|
|
|
|
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 78.3 1 | 82.7 2 | 71.7 6 |
|
Dom Matinho | Palazzo Della Torre | Veramonte | Chianti | Los Vascos | Rosenblum |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | slightly vegetal, oak, dark fruit | vegetal, green pepper, floral, reaks of a field of lavender (Bad Man), earthy, grassy, cabbage, gardenias, flowery | tobacco, heat, pepper, funky, spicy, woody, strawberries, smokey | cassis, vanilla, musk, purple Kool-aid, lilac, dark raspberry, burnt, musky | slight herbaceous, green pepper, vegetal, canned green beans | sulfur, rose, chemical, wet grass, spice |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Kool-aid, very slight tannins, balanced, puckery | tart, dry, fruity, watery, thin, no lingering aftertaste | Kool-aid, thin body, pinot-ish, jammy, pretty tannic | hollow mid-palate, tight, thick, lasting finish, turning clipped on the finish | thin, no prominence | virtually no finish after a few minutes, crunchy body |
| Overall.Notes.Final | BM: Nice, fruity, balanced, no perceptable flaws, but slightly abrasive. FT: Gets better with age. | BM: Okay, nice, no flaws, refined finish. FT: Almost maple syrupy. Better with oxygen. | BM: Okay for smokiness, clipped finish. FT: Fairly bad, very drying. | BM: Rich fruit, turns out to be the best Chianti I've ever had (though not a fan). FT: Pretty good, better with oxygen. | BM: Terrible nose. FT: Very vegetative, gets better with air and oxygen. | BM: Terrible. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 76 2 FT: 79 3 TH: 80 3 |
BM: 81 1 FT: 74 4 TH: 73 6 |
BM: 78 4 FT: 87 2 TH: 83 1 |
BM: 82 3 FT: 82 1 TH: 75 5 |
BM: 70 6 FT: 71 5 TH: 82 2 |
BM: 68 5 FT: 70 6 TH: 77 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 78.3 1 | 76.0 4 | 82.7 2 | 79.7 3 | 74.3 5 | 71.7 6 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 81.8 1 | 78.7 2 | 78.3 4 |
|
Rosemont  |
Barrel 27  |
Porcupine  |
Shotfire  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | dark berry fruit, sweet spicy chocolate, floral, jammy, blackberries, some vegetal, wood, orange rind, plum, peppermint, complex | cherry, smokey, tobacco, carbonesque, cedar, bubblegum | spice, vegetal smoke, fig, almost bread-like smell, yeasty, molasses, vanilla, barnyardy - Bad MaN loves this nose! | mashed fig, cardamom, banana, slight floral scent, like almost a very light gardenia, dried fruit, rose, paint, woody, raison |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | sweet fruit, fig, strawberry, firm acidity, a bit lingering in the mouth | nutmeg, sweet fruit, thin body, little tannins, dark, almost bitter, sweet long lingering aftertaste, spicy finish, balanced | slight tannins, rich sweet fruit, biggest body of the bunch, medium to full-bodied, balanced, rich fruit | prune/fig, not too big, medium bodied, not too dry, off balance, thick/chewy, complex, slightly sweet, but not hugely prominent, almost a mapley aftertaste |
| Overall.Notes.Final | BM: A bit disjoint, slightly cumbersome but overall good, albeit overripe. FT: Okay, not my favorite, a bit small tasting but the flavors are not so bad. TH: Nice cherry fruit with chocolate. | BM: Really nice, a good effort, sweet fruit, big mouthfeel, medium body. FT: Pretty complex with lots of different flavors. | BM: Slightly bitter, full throttle, the BEST wine here! FT: Okay, fairly low-key. Sweet with a sour aftertaste. | BM: Higher alcohol and more austere than number 3 (Porcupine), has some funky nuances - powerful nose was quite closed at first, really opened up. Very complex, Bordeaux-esque, but at the end of the night showing some really strong paint/funk/off fumes, which hurt my overall final impression. FT: Enjoy the taste and the nose but not the after taste. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 77 3 FT: 76 4 TH: 82 1 |
BM: 80 2 FT: 80 2 TH: 76 3 |
BM: 86 1 FT: 81 3 TH: 84 4 |
BM: 77 4 FT: 81.5 1 TH: 87 2 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 78.3 4 | 78.7 2 | 83.7 3 | 81.8 1 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-5, 1 best) | 91.0 1 | 85.5 2 | 81.0 5 |
|
Matanzas  |
Château Ducasse  |
Groth  |
Nobilo  |
Veramonte  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | lemon, soapy, tequila, pineapple, melon | pear, fig, mineral, pineapple | pink grapefruit, mineral, lime, flinty, toasty, BM: ++ (high marks) | citrus, melon, veggie, pear, fresh cut grass, lime, floral, eucalyptus, vegetal | some mineral, grapefruit, fig, peach, hay, grass, herbaceous, too pungent but it blew off quickly |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | pineapple, grapefruit, crisp, nice fruit and sweetness, full round | sharp acid, very puckery, simple tropical fruit, fairly short finish; nothing special but not bad | dry, green apple, crisp, full mouthfeel, long finish | dry, tart, green apple, citrus finish | dry, tart, puckery, slightly off balance, a little cloying, yet clipped in the finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | BM: Nice, pleasant, no flaws, grassy, crisp, tart. | BM: Very tart, least floral. | BM: The best. | BM: Funky, grassy, pink grapefruit, interesting complex, lasting finish. | BM: Too much structure for the fruit, but still nice and clean, but my least favorite. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 79 3 TH: 88 4 |
BM: 74 4 TH: 88 5 |
BM: 86 1 TH: 96 1 |
BM: 79 2 TH: 92 2 |
BM: 73 5 TH: 90 3 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 83.5 3 | 81.0 5 | 91.0 1 | 85.5 2 | 81.5 4 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 86.0 1 | 80.0 2 | 76.5 6 |
|
Nobilo |
Porcupine  |
Victoire  |
'Le M.D.'  |
Groth |
