188
191
194
MARCASSIN VINEYARD CHARDONNAY MARCASSIN VINEYARD 2009 (2) Sonoma County.
NOON WINERY CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2003 Langhorne Creek, Australia.
FONSECA VINTAGE PORT 1992 (2) Douro, Portugal. import labels under capsule
Light gold in color, with an extraordinary nose of poached pears, citrus honey and a touch of orange rind, the 2009 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard has beautiful fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, penetrating acids and an underlying minerality and richness. The finish goes on for a good 40-45 seconds. This is sensational Chardonnay and very much in keeping with this vineyard. August 2015 98 WA
Perhaps the finest Cabernet Sauvignon made in Australia is Noon’s inky/purple-hued 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, a classic Cabernet with riveting levels of creme de cassis and graphite characteristics. Full-bodied and deep, with superb balance, high but sweet tannin, fabulous concentration, and a long 60 plus second finish, this is stunning Cabernet Sauvignon from 33-year-old vines cropped at 1.5 tons of fruit per acre. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020+. October 2005 98 WA
Fonseca has scored in both the 1991 and 1992 vintages. The 1992 is a majestic young port that should ultimately rival, perhaps even surpass this house's most recent great efforts (1985, 1977, 1970, 1963). This colossal vintage port reveals a nearly opaque black/purple color, and an explosive nose of jammy black fruits, licorice, chocolate, and spices. Extremely fullbodied and unctuously-textured, this multilayered, enormously-endowed port reveals a finish that lasts for over a minute. It is a magnificent port that will age well for 30-40 years. February 1995 97 WA
MARCASSIN VINEYARD CHARDONNAY THREE SISTERS VINEYARD 2008 (2) Sonoma County. Like the 2007, the 2008 Chardonnay Three Sisters Vineyard reveals a greenish hue to its straw color. The wine is slightly more intense and powerful in the mouth with a profound depth of flavor and notes of white currants, unbu!ered popcorn, hazelnuts and citrus blossom as well as a distinctive floral component and minerality. This compelling Chardonnay can be drunk over the next 10-15+ years. February 2011 97 WA 4 bts. per lot $1,000 - $1,300
2 bts.
per lot $200 - $400
192 BODEGA Y CAVAS DE WEINERT MALBEC ESTRELLA 1977 (1) Luján de Cuyo, Argentina. u. bn. NICOLAS CATENA ZAPATA 2006 (3) Mendoza, Argentina. u. 3 x bn.
189
4 bts. per lot $400 - $700
PENFOLDS GRANGE HERMITAGE BIN 95 1980 (1) South Australia. scuffed label
193
See note below. 94+ WA PENFOLDS GRANGE HERMITAGE BIN 95 1981 (1) South Australia. Both wines were accessed to be in perfect shape by Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker, at Penfolds’ Re-Corking Clinic in 2010. A#er certification, the bo!les were topped up and re-corked by the winery. 97 WA 2 bts.
per lot $1,200 - $1,500
190 PENFOLDS GRANGE 2006 South Australia. Made from fruit coming predominantly from the Barossa Valley this year (97%) and containing 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Grange has been added to my list of favorite recent vintages. Deep garnet-purple colored, it’s still a li!le youthfully mute, offering notes of warm cherries, black currants, anise, coffee and toast with underlying hints of soy, yeast extract, black olives and Indian spices. Tight-knit and solidly structured on the medium to full bodied palate, the concentrated fruit is densely coiled around the firm grainy tannins and very crisp acidity at this stage, but promises something very special in the years to come. It finishes very long, complex and layered with the cedar poking though the fruit purity. Patience is required for this vintage; it should begin opening out around 2016 and drink to 2030+. December 2006 98+ WA 3 bts. (OWC)
per lot $1,600 - $1,900
FONSECA VINTAGE PORT 1970 (1) Douro, Portugal. stained and scraped label Tasted at the Vintners Company’s 650th anniversary celebration at Vintners Hall, the Fonseca 1970 was the finest bo!le I have encountered. The bouquet opens beautifully with heady scents of clove, ginger, small red cherries, bergamot and allspice, displaying exquisite definition and harmony. The palate follows suit with lovely balance and poise in the mouth, notes of kirsch, shaved ginger and walnut building to an opulent, viscous finish that lacquers the mouth. Yet this bo!le shows more control than the bo!le tasted four years ago. The 1970 Fonseca is in a very nice place at the moment. You should join it. Tasted May 2013. 95 WA TAYLOR FLADGATE & YEATMAN VINTAGE PORT 1970 (1) Douro, Portugal. stained and scraped label 96 WA 2 bts.
per lot $400 - $700
TAYLOR FLADGATE VINTAGE PORT 1994 (2 hf. bt.) Douro, Portugal. import labels under capsule Drink: 2008-2045 100 WS 97 WA 2 bts. & 2 hf. bts.
per lot $400 - $700
195 DOW VINTAGE PORT 2007 Douro, Portugal. import labels under capsule The 2007 Dow’s Vintage Port is one of the stars of the vintage. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it offers up an already complex bouquet of mineral, pencil lead, licorice, spice box, and assorted black fruits. On the palate it is quite massive, slightly dry in the house style, and packed with fruit. It has the structure to be one of the long distance runners of the vintage taking as much as 20 years to reach its peak and drinking well through 2050. February 2010 94 WA 6 hf. bts.
per lot $500 - $700
196 CHÂTEAU MARGAUX 2000 Margaux. 1er Cru Classé Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multidimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either. February 2017 98 WS 100 WA 1 bt.
per lot $1,300 - $1,700