust) but here's the results;

IMO I don't know if it's me or them.. Lol

 

[ikileo]

just like critics scores, peer scores are guides at best.

as you drink more and explore more wines you will slowly have less reliance on scores and more on your own research or in-depth articles from wine writers.

in the end scores is a number everyone's benchmark is different. how the people experience the wine could be different too; some decanted, some didn't decant, some chilled, some had a spoilt bottle, some drinkers are new to wine with a not so sensitive palate, some having drinking for a long time and an experienced palate, was it drunk with food etc...

with so many uncontrolled variables, statistically speaking, the scores mean close to nothing, especially if there are no detailed notes to explain why they gave that score to give it context.

don't rely on the app so much to make decisions. you can use the app to see how your preference and taste after drinking compares with others.


personally i prefer using Cellartracker.com
yes there's points too but there are options to filter out scores without tasting notes. from there you can understand the context of the tasting; because honestly, you might not like the wines that I score highly too.

 

[[C]hEWy]

just like critics scores, peer scores are guides at best.

as you drink more and explore more wines you will slowly have less reliance on scores and more on your own research or in-depth articles from wine writers.

in the end scores is a number everyone's benchmark is different. how the people experience the wine could be different too; some decanted, some didn't decant, some chilled, some had a spoilt bottle, some drinkers are new to wine with a not so sensitive palate, some having drinking for a long time and an experienced palate, was it drunk with food etc...

with so many uncontrolled variables, statistically speaking, the scores mean close to nothing, especially if there are no detailed notes to explain why they gave that score to give it context.

don't rely on the app so much to make decisions. you can use the app to see how your preference and taste after drinking compares with others.


personally i prefer using Cellartracker.com
yes there's points too but there are options to filter out scores without tasting notes. from there you can understand the context of the tasting; because honestly, you might not like the wines that I score highly too.

Thanks Bro! Just checked on Cellartracker - No one tasted that there.. Lol

 

[honeypanda]

Oo I didnt know this thread exist.. found it by accident! A gem!

Btw anyone tried chateau prieure lichine margaux 2009 before? Thinking of opening it this weekend but not sure should I keep it longer.

 

[ikileo]

Thanks Bro! Just checked on Cellartracker - No one tasted that there.. Lol

cellartracker (CT) is the biggest database of wine reviews in the world. but of course for some of these really smaller producers etc...reviews may be a bit harder to find as a large bulk of the users are from the uk, europe and USA. For your wine specifically it's maybe more common in Singapore so the reviews you've had were more SG-based.

CT really shines when you start getting wines that go beyond the smaller and maybe generic producers. A lot of the wines I buy directly from the importers in SG have decent to great reviews on CT.

Vivino is more of a social and wine review app whilst cellartracker is a wine review site + IMO the best tool for managing your wine collection (hence the name). I use it to track my wines and manage as well as reading reviews.

As you go along on your wine journey, see which one fits your purchase & consumption habit the best. IMO CT is the best when you are starting to collect your own wines and looking for more reviews. Vivino is perhaps more suitable for casual drinkers looking for an indication if a wine is good or not.



CT Articles
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CellarTracker wine app bolsters review database

“I want to officially cement CellarTracker as to the consumer rating system on wine.”

 

[kunzzy]

Oo I didnt know this thread exist.. found it by accident! A gem!

Btw anyone tried chateau prieure lichine margaux 2009 before? Thinking of opening it this weekend but not sure should I keep it longer.

It should be ready to drink as margaux wines only need 8 years to cellar.

otherwise, how long more do you want to keep?

 

[[C]hEWy]

Just having a late night snack..

 

[honeypanda]

It should be ready to drink as margaux wines only need 8 years to cellar.

otherwise, how long more do you want to keep?

maybe like 1 + year more

 

[ikileo]

Just drank this tonight. It was given as a gift to my family. I thought it was one of those wines that they kept around in the house for too long and now they want to give it away.

I expected it to be over the hill and not tasting good. But wow it was good; granted it was near the end of its life but the first 2 hours of this wine was good. Like a white burgundy from Chablis in character. With 10 years of age it was very integrated and a lovely rounded mouthfeel with defined edges.

Super tasty notes of mineral notes and stone fruit with a mild oak-influenced finish. The nose had orange peel, chalk and a ripe tropical element to it. Who says white can't age? - Producer is available in Fairprice Finest & Cold Storage/Jason's





The next wine I had was last night. It's one of those natural wines that's all organic, natural wild yeasts etc... this is from the produce Yann Durieux from Burgundy. This is made from the Aligote grape and it's white wine. The vast majority of white burgundy is Chardonnay but Aligote is like the 'cheaper' cousin. However in the right hands it is elevated to a beautiful wine.

Yann Durieux used to work at one of burgundy's most sought after domaines: Prieuré-Roch. But now he's on his own making incredibly stellar natural wines.

The 2014 Love & Pif is 100% Aligote grapes and it's super vibrant, young and bursting with energy. Loads of tropical fruit like passionfruit and pineapple, yet all held together with a clarity and balance. Super appealing and tasty. Available at WEA Wines

Read more about Yann Durieux: When we first tasted Yann's wines we were stunned at their purity, delicacy and their elegance.

 

[ikileo]

Oo I didnt know this thread exist.. found it by accident! A gem!

Btw anyone tried chateau prieure lichine margaux 2009 before? Thinking of opening it this weekend but not sure should I keep it longer.

it's a good producer from a good year.

you can open now and benefit from a decant. Or you can hold it for another 3-5 years and it can probably last for at least another 10 years.