Crawford  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | grapefruit, mineral, fig, herbal, fruity, floral, perfumey | musty, mineral, nose fairly closed down, musk | skunky, lavender, floral, mineral | butterscotch, fruity | grassy, very slight nose, slight musk, very slightly musty | off, vegetal, green pepper, asparagus, awful (BM), FT: floral/fruity but with an off-like sea-salt-esque smell to it |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | slight citrus, tropical fruit, peachy, some body | pears, citrus, grassy, bubbly, green apple | tart with a hint of sweetness, tropical fruits and melon rich flavors | very pear, overly tart, pineapple, crisp | a bit bubbly, puckery, nice mouthfeel, thick, but not too viscous | citrus, tart, big mouthfeel, clipped finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | BM: Too flabby. FT: Not my favorite, still drinkable, a bit herby at the end. | BM: Crisp, green, but not terrible. FT: Tart aftertaste. | BM: Balanced, rich, a little tight, but great potential ++ (high marks). FT: Best flavors, good balance of tart vs. sweet - easily the best. | BM: Tart and crisp and clean. FT: Difficult to pinpoint a nose or the actual flavor other than pear, not distinctive. | BM: Really good, a little funky, ++ (high marks). FT: A bit dry, and can't distinguish the flavor profile. | BM: Good, but smells terrible. FT: Smell is awful, but the taste is flavorable. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 74 6 FT: 79 4 |
BM: 73 5 FT: 81 3 |
BM: 87 1 FT: 85 1 |
BM: 83 4 FT: 77 5 |
BM: 84 2 FT: 75 6 |
BM: 78 3 FT: 82 2 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 76.5 6 | 77.0 4 | 86.0 1 | 80.0 5 | 79.5 3 | 80.0 2 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 86.5 1 | 85.0 2 | 74.5 4 |
|
Groth |
Tremblay  |
Victoire |
Nobilo |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | grapefruit, grass, floral, slight | lime, grapefruit, mineral, citrus | lavender, floral, slightly skunky, grass, not much fruit | intensely funky, gnarly, vegetal, grapefruit, mineral |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | low acid, round, soft, balanced, crisp, lasting finish with floral notes | creamy, acidic, mineral finish, a little cloying | most acidic, but balanced by creaminess and rich juicy fruit, big bold body | a little harsh, too austere, puckery around the palate, lean finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | Grows on you as the night progressed despite the low acid, medium bodied, clean, dry California style turning slightly bitter on the finish. Overall this is a solid effort, tasted consistently multiple times, and is a reasonable, not great, value. Although it's a little too Cali for me to fully embrace, that should prove good over time as the U.C. Davis methods will keep the style the same, vintage over vintage. I'd (Bad Man) stick with the French Victoire, but this Groth is so easy to find as it's literally everywhere, making it the ultimate white go-to wine for every occasion. | Soft, nice, light to medium weight, not fancy, good fruit. A nice effort; the French region Quincy is a newly found star appellation to the Royals. | Speaking of stars, this is a stellar wine, perhaps a little too rich in Bad Man's (that's me) opinion, bringing to light the question of whether or not this is the way a Sauvignon Blanc is supposed to be. | Nose is super intense, but not in a good way. At the end of the evening it turned decidedly apple-y in flavor, but, as is the case with most New Zealand and South African wine the fruit varietal characteristics are turned up way past 11, throwing off the balance and often provided some nasty overly acidic overly aroma infused concoctions. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 82 2 TH: 91 1 |
BM: 81 3 TH: 89 2 |
BM: 86 1 TH: 84 3 |
BM: 78 4 TH: 71 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 86.5 1 | 85.0 3 | 85.0 2 | 74.5 4 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-5, 1 best) | 90.3 1 | 88.7 2 | 76.5 5 |
|
Lytton Springs  |
St. Francis Pagani  |
Rosenblum Annette  |
Ridge Pagani  |
A. Rafanelli  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Wood, tar, wet dog, mulchy, purple and white flower, earthy, green pepper, herbaceous | Strawberry, floral, candy, wet wool, gardenias, dark fruit, maple | Super intense nose, starting with mid-eastern spices, musty decomposing leaves, maple syrup, mold, vanilla, brown sugar (Bad Man ADORES this nose, giving it his ++ (high marks)) | Brambly dark fruit, buttery, jammy, cardamom, almost sweet spice, black cherry, prune, lead pencil, most zin-like | Demure, toffee, caramel, cedar, woody, some sugar, over time Bad Man started to freak - the bouquet on this bad boy was precisely reminiscent of a pet store - bird feed, kitty litter, something bizarre going on here, and its minuses outweigh its pluses (but only apparently in Bad Man's estimation) |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | None to slight tannins, no mid-palate, no prominent fruit, non-existent finish, no distinguishing taste, no sweetness, no mouthfeel, thin-bodied | Balanced tannins, medium-bodied, lingering finish more on the back of the tongue than the throat | Medium tannins, but not big, TH and BM both wrote that the finish was good, and FT wrote very tannic with a pretty good finish with a nice linger that isn't too overpowering. | Flabby, too thin, no tannins, bitter, flaccid, erectile dysfunction, taste is AWFUL | Rich, roaring fruit over the palate, iron fist in a velvet glove, lush full fruit, very smooth, softer than the Rosenblum |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: austere, not jammy zin-like FT: not great, too thin BM: not enough fruit, not interesting, something missing, austere |
TH: sharp tight fruit yet not fully developed. Some sugar and spice but not there yet FT: not a strong wine BM: slightly below average for this caliber of Zin tasting |
TH: sugar cane alley FT: nice finish BM: needs time - far and away the best wine considering cellar time - balanced, complex nose - best wine for the long haul (note: as is Rosenblum's Maggie's! These are the two Zins to lay down for next year |
TH: something is wrong here FT: smells most like a zin, but taste is AWFUL and awful mouthfeel BM: flabby and gross - I can't say how shitty this bottle is, and NO it is not corked. The only thing good (reasonably speaking) was the nose |
TH: not full-throttle monster zin but a very nice showing FT: very nice, easy to drink but good complexity, awful nose, most likely I would buy to drink BM: bright acid, crisp, balanced, supreme effort - but alas the nose! All I have to say is this has a killer bod with waaay too funky of a smell protruding from it. And the smoothness reminds me of the Limerick Lane Collin's Vineyard - if anything THAT should be tasted up against this A. Raf before progressing to the final Tier I tasting |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 77 4 FT: 82 4 TH: 79 4 |
