The Hugues de Coulmet has a creamier quality that is more easy going, while the vintage 2005 has a still-wine character that brings depth. All the wines bear the signature of firm tannins that cry out for cellaring. The Crichet Paje on the table from 2002, a poor vintage but a great wine. Below are a few impressions and photos.

The Cellar. Corrine Michot gave us an excellent tour of the cellar, both the “old cellar” and the new cellar which is gorgeous and so high tech it even has “skylights” that allow a visitor to look up at the sky through a thin film of water, as the cellar is located below the water table. Secrets of the Cellar.

Zidarich 2005 Vitovska. Zidarich 2005 Malvasia. For example, you can still find Gravner 2001 and 2002 bottlings around without much trouble in NYC market. usually serve orange wines at cellar temp (55 degrees F) and let the bottle warm up on the table from there. Orange wines are sweeping the nation! Do they use aerators?

Those of us lucky enough to be present in 2007 (myself included) tasted the 2002 vintage of various cru wines from Domaine LaRoche in both cork and screwcap. The remaining bottles (both cork and screwcap) were stored in the cellar of President Emeritus Jonathan Levine for the past four years. Michel Laroche of Domaine LaRoche.

One factor is that the wines are quite expensive, almost calling out for cellaring; bright, fresh acidity can be found much less money with Bourgogne blanc (or Chablis), for example. Francois et Antoine Jobard, Meursault, “En la Barre,” 2002 : only slightly oxidized, but still too tired at this young an age. follows after the jump.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2005. Cave Spring Cellars Blancs de Blancs Brut 2004. Cave Spring Cellars CSV 2007. Closson Chase Vineyards Beamsville Bench 2005. Flatrock Cellars Reserve 2007. Flatrock Cellars 2008. Lakeview Cellars Reserve 2000. Lakeview Cellars Reserve 2007. and Icewine.&#.

The Cellar. Corrine Michot gave us an excellent tour of the cellar, both the “old cellar&# and the new cellar which is gorgeous and so high tech it even has “skylights&# that allow a visitor to look up at the sky through a thin film of water, as the cellar is located below the water table. The Tasting.

We then enjoyed two wines from the 2005 vintage with my fish soup. 2005 is thought to be a great vintage because, as in most of France, conditions were essentially perfect. I'm not sure yet where I stand on 2005, as I've had some wines that are more about ripeness and grape character than they are about terroir. But close.

Imported by European Cellars. 2005 Damien Laureau Savennières Le Bel Ouvrage , $32, Jon-David Headrick Selections, Imported by European Cellars. That's to be expected from 2005, but it was also very floral and mineral with an almost powdery sense to it, and with great poise and balance. And there have been exceptions.

Opening this 2005 Monte Bello with the affluent aromas of only Monte Bello mountain surfacing, the only thought I had was life seemed a little back to normal, at least somewhat, and if only for a moment. Let this 2005 Monte Bello develop in the decanter for a good three hours before trying it -- secondary notes will emerge.

And how about this - Brian went downstairs to his cellar (normal people can afford to live in houses in Seattle, apparently) and returned with not one, but two bottles by Vouette et Sorbée. Peter and I drank the 2005 Saignée de Sorbée merely days before this Seattle dinner, and it was also a great, but an entirely different wine.

Several years ago I drank the 2002 and didn't get it at all. 2005 Jacques Puffeney Poulsard Arbois "M" , $26, Neal Rosenthal Selections. Beautiful now, and seems like a good candidate for the cellar. I've recently emerged from a bit of a "red wine stand-still." I've wanted to branch out some more. Is that so wrong?

Our bottle of 2007 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Clos des Briords was corked, sadly, as was our 2005 Luneau-Papin L D'Or. The palate was as youthful as the 2005 I had a few months ago. This wine seems as if it could do another 15 years in the cellar without blinking. Perhaps even the seafood stereotype entirely.