IMO a decent bordeaux you can either taste them young or wait at least 10 years from vintage. if you have the patience you can try it in 2019

 

[patryn33]

crack a bottle of this in the evening. will try it again tonite after giving it time to breathe
http://winederlusting.com/bottle-briefings/tasting-notes-norton-malbec-reserva-2011/

 

[ikileo]

crack a bottle of this in the evening. will try it again tonite after giving it time to breathe
http://winederlusting.com/bottle-briefings/tasting-notes-norton-malbec-reserva-2011/

thanks for sharing. let us know how it tastes and also where you got it.

 

[ikileo]

Another blind tasting dinner.
Theme was wines from classic old world regions.

My general overview from this tasting that these classic reasons are classic for a reason. They performed very well and are from regions that are well known in the old world.

They are also very representative of the regions they are from so you kind of know what to expect.

2006 Bruno Giacosa Spumante Extra Brut, Piedmont Italy
100% Sparkling Pinot Noir - Nutty and lots of yeasty elements. Very ripe on the palate and finished soft.

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France
100% Chardonnay - Very chardonnay nose that's precise and assertive (in a good way) but the body is very rounded which led people to believe some Pinot Noir was inside but it's a 100% Chardonnay. A very good champagne.

2013 Domaine Duroche Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois, Burgundy, France
100% Pinot Noir - Very young with ripe red fruit. Lovely creamy texture in the mouth. Will age well and can only get even better with age.

1996 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà, Piedmont, Italy
100% Nebbiolo - Lovely aged barbaresco. People thought it was an aged pinot. Very refined and classy with mature notes and red fruit.

1990 C.V.N.E. Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Mostly Tempranillo with some Graciano - Definitely a more mature red wine with classic aged Rioja notes. Leather, cigar but still with lovely ripe fruits. Some dusty tannins as the end. A very lightweight wine in terms of texture but lots of flavour.

2002 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Bordeaux France
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot - While 2002 is a 'bad' year in Bordeaux, they are perfect for drinking now. It's a very good producer and this bottle is in a very good place. This is classic bordeaux from the get-go. Everything you expect out of a good bordeaux is here.

2005 Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
100% Sangiovese - This I kinda forgot the notes...oops.

2004 Chateau Montrose, Bordeaux, France
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot - Another classic Bordeaux wine even when served blind. A touch riper than the 2002 but very structured. This was ready to drink with some air and can go for a few more years.

1982 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea, Rioja, Spain
Mostly Tempranillo with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano - Very oustanding wine. Tasted younger than an '82. Full of life, vigour and power yet in a very elegant style. That's why I have a soft spot for good aged Spanish Rioja reds. They're everything I want in a red wine, plus it doesn't break the bank.

 

[Dexter71]

Sharing 2 wines I had yesterday for chap gor mei dinner



At its drinking window now and this certainly didn't disappoint at all. The nose wasn't explosive or strong but the taste is smooth, well balanced and tannins were as soft as a baby's skin..hehe....tasted fruit forward to me, fresh berries, plums came to me and finish was long...this Meshach don't felt like it has slept for 15 years! Great wine paired with my wagyu yakiniku and shabu shabu dinner!



This particular jacob creek is an interesting one and was purchased by my uncle during his visit to Barossa. Apparently its a limited release as it uses whisky barrels for aging. Given it is 2015, it is a very fresh shiraz without the heavy rich intense flavours and surprisingly tannins are not harsh at all. It was pretty easy drinking to me and a label that i never pay attention to. So good to get acquainted with her.

 

[[C]hEWy]

Bro Ikileo, can invite me to your next blind tasting?

Btw, poison for the night..

 

[ikileo]

Sharing 2 wines I had yesterday for chap gor mei dinner



At its drinking window now and this certainly didn't disappoint at all. The nose wasn't explosive or strong but the taste is smooth, well balanced and tannins were as soft as a baby's skin..hehe....tasted fruit forward to me, fresh berries, plums came to me and finish was long...this Meshach don't felt like it has slept for 15 years! Great wine paired with my wagyu yakiniku and shabu shabu dinner!



This particular jacob creek is an interesting one and was purchased by my uncle during his visit to Barossa. Apparently its a limited release as it uses whisky barrels for aging. Given it is 2015, it is a very fresh shiraz without the heavy rich intense flavours and surprisingly tannins are not harsh at all. It was pretty easy drinking to me and a label that i never pay attention to. So good to get acquainted with her.

yes the meshach is drinking well now with that kind of age on it.

for the jacob creek did you detect any whisky smokey elements?

 

[ikileo]

Bro Ikileo, can invite me to your next blind tasting?

Btw, poison for the night..

of course. i'll keep you updated on the next one.

which burg producer is this? btw there is lots of debate as to whether to decant burgundy or not as it is quite delicate. there is no real conclusive answer but if you have time and want to geek out a bit, you can read this article in the Decanter magazine.

http://www.decanter.com/features/go-with-the-flow-247396/

 

[[C]hEWy]

of course. i'll keep you updated on the next one.

which burg producer is this? btw there is lots of debate as to whether to decant burgundy or not as it is quite delicate. there is no real conclusive answer but if you have time and want to geek out a bit, you can read this article in the Decanter magazine.

http://www.decanter.com/features/go-with-the-flow-247396/

Thanks Bro. Sorry for the late reply, in reservist now.

Chateau de Meursault 2013 - I decanted 25% of the bottle for 2 glasses to drink (decant and drink almost immediately). the rest of the 75%, we drank from the bottle.

Preferred drinking directly from the bottle.. Haha