BM: 80 3 FT: 85 3 TH: 80 3 |
BM: 91 1 FT: 87 2 TH: 88 2 |
BM: 74 5 FT: 80 5 TH: 74 5 |
BM: 90 2 FT: 90 1 TH: 91 1 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 79.3 4 | 81.7 3 | 88.7 2 | 76.0 5 | 90.3 1 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-7, 1 best) | 91.0 1 | 90.5 2 | 76.3 7 |
|
Turley Hayne 2005  |
Lamborn Family Howell Mountain 2005  |
Turley Hayne 1996  |
Lytton Springs 2002  |
Martinelli Jackass Hill 2002  |
Martinelli Jackass Hill 1996 |
Rosenblum Annette 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Light ruby, the lightest of all the wines, bright cherry, some sort of vegetalness, cotton candy, caramel, grassy, oak, simple | Skunk/musk (Bad Man gives his ++ (high marks)), vanilla, briary, warm syrup, brown sugar, dark berry, pepper, burnt sugar | Plum, cocoa, tar, leather, floral, smoke, maple, bacon, chocolate (Bad Man gives his ++ (high marks)) | Most closed nose of the group, very subtle nose with hints of vanilla, a light floral note, cardamom, and dark berries | Plum, prune, raison, a touch of smoke, Asian fish market (in a good way), orange rind, out-house, cedar, slight meat, mature, complex, excellent | Bad Man's first note is that there is something here that is unidentifiable but is great, super complex (Bad Man gives his ++ (high marks)), cedar, musky, smoke, spice, pepper, smoked meat, dark fruit | Black strawberry, fig, molasses, vanilla, chocolate, leather, super complex, dried fruit, late harvest, maple syrup, spice |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Nice and smooth, bright fruit, integrated tannins, balanced but thin-bodied, NO finish (all agreed - "Aye!") | Loads of dark creamy fruit (Bad Man quipped, "This is my fruit profile!"), full mouthfeel but not aggressive, medium finish | Tasty bacon, rich body, structured, a little rough and sharp in the mouth, flavors of smoked bacon and prune, but not full bodied or assertive enough for Full-Throttle | Rich and jammy, with big front tannins, and a fine lasting finish, possessing a sandpaper/scrappy mouthfeel, a big monster, the most tannic of the lot | All heat and acid, not tannic, not a great finish, doesn't linger (better the 2nd day; see note below) | Rustic, chewy, nice fruit, spice flavors, round, pleasant, no perceptible tannins, Full-Throttle: "nice" | Loaded with huge scrappy tannins, raisiny flavors, full-bodied, lush, structured, lasting finish, Full-Throttle: "nice" |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Green, bright, but likable & sprightly - "I'd not refuse it" FT: Very bright, easily drinkable wine, not a great finish and thin but not offensive BM: I remarked before the unveiling that this is the only non-world class wine of the bunch - flabby, simple, uninteresting - BORING. |
TH: Dark fruit, spicy, balanced, with some good Zin rusticness FT: Pretty good mouthfeel, it's not spectacular BM: Love the dark fruit flavours, and this is a good solid wine, but the nose puts it over the top into greatness. Well done Heidi Barrett; I apologize for doubting you, although that was after tasting this same bottle before, so I'm not sure why the 84 before except that the finish was perhaps too bitter and clipped that night? You can read that tasting here. |
TH: Was hot but jammy spectacular, lingering caress, monster FT: Not an assertive wine, pretty mouthfeel but I found it forgettable BM: Great structure great nose - this wine improved as the night wore on, probably due to the tannins in her neighbor, Mr. Lytton. I for one want to say thank you, Helen. |
TH: Big Zin, tannins soften on breathing but nose is still too tight FT: Very good wine, pretty rich in the mouth but the nose is so closed BM: A little overripe, this is the most tannic and the fruit can't keep up |
TH: Complex, full, pruney FT: Tannic, astringent BM: Nothing left - hasn't turned to vinegar, but maybe it would be okay with some strong cheese to provide resistance for the high acids to cut through |
TH: A hot chewy peppered bacon fiesta! FT: Good taste, good linger, very pleasant taste and full, would easily drink this without any food BM: Very interesting - complex, port-like resonance, overripe fruit, killer nose, excellent length |
TH: Big dark fruit, good body and finish, yum FT: Very rich, lasting and full. Despite sweet smell, overall taste is bitter and counter balances it BM: Very yummy, fucking intense, huge mouthfeel. Post-unveiling - for $30, especially as I've had this 3 times now recently and it always takes top honours, snap as many bottles of the stunning Rosenblum Annette's Reserve as you can afford. Heck, who needs electricity - buy a bunch even if you can't afford it! |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 78 7 FT: 79 6 TH: 72 7 |
BM: 90 2 FT: 84 4 TH: 85 5 |
BM: 89 4 FT: 79 7 TH: 95 1 |
BM: 85 5 FT: 85 3 TH: 86 4 |
BM: 83 6 FT: 81 5 TH: 84 6 |
BM: 89 3 FT: 91.5 1 TH: 91 2 |
BM: 93 1 FT: 91 2 TH: 89 3 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 76.3 7 | 86.3 3 | 87.7 4 | 85.3 5 | 82.7 6 | 90.5 2 | 91.0 1 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 89.7 1 | 89.2 2 | 79.0 6 |
|
Ridge Lytton Estate 2002  |
Christopher Creek Reserve 2006  |
Anderson's CVV Black Label 2005  |
Turley Hayne 2004  |
Rosenblum Rhodes 2005  |
Earthquake Lodi 2004  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Dark purple/brown in colour, vegetal sweet spice on the rather closed nose. | Dark magenta/inky black, immediately staining the glass wall upon swirling. On the bouquet was dark currant, tar, meat, blackberries, cream, smoke, cinnamon and clove. | Less purple more red in colour, with a nose of rotten wood, violets, vanilla, some vegetal, wet wood, stinky, mint, and eucalyptus, all which later developed into a heady fragrance of yep, you guessed it, BANANAS! | Inky dark purple, coating the glass wall with an intense and immediate staining residue, similar to #2. On the nose we picked up dark fruit, vanilla, maple, with green pepper (Bad Man no like) at first, but opening after a few hours to display heady perfume over dry oak. | More of a reddish purple, lighter than most of the others, possessing a bouquet of dried fig, nutmeg, sweet spice, floral, vanilla, green bean, cinnamon, serious smoke after second hour, warm and complex. | Another