At the top of my list is Dashe Cellars. Then there's Quivira Vineyards , a family run Demeter certified estate whose 2002 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel ** was chunky and polished at the same time, not overripe, and not too dense, with good texture and Zzzzing! Rafanelli , whose 2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel ** at 14.8%

2002 Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling, Eden Valley. 2005 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River. 2005 Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling, Barossa. 2005 Mount Horrocks Riesling, Clare Valley. 2002 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley. 2002 Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling, Eden Valley.

The 2005, by contrast, was in a very nice spot, exhibiting more muted lime and floral character. The 1998 was oddly phenolic and, while quite solid, not as rewarding today as the 2005. One question that led me to Australia is whether Australian Riesling can age. At the outset, it was a single vineyard wine of tiny production.

The thing that made this particular bottle so special is that it was disgorged in June of 2005. There is no code etched onto the bottle (recent bottles have an etched on the glass that reveals base year and disgorgement date) so I cannot be certain about the base year, but I'm guessing 2002 grapes primarily, and bottled in 2003.

Jean-Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch Bages ran the operations, which included upgrading the winemaking as well as overseeing a renovation the cellars and the chateau. The 2005 was fantastic and the 06 excellent. Rivalries and conflicts simmer throughout the world. Members and their guests packed the private dining room to (over)capacity.

I'm talking about weather problems like hail or heavy rain or some other climatic stress, when a producer makes adjustments in the vineyards and sometimes in the cellar, and makes the best wines they can. This wine suffered from a case of under-ripe tannins, and no amount of cellaring can fix that. 2005 René LeClerc Bourgogne , $25.

want to give her great wines, wines that will improve with 19 years of cellaring. In contrast to the 2005 or 2002, it is not an exuberant wine, even after 3 days open. 2007 Domaine Hu e t Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg , $28, Robert Chadderdon Selections. And happily, I can afford to buy and drink them. We loved this wine.

In any event, after that exchange, I tried to specify for myself what I really thought about Girard, so I pulled some more of their recent wines from the cellar. As previously reported, the 2002 Girard Caberent Franc Napa Valley displays bright and luscious strawberry notes on opening. That was the end of the beginning of Girard.

numbered them and we did a blind tasting, pitting Girard's 2002 Cabernet Franc against a 2000 Ch. Charmail **, a 2005 Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot, 2000 Ch. Haut Gravet ** and the fifth wheel 2005 La Crema Pinot Noir Russian River Valley * It was interesting to note how these wines had evolved over the past 3-6 days.

The word that comes to mind as you sip Antonin Guyon's 2002 Gevrey-Chambertin ** is searing. found this bottle in the basement refrigerator recently, shortly after I had purchased its younger sibling, the 2005 *, for which there are no words to adequately describe, but I digress.

It's also an egalitarian system - the host who feels flush can select 2002 Vosne-Roman é e 1er Cru wines as the theme. The exceptions for me were the Pinon wines - the Brut was fine but the 2002 Vouvray Tradition was just no good. Although I am not a fan of the 2005, my commitment to cellaring my '02s and '04s is renewed.

In honor of their 20th anniversary, the Dressner folk dug into the cellar and set out a load of wines from their inaugural vintage. The 2006's from Chidaine are quite good, although if you're used to the 2005's they will seem light. The 2006's are probably typical and the 2005's are probably extra rich and intense.

routinely disagree with their wine scores (they gave Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2005 only 85 points - WTF are they thinking?!) Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley "Eisele Vineyard" 2005 * Smoky garnet color. wine of great depth and class, and my favorite 2005 Napa cabernet of the night. Merus 2005 ? love their events.

It was an especially pure test for me because I have no idea what this guy keeps in his cellar, no clue about what he likes to drink. It turned out to be a 2002 Domaine Virely-Rougeot Pommard 1er Cru, Les Chanlins (I think). He guessed a 2005 Burgundy, young and tightly closed. Here are five red wines. Never met him before.

We began with the 2002 Champagne Raymond Boulard Extra Brut Les Rachais. The nose is so very delicate with lovely floral and mineral aromas, and beyond that a tightly coiled core of energy that demands many a quiet year in the cellar before it will reveal its true nature. reminder not to touch my 2005's for a long time.