rim-stainer. Prune, spinach, chemical and vegetal notes over a port-like raisony sweetness turning toward maple syrup, cloying but still likable. |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Slight tannins, not a fruit bomb by any means, bitter taste, not a lasting finish. No noticeable fruit, brambly astringent and scrappy in the mouth with no fruit to forgive the trespass. | Great balance between tannins and acid, having noticeable amounts of both but laced together harmoniously, nice round textured mouthfeel, dark fruit and spice flavours abound, framed by a long, warm finish. | Pretty tannic, reasonable amount of fruit but it tastes like BANANAS! No finish of which to speak. | Integrated with strong tannins, rich bite of fruit, full and lush, balanced, great mouthfeel, chewy chocolate flavours. | Strong tannins without being over the top, chocolate and dark fruit flavors mixed with overripe prune, not a strong finish but somehow lingering. | Very distinctive overripe prune flavours, a little flabby bordering on rotting fruit. For all that still not as terrible as it sounds; average for the bunch. |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Okay, but I hope this isn't expensive. FT: Nose is slightly vegetal, taste is bitter and finish doesn't last. BM: Needs more time, tannins overbear the fruit. Bitterness is annoying. |
TH: Really nice wine - a monster fruit bomb. FT: Ok nose, tannic but mouth is not aggressive; drinkable with a good steak, good finish. BM: Built to last - super yummy. More than enough structure to go a long distance; not as much fruit as #4 (which turned out to be the Turley). |
TH: Bright fruit - but bananas - really? FT: Smells funny, a cross between a florist and a wood-chipper. Tastes like bananas; not good. Finish is very fleeting. Yuck. BM: Smells like a winery (but in a bad way) - wasn't fined enough. Bananas. |
TH: I'd be happy to drink this again. FT: Smells vegetal but upon drinking it a pleasant surprise of dark fruit. Pretty good. Rich. BM: Perfectly balanced; huge mouthfeel. |
TH: A very nice Petite Sirah FT: Floral and sweet spices in the nose with slight dried fig in the mouth, cloying aftertaste, not assertive. BM: Crisp finish a little hollow between the structure and the fruit. Structure is better than #6 (which turned out to be the Earthquake) but not so rich - some kind of dark funk. |
TH: Thick, dessert-like. FT: Sweet, raisony smell, dark fruit taste, ok finish. BM: Not so bad, bright and balanced but a little brambly, richer than #5 (which turned out to be the Rosenblum Rhodes) |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 79 5 FT: 80 5 TH: 82 5 |
BM: 86 2 FT: 88 1 TH: 95 1 |
BM: 80 6 FT: 78 6 TH: 79 6 |
BM: 88 1 FT: 85.5 2 TH: 94 2 |
BM: 84 4 FT: 81 4 TH: 90 3 |
BM: 82 3 FT: 84 3 TH: 85 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 80.3 5 | 89.7 1 | 79.0 6 | 89.2 2 | 85.0 4 | 83.7 3 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 89.7 1 | 90.3 2 | 82.3 6 |
|
Duckhorn Estate 2004  |
Luna 2004  |
Leonetti Columbia Valley 2006  |
Shafer Napa Valley 2006  |
Newton Unfiltered 2002  |
Podalirio Toscana 2004  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Musty, overripe, floral-ly, oak, spice, prune, burnt smoke, poo, mold, mildew | Sugar, vanilla, maple, cherry, mint, spice, anise, dark berry, smoked meat | Sweet butterscotch, tar, leather, floral, blueberry, oak | Warm spices, dark berry, vanilla, slight chemical that blew off after 4 hours, soap | Soy sauce, herbs, citrus peel, orange rind, cedar, bark | Grassy, woody, toasted nuts, clove, sugar cookie, molasses, coffee, pine tree, warm perfume |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Rich and creamy, big-bodied, ripe and round, tannic | Dark chocolate, brooding dark fruit, nice warm lasting finish, light-medium bodied with high alcohol, slightly overripe | Integrated tannins, medium-bodied, rich complex layering of texture ++ (Bad Man's highest rating), balanced, bright fruit, smooth and silky | Buttery with a dark cloying finish, all edges at first but resolves into a buttery popcorn bucket | Super tannic, no finish, not enough fruit, some dark fruit after several hours | Tannic, firm acidity, dry, low fruit but what's there is good |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: No notes. FT: Okay, smells too ripe, pretty good mouthfeel. BM: Great in the mouthfeel, but the awful nose ruins the wine - smells like grandma's under garments! |
TH: Rustic, just rough enough. FT: Okay, long finish with tastes of dark chocolate. BM: Slightly overripe. |
TH: Nice structure, good tannins, soft, thinner in the mouth. FT: Good mouth and finish, warm in the throat and very smooth. BM: Great expressive fruit and texture, accessible, beautifully balanced. Perfect wine for the moment but not ageworthy. |
TH: Odd buttery quality, not much fruit but decent. FT: Tastes like butter. BM: A little awkward and cloying, herbaceous. |
TH: After 3 hours breathing it softens into a very drinkable wine. FT: Very tannic, harsh in the mouth, smells like soap. BM: Super tannic, not enough fruit, nose is pretty unmemorable. It's like chewing on a block of wood, and then a cloying finish. Yikes! |
TH: Lots of tannins but saved by fruit. Cellar this - too young for now. FT: Tannic, low fruit, dry. BM: Good nose, a tannic monster with great fruit, one to lay down for the long haul. All brawn, no finesse. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 6 FT: 85 4 TH: 82 5 |
BM: 88 2 FT: 90 2 TH: 93 1 |
BM: 89 1 FT: 91 1 TH: 89 2 |
BM: 83 4 FT: 83 5 TH: 85 4 |
BM: 85 5 FT: 82 6 TH: 84 3 |
BM: 87 3 FT: 89 3 TH: 80 6 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 82.3 6 | 90.3 2 | 89.7 1 | 83.7 4 | 83.7 5 | 85.3 3 |
| Some pix from the event: | This is it - the conclusive Royal Tannin Bomb Showdown! |
| A marriage of magnificent Merlots | |
| The unusual suspects |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-5, 1 best) | 93.0 1 | 89.0 2 | 84.5 5 |
|
Jean de Gué 2005  |
La Fleur de Laussac 2005  |
d'Aiguilhe 2004  |
Cap de Faugeres 2000  |
de Fonbel 2005  |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Cedar, crème, molasses, cassis, popcorn | Leather, dark chocolate, cherry | Barnyard, musty, cedar, decay, herbaceous, moldy, interesting and complex ++ (Bad Man's highest rating) | Red currant, clove, vanilla, oregano, sulfur, swimming pool changing room - wet cement and moldy towels, green pepper, dark fruit | Leather and chocolate, spice mix, cherry, smoke, crème, cassis, vanilla |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Harmonious nice red fruit, flavours of pomegranate and cranberry, decent mouthfeel, round and slightly full, soft and slightly chewy, reasonable finish | Tannic and out of balance but showing great future promise - BIG, chunky-style port-like woody monster, with nice warm fruit on the finish. Fruit seems to float above the tannic structure, out of balance and not integrated. | Structured with modest chewy fruit, persistent warm finish. Big body, rich mouthfeel, gobs of bracing tannins, austere yet with a promising fruit profile | Rich fruit, medium to full-bodied, great dark fruit profile, tightly structured | Good fruit presence - not thin but not round, red fruit flavors, lingering finish but a little flabby, heavy tannins on the back palate - super mouth-drying |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Slight and soft but not flabby. A decent offering. BM: Beautiful Cookies & Crème nose, nice lighter style fruity wine. |
TH: Give this time in Tally's cellar, and then watch out! BM: Needs more time, shows promise, more austere, huge tannic monster. |
TH: Classic style. BM: Classic Bordeaux nose, really open and complex, richness of fruit and flavors I like. Complex. |
TH: Where is Ludivine Sagnier? Are we going to Funky Farm? BM: Awkward - needs more time, but still a solid effort with the fruit I love. |
TH: Accessible, like Luna? BM: Very accessible - New World style. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 84 4 TH: 89 4 |
BM: 86 2 TH: 92 2 |
BM: 92 1 TH: 94 1 |
BM: 85 3 TH: 84 5 |
BM: 81 5 TH: 91 3 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 86.5 3 | 89.0 2 | 93.0 1 | 84.5 5 | 86.0 4 |
| A pic from the event: | Five alive |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-7, 1 best) | 89.0 1 | 87.0 2 | 74.5 7 |
|
Louis Martini Sonoma 2006 | Viña Ventisquero Root:1 2007 | Villa Mt Eden Grand Reserve Napa 2005 | Raimat Costers del Segre 2001 | Paoletti Vineyards Piccolo Cru Napa 2005 | Avalon Napa 2006 | Nine North Wine Company Twenty Bench Napa 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Dark herbs, tar, perfume, green pepper, cold, vanilla | Vegetal right off, green pepper, grassy, BBQ meat, smoke, herbaceous | Cassis, heady aroma of Cookies & Crème, ++ (Bad Man's highest rating), slight floral, smoked meat and maple | Normally I don't separate us out by taster in this section, but since we came up with quite different evaluations I've done so this time: Tally-Ho: Musty earth, toasty oak, tobacco, dark fruit. Bad Man: Toilet. Awful! Must be the 8 year old Spanish swill! | Toasted oak, leather, some dark fruit, herbs, musty, earth | "Wall'o maple sugar", observed Tally-Ho, but Bad Man could only pick up on the perfume, prune, fishy green pepper aromas | Vanilla, dark berries, tobacco, yeasty, stinky, but blew off after an hour. Slightly herbaceous. |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Normally I don't separate us out by taster in this section, but since we came up with quite different evaluations I've done so this time: Tally-Ho: Scrappy tannins that softened over time, slight to medium finish, sharp and slightly awkward at first - improves but not full or lush. Bad Man: Tight tannins, dark fruit, nice layers but not great, expansive finish. Low structure, adequate nose, perfect fruit. | Slight fruit, soda-pop fizz, cocoa rich dark fruit, balanced and full, reasonable finish, firm acid with light tannins - tastes like green pepper! | Chalky tannins, medium-bodied, rich dark fruit and chocolate, good balance, nice finish | Normally I don't separate us out by taster in this section, but since we came up with quite different evaluations I've done so this time: Tally-Ho: Effervescent on the tip of the tongue, fruit in the middle but not in balance, warm finish. Bad Man: Thin effervescent soda-pop zing, bad flavour, but the finish is okay due to the high acid. Zero structure, no tannins left. | Bright acidity, big integrated tannins, rich textured fruit with dusty cocoa followed by a slightly dry to medium finish | Chalky tannins, nice soft fruit, rich and full in the mouth. Bad Man noted something slimy in the mouth - a little sugary | Normally I don't separate us out by taster in this section, but since we came up with quite different evaluations I've done so this time: Tally-Ho: Structured fruit but in check, rich full body, lingering finish. Bad Man: Medium-bodied, integrated tannins, high firm acid, not a rich texture but has a nice flavour profile, good lasting finish. |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: A mediocre showing without great body or nose; somewhat thin and unremarkable. A surprise since the rich fruit was what got this wine invited to the party in the first place. Tainted bottle? BM: Low structure, adequate nose, perfect fruit. I love the fruit profile so much I can overlook the lack of structure. Still, other wines here have both, so it will not come in at the top that's for sure. Still, beautiful fruit. |
TH: The biting green pepper nose is really off-putting but the mouth feel is full and delivers rich dark fruit if you can make it past the vegetal scent. BM: Terrible nose, nice simple wine mouthfeel, but nose is too vegetal. Like the body, hate the nose. |
TH: It was pretty much neck and neck between this wine and the Piccolo but in the end this won out for me with the superior nose, balance, rich mouth feel and chocolate covered fruit flavors. This is a great Cab for the price so I'll for sure buy more. BM: A fantastic complex wine with all the right pieces in all the right places. A more austere effort, but well balanced with sweet fruit. |
TH: A barnyard pigpen fiasco of a nose but the bright acidity, tannins and mouthfeel made this drinkable. The missing fruit was the dead give away to this Spanish oldster ('01) in the group. BM: One-dimensional and way past its prime, no tannins, zingy bubbly and a HIDEOUS STENCH wafting out of the glass. This is a wine to be poured now - down the friggin' drain! |