This is the one that I must buy for my own cellar. 2002 Domaine du Closel Savenniè res Clos de Papillon. should pull the few bottles I have out of the cellar and drink them over the next year or two. The more I learn about wine, the more I realize that I don't know. Same is true with wine, I would say. Who knew. Raveneau.I

These are natural wines - vineyards are organically farmed, fermentation is accomplished using yeasts on the grapes and in the cellar, and there are no further manipulations to the juice. 2002 Puzelat Touraine Pinot Noir La Tesni è res $18 I stumbled on this bottle, the last in the store, at Astor the other day. Everything is good.

wine I really loved and found quite unique was the 2005 Domaine de Roally Vire'-Clesse' from the Macconnais, France. tasted 4 of them; a 2005 from grapes with botrytis (a desirable mold that when properly managed leads to long lived sweet wines), and 3 Vouvray. Interestingly enough, they make a 100% grenache wine called the (2005) St.

went with the 2002 Domaine des Baumaurd Coteaux du Layon Clos du Sainte Catherine , $28 on release, imported by Ex Cellars Wine Agency. And the 2002, a great year in this part of the Loire Valley, should still have plenty of ripe fruit to go along with complexity and some sweetness. That's right, Alice Feiring! think so.

I only began cellaring wine a few years ago, so if I drink a mature wine at home it means that I bought a wine that some one else cellared for me. Because in most micro climates the weather never really got hot enough for long enough, the wines do not typically have the stuffing that requires long term cellaring in order to tame.

In the past month or so I've tasted a few 2005's, some old familiar faces and some from producers that are pretty much new to me. They're calling 2005 a "classic" vintage in Oregon. If you haven't tried Oregon wine because you're a Burgundy lover, you might try something from 2005. And one of them was excellent by any standard.

My past includes exactly one Jura red ( 2002 Pierre Overnoy Arbois Pupillin - my notes say that I didn't like it) and a couple of Crémants - love 'em. Reds 2005 Puffeney Arbois Trousseau , $30. 2005 Ganevat Pinot Noir , $30. 2002 Puffeney Arbois Savagnin , $29 - deeply nutty. And it's time for me to grow up.

2005 Burgundy! Like most wine lovers I've been awaiting the arrival of the 2005 vintage of Burgundy with baited breath. Will they cellar forever? So I made my first foray north to pick out a case of 2005 Burgundy at Garnet on the Upper East Side, and to get my feet wet in this venerable (or venerably hyped) vintage.

The line up was: Welcome White: 2005 Cascina degli Ulivi Filagnotti (Gavi, Piemonte)--comments? 2- 2005 Fontedicto Pirouette #5 $15 Grapes: Carignan Languedoc, France (for some reason, this one, which was rich and sunny and fruit forward wasnt a smash hit. Flight Two: All Syrah all the Time 2005 Edmunds St. Many thanks! Epine?

This took place in Deetrane's cellar, where there are at least 2,000 wines from all over the world, the bounty of three different wine drinkers, myself included. guessed the 2002 Louis Boillot Pommard 1er Cru Les Fremiers. guessed the 2005 Kistler Durell Vineyard. It was, in fact 2005 Kistler, but Dutton Ranch, not Durell.

have 225 bottles in my "cellar," which is comprised of my wine fridge and some space in Deetrane's basement cellar, and 30 of them cost at least $50. That's about 13% of my cellar that I would classify as a splurge. 2005 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St Denis 1er Cru Les Faconnieres , $50, 3 bottles. Why $50? Good buy.

BrooklynLady and I went to France together for the first time in October of 2005. So this is an investment, not just in the Burgundy type of cash, but also in cellar space. Had I used this kind of thinking a few years ago I would have purchased and cellared some of the 2002 Le Bourg. This retails for approximately $35.

Before getting into the specifics, here are a few things that jump out at me when looking at our notes as a whole: 9 out of the 14 reds tasted were from the 2005 vintage, a ripe and glorious year. Lyle Fass of Rockss and Fruit also participates for the first time, writing about a Tres Vieille Vignes 2005 Mâcon Bussieres by Eric Texier.