TH: Terrific nose, bright acidity and rich cocoa dusted fruit made this a one point loser to the Villa Mt. Eden on my tasting sheet. Given that this is a Meritage and the VME is a true cab; if we're splitting hairs this would not be in the line-up but will show well against many traditional CA Cabs. Definitely a buy again wine. BM: Most Bordeaux-like nose, great solid structure. |
TH: Huge maple sugar nose with moderate tannins and acidity, I ranked this #3 of 7 and only points away from the top 2. Were the nose a little less Maine in winter, it might have been the winner. The price on this wine demands you buy some for everyday consumption. BM: Nice soft fruit over chalky tannins, not the best flavours but reasonably balanced - a little sugary. |
TH: A really nice effort with a nice nose, good structure, full body and decent fruit, acidity and tannins coupled with a lingering finish. Only two points away from the front runner but given the price, I'd probably chose the lower priced options before purchasing this again. BM: Lighter fruit profile, a fun simple wine, but good, possessing a nice little bit of an edge on the palate. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 88 3 TH: 83 5 |
BM: 76 6 TH: 77 7 |
BM: 90 1 TH: 88 1 |
BM: 67 7 TH: 82 6 |
BM: 86 2 TH: 88 2 |
BM: 85 4 TH: 86 3 |
BM: 83 5 TH: 86 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 84.5 3 | 76.5 6 | 89.0 1 | 74.5 7 | 87.0 2 | 85.5 4 | 84.5 5 |
| Some (blurry) pix from the event: | A blurry grouping |
| Closeup, missed some - bummer. Random, but I got the 2 winners and 2 losers! |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-7, 1 best) | 91.5 1 | 89.0 2 | 81.0 7 |
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Snowden The Ranch Napa 2006 | Villa Mt Eden Grand Reserve Napa 2005 | Château d’Aiguilhe Côtes-de-Castillon 2004 | Havens ‘Bourriquot’ Napa 2004 | Mount Eden Vineyards Estate 2005 | Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac 2005 | La Bienfaisance Saint-Emilion 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Egg, dough, yeast, mineral, dark fruit, slight tobacco, oak, maple on 2nd pass | Very tight, with slight herbs and camphor, cola, grass, and straw | Fragrantly perfumey, white floral, spice, cedar | Warm and spicy, slight mineral, herbs, heat, high-alcohol, molasses, perfume | Burnt oak, dark barnyard, intense must, paint, briary, anchovy, opulent ++ (Bad Man's highest marks), menthol, dark fruit | Tobacco, floral, oak, chocolate, cedar, maple, vanilla, anis, lead-pencil, coffee, barnyard (Bad Man guessed correctly that this was the Duhart-Milon right from the nose) | Warm spice, dark berry, toast, vanilla |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Chewy mouthfeel, tannic, lasting finish, spice and dark fruit, dusty, rich texture, balanced | Bright cherry, very light body, dusty, warm sweet fruit, too much simple fruit, slight to non-existent finish | Some slight side tannins, balanced with dark fruit and spice on the palate with pomegranate, red currant and green olive. Bitter disjointed finish | Slight to moderate modest fruit, very silky body, rich and full (according to Tally-Ho), with a warm spice chocolate finish. Bad Man found it light-bodied, thin, that zingy-cola-soda-pop texture, a bitter finish and very disappointing | Juicy dark fruit and warm spice over velvety tannins, soft and rich - a French kiss of a wine according to Tally-Ho | Slightly unyielding and shy with hints of complex fruit - full-bodied and muscular yet velvety after a few hours. Decent finish with chocolate and dark lovely fruit. | Nice cherry fruit-forward style, with full-throttle tannins, great fruit on entry, and spice notes on the palate |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Somewhat jangly, but big and very drinkable. BM: Huge tannic monster, needs more time, but overall I feel it is the most interesting and rewarding wine of the night. At under $40 this is one to snatch up for the long haul. |
TH: Too much red fruit with light body and no real complexity. BM: Slightly disjoint - layers of fruit suspended over slight tannins. Needs time to integrate and too much of that simple red fruit - ugh! |
TH: Nothing great or memorable. BM: Nice, but bitter fruit character, reasonable structure, but hollow. |
TH: Rich mouth, nice smoky nose, distinctive finish. BM: Too thin, light California style, bitter fruit, VA component. |
TH: Warm, fruity and rich, balanced lush and very drinkable and lovely!!! BM: Definitely Bordeaux... Oops! Velvety tannins, needs time, slightly hollow body, but SPECTACULAR nose! |
TH: A beautiful wine with chocolate covered fruit, full and rich in the mouth. BM: Massive and muscular; needs time to settle out, definitely Bordeaux. |
TH: Big tannins but good fruit presence. BM: Reasonable balance between tannins and fruit, just not a fan of the cherry fruit profile, and no complexity. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 89 2 TH: 87 5 |
BM: 84 4 TH: 78 7 |
BM: 79 6 TH: 83 6 |
BM: 74 7 TH: 92 2 |
BM: 90+ 1 TH: 93 1 |
BM: 89 3 TH: 89 3 |
BM: 80 5 TH: 88 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 88.0 3 | 81.0 6 | 81.0 7 | 83.0 5 | 91.5 1 | 89.0 2 | 84.0 4 |
| Bad Man's guess | Actual |
| Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Santa Cruz | Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Santa Cruz |
| Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch Napa | Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch Napa |
| Villa Mt Eden Grand Reserve Napa | Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac |
| Château d’Aiguilhe Côtes-de-Castillon | Villa Mt Eden Grand Reserve Napa |
| Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac | Château La Bienfaisance Saint-Émilion | Château La Bienfaisance Saint-Émilion | Château d’Aiguilhe Côtes-de-Castillon |
| Havens ‘Bourriquot’ Napa | Havens ‘Bourriquot’ Napa |
| A pic from the event: | The auspicious group |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 87.0 1 | 87.0 2 | 86.5 4 |
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Gargiulo Vineyards Money Road Ranch Oakville 2005 | Swanson Vineyards Oakville 2004 | Podalirio Toscana 2004 | Sullivan Vineyards Estate Rutherford 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Violets, mineral, tar, rose petals, lanoline, dark fruit, chocolate, and oak | Smoke, syrup, maple, perfume, cedar, crème, spice, and chocolate | Gobs of sweet vanilla oak, just gi-normous, huge intensity, searing into your nostrils! Sharp, very slight blackberry and blueberry fruit | Red currant, vanilla, oak, leather smoke, green bean shows up late but uninvited |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Bright acid, integrated tannins, dusty mouthfeel, chocolate covered berries in the glass, warm spice on a long finish. Light-bodied, soft texture with bright crisp acidity, cherry and red fruit flavours | Satiny tannins, especially in the front palate, creamy and supple, chocolate dipped fruit, full and round, medium-bodied nice rich mouthfeel, ending with a warm and seductive finish of dark burnt fruit | Dusty chocolate, blackberry, warm spice, round mouthfeel, somewhat hollow or disjoint, with simple Concord-grape jelly mixed with BBQ meat flavours over a medium body. The tannins built as the night wore on | Crazy gnarly tannins, brambly fruit, warm spice, slightly unbalanced, with layered fruit and a lasting finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Perhaps more rustic than some would like, but the combo plate of fruit, chocolate, oaky vanilla, and slight but restrained floral is very rewarding and likable. I really liked how this wine develops. Starts out all youthful aggression but settles into a complex, very drinkable wine. BM: Low tannins but present, nice fruit. Too much of the red fruit profile. Light in body, overripe fruit. |
TH: Nuanced and complex, rich and sexy. Slight tremors - "Earthquake"-like nose borders on a sugar-rush. A highly drinkable silky wine with fruit and structure. BM: A little sparkly from the Syrah - cheating! I want something true to the varietal, not a cross-pollinated modern blend. Having said that, I did like the crème-iness and dark fruit profile. |
TH: Great nose after 3 hours, really opens up but the fruit and tannins are slightly ajar. Still slightly jagged, but not a bad wine all elements considered. The 2nd best wine of the tasting. BM: Tannins lurked in the background for the first hour, then announced themselves and took over the glass in a major coup d’état. Very austere style, seems backward, needs time. Purple simple Concord grape jelly flavours, too fruit-punch in style, but with a disjoint structure that creeps up on you. Will improve in 5 years; check back then. |
TH: Cultish and youthfully brash - not a lot of finesse - maybe after a few years will show better but highly promising. Love the caveman aspect - pull my ponytail. Rough and ready (not so ready). Buy this and cellar it or drink when you're ready for rustic boldness. BM: Oddly pinkish in colour - there's your proof right there that no Cabernet Franc was blended here to please Robert Parker! Gripping tannins - shows great promise. Excellent layered fruit over a massive Merlot framework - this is what structured Merlot is all about! |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 4 TH: 93 1 |
BM: 86 2 TH: 87 3 |
BM: 84 3 TH: 90 2 |
BM: 88 1 TH: 86 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 86.5 3 | 86.5 4 | 87.0 2 | 87.0 1 |
| A pic from the event: | Group lineup |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-5, 1 best) | 87.0 1 | 85.5 2 | 85.5 5 |
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Bella Vetta Jack's Cabin Rockpile 2006 | Rosenblum Snows Lake Lake County 2005 | Rosenblum Harris Kratka Alexander Valley 2006 | Summers Villa Andriana Estate Bottled Napa 2006 | Four Vines “Maverick” Amador County 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Maple, spice, band-aids, dark cherry and berries | Blackberry jam, sugar cookie, spice, dark yummy fruit, that flower-dipping chemical, Smokey the Bear | Oak, red fruit, slight spice, nutmeg, cool, urinal-but-in-a-good-way, overripe prune, acrid, skunky, complex | Burnt caramel, violets, dark fruit, bar of soap, lavender, violet flower bed, a little pet-store sawdust going on, hollow, turpentine | Spice, dark cherry and plum, Hoisin sauce, smoked pork, light cedar, charred toast, pencil eraser, vanilla, maple syrup, black cherry |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Well integrated tannins, lovely dark berry fruit, dark chocolate, lovely creamy mouthfeel, full lush supple and rewarding, long warm lingering finish | Chewy jammy purple fruits, slightly simple but great mouthfeel, warm nice finish | Tannic rich and lush, complex, rustic, good finish, rich textured mouthfeel | Modest tannins, chewy fruit, warm spices, chocolate, nice finish, a little cloying | Tannic, chewy dusty cocoa brambly fruit, lush good fruit presence with spice, claret-like with a somewhat funky finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Don't rush this wine. It takes hours to come into its own, but patience will be rewarded. This wine is remarkable. BM: Hot, nothing special, but not bad. Elegant grace. |
TH: Fruit forward rich and yielding - OMG! This is a terrific Zin! BM: Overripe purple fruit flavours, the only bad wine of the bunch (that wasn't corked, of course). Concord grape jelly flavour profiles - I kept going back again and again to confirm. It was better after several hours, but very disappointing for Rosenblum at this price point. Not much else going on here - decent structure but nothing special. |
TH: A spicy fruit example of Zin. Less "peignoir pretty" than some but admirable example. Slightly brash and youthful. Good Zin profile. BM: Good stuff, biggest of the bunch, definitely oaked. My #1 pick! |
TH: Fruit forward spicy Zin with tons of sugar but well structured and balanced. On the simple side but a very drinkable wine. BM: Great flavours, HORRIBLE NOSE and the ACID IS WAY TOO LOW! Low acid kills a Zin. |
TH: Good Zin, very lovely in the glass. A perfectly lively Zin! BM: Very funky, interesting, lighter style, austere claret but bright acid, complex, with nice grainy tannins. My 2nd fav! |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 3 TH: 91 2 |
BM: 80 5 TH: 93 1 |
BM: 86 1 TH: 86 5 |
BM: 81 4 TH: 90 4 |
BM: 86 2 TH: 88 3 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 85.5 2 | 86.5 3 | 86.0 4 | 85.5 5 | 87.0 1 |
| A pic from the event: | Group lineup |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 89.0 1 | 90.0 2 | 79.5 6 |