Here are some notes on wines that did not get their own post: Burgundy 2005 Jean Manciat Macon Charnay Vieille Vignes , $21 (Chambers Street Wines). 2005 Lafouge Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Les Duresses , $28 (Chambers Street Wines). 2005 Domaine Monpertuis Cote du Rhone Vignoble de la Ramiere , $14 (Chambers Street Wines).

3" is a wine that I would not necessarily seek out to buy for my cellar, but I would gladly drink anytime. My "4"s: 2005 Lieb Pinot Blanc , $19. 2005 Waters Crest Private Reserve Chardonnay , $25. 2002 Scarola Merlot , $?? 2005 Channing Daughters Enfant Sauvage Chardonnay , $35. already like them. alcohol. Yummy.

2002 Sylvan Cathiard Vosne Romanee , $25 (secondary market). to lay down in the cellar for a while. 2005 Belle Pente Willamette Valley Pinot Gris , $17. 2005 Domaine de Belliviere Jasnieres Les Rosiers , $28. 2005 Mark Angeli Anjou La Lune , $26. Its been a really good wine drinking month. Buy carefully in 2001.

Most are from 2005, a wonderful vintage. White: 2005 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine , $10 (so far, my case is the same as Lyle's). 2005 Thomas-Labaille Sancerre les Monts Damnees , $21 (Our cases diverge here). 2005 Chidaine Montlouis sur Loire Clos Habert , $26. 2002 Clos Rougeard Les Poyeaux , $55.

have enjoyed this wine very much in recent years, although the 2005, supposedly a great year in the Loire Valley, is not yet drinking well in my opinion. The 2002 was just excellent, and the last time I tasted the 2003 I was really impressed. This wine can improve for many years in the cellar. What happened here?

According to my records in Cellar Tracker, Burgundy accounts for upwards of 25% of my wine consumption in 2007 (I'm not getting into actual numbers, because I don't want you to think that I'm some sort of booze-soaked sot, or something). Like the wonderful $14 2002 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir. Why not? So that's it?" what).

have been sampling some older experiments using this strategy, a few 2001 Pinots from Oregon and Burgundy, 2002 was considered the star vintage in both regions. 2005 is supposed to be an incredible vintage, and from the little I have tasted so far, it's not hype - the wines are amazing. So beautiful.

For example, 2002 was considered to be a great year in Burgundy and in Oregon, and the wines tend to be priced accordingly. Wines are generally priced accordingly - in other words - people like you and me might be able to afford wines that are out of range in 2002. This idea is applicable in all of the "great" wine regions. Absolutely.

This was over a year ago, and we liked the wine enough that we bought 3 bottles for our "cellar" at Prospect Wine Shop. 2005 Catherine and Pierre Breton Bourgueil Trinch ! , $17. Oregon 2002 St Innocent Seven Springs , $32. 2002 Domaine Robert Groffier Bourgogne , $26. 2001 Palacios Remondo Rioja Propiedad H.

When you walk in you can go downstairs to a monumental cellar and walk through aisles upon aisles of barrels and bottles. And a sign said that only 10% of their wine is cellared in that facility. Our tasting notes: 2005 Moillard Grivot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes , E29. And you don't need an appointment. Well balanced, young.

2002 Pian del Ciampolo was in stores until a few months ago and it was graceful, light bodied, but pretty intense wine. 2003 is supposed to be far superior to 2002 in Tuscany and I was excited to try the new vintage. Fuller bodied than the 2002, intense smokey cherry and leather flavors, very earthy. Now, the weekend's wines.

Their unoaked 2005 Estate Sauvignon Blanc was fresh and lively. We emerged from our tasting there with a few bottles of their 2002 Cabernet Franc Reserve and a 375 ml of a 2004 zippy desert wine made from late harvest chardonnay called Allegra. 2005 Lamoreaux Landing $18 - light golden hue, very reserved nose. 2005 Hermann J.