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Rosenblum Snows Lake 2005 | Rosenblum Harris Kratka 2006 | Rosenblum Monte Rosso 2006 | Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve 2005 | Rosenblum Aparicio 2005 | Rosenblum Rockpile Road 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Burnt oak, searing, molasses, brown sugar, spice box, vanilla oak, brambly berries, smoke | Herbal, mint, burnt sugar cookie, camphor, very slight fruit (Bad Man circled that this was the most disappointing nose, only picking up the herbs and mint) | Sage, pepper, violet, vanilla, chewing gum, sweet vanilla (Bad Man penned super) | Sweet maple, chocolate covered strawberries, leather, complex, pepper, light oak, sugar, dark berries | Tar, anise, coffee, brown sugar, that flower dipping chemical stuff that was in last week's Snows Lake, vanilla, sugar, oak, plums and blackberries | Herb, mint, oak, dark cherry, red currant, Bad Man: brambly, green pepper, sulfer, swimming pool, yeasty - bad, but not as bad as #2! |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Bright, balanced acid - not huge but not cloying, integrated fine tannins, warm chocolaty fruit with spice notes, supple and round in the mouth, yielding and lovely with a warm medium finish | Bright acid, moderate tannins, dark fruit, pepper and warm spice on the flavor profile, modest finish, robust structure, rich full mouthfeel but not a great finish | Light acid, slightly tannic, flavors of spice, rich blackberry, dark chewy fruit, rich. Finishes warm on a chord, not a single note (Tally-Ho) | Tight tannins, sugar, dark cherry and Mediterranean spice on the tongue, with a beautiful hot, spicy rolling finish. Intense layers of my (Bad Man's) favourite fruit profile | Solid tannins, dusty cocoa, plumy dark berries, slight pepper and spice in a rich textured mouthfeel, great finish of rich fruit and spice and chocolate all the way down | Big tannins, green herbal flavours, that sour Zin element, and a clipped, bone-dry non-existent finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Such a nice Zin example - fruit, spice, chocolate/vanilla loveliness. From the very first sniff and first sip a terrific Zin! I love this ZIN! =) BM: Maybe too bright and red fruited, but rich sweet fruit profile and lush mouthfeel. |
TH: Jammy fruit spice bomb lovely and structured this wine rewards the patient. Decant and be patient. My notes changed dramatically over time on this wine but given some time - it will reward you for the effort. BM: Most disappointing nose of the bunch, along with #6. But soundly structured with reasonable flavours - nothing special. Correctly guessed it to be the Harris Kratka which I liked best in last week's tasting but the flavours just weren't there. |
TH: Nice mouthfeel with rich fruit and spice, a lovely, well-structured Zin. Finesse but with some nice backbone and a little attitude. A rewarding spicy Zin with great fruit and creamy texture. BM: Awkward, needs time. Chalky tannins, nice but nothing special. Beautiful nose with burnt fruit and herbaceousness on the palate. Definitely more bitter than a Zin should be, and yes I am aware Zins are, and should be, bitter. |
TH: More spice than fruit but a decent effort. Great spicy fruit - nice Zin lush and full in the mouth - yum! BM: Beautiful dark fruit balance. Layers of rich textured fruit define this wine. I can't stress that enough - if you want to experience "layers" in a wine, this is the Zin with which to do it. In fact, speaking in specific and general, this is THE Zin. |
TH: From nose to gullet - a wonderfully conceived Zin. Really lovely - everything you want in a Zin. BM: Incredible nose, but acid isn't high enough. Fruit profile not as good as #1 and #4. Also has a brittle woody structure. |
TH: The least remarkable wine on the table. Not fabulous. BM: Just way too tannic and dry. Try in 2-3 years but good luck. Also suffers from all the green fruit. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 86 2 TH: 92 1 |
BM: 79 5 TH: 85 5 |
BM: 82 4 TH: 86 4 |
BM: 88 1 TH: 92 3 |
BM: 88 3 TH: 92 2 |
BM: 76 6 TH: 83 6 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 89.0 1 | 82.0 5 | 84.0 4 | 90.0 2 | 90.0 3 | 79.5 6 |
| A pic from the event: | The lineup |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 89.0 1 | 81.0 2 | 80.0 4 |
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Hawley Russian River Valley 2005 | Cambria Julia's Vineyard 2006 | Chalone Estate Grown 2006 | Frédéric Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis Côte d'Or 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Smoke, earth, violets | Strawberry, violets, some oak and toast | Candied dark sugar, dark blue/black fruit, loam | Dark fruit, blueberry, earth, violets, oak |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Good balance, not overly bright, ripe rich fruit core, silky mouthfeel, decent finish. Not intense, not cloying, nice structure but light bodied | Integrated light tannins, balanced, some fleshiness, brighter red fruit profile, reasonably proportioned with a nice finish | Soft unctuous body, great layers of dark fruit, killer lasting finish, firm acid, dusty moderate tannins, rich, structured and balanced, supple body, slight spice | High acid, medium bodied, awkward and a bit clumsy in the mouth, good glazed pear on the lingering finish. Nice tannins, acids caused jaggedness, strawberry presence melts into dark fruit |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: A nice effort, really nice mouthfeel, nice fruit. BM: Achieves what it sets out to do. Impeccably balanced, with all the right things in all the right places, but overall this is a shy, unassertive wine. |
TH: Full fleshy mouth, good fruit, balanced. BM: Similar to #1 with more ripe fruit in the mid-palate but a little too much (for me) in the red-fruit style. |
TH: This is the best of the table. A really drinkable "not smoked salmon" Pinot. BM: This is what Pinot Noir is all about - the best Pinot Noir I've ever had (which isn't saying much). |
TH: The acids almost ruin this wine - too jangly. BM: Gripping acid and tannins, nice disjoint nose, clumsy very oaky, bright acid. Still, I'm not convinced it's flawed. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 79 3 TH: 83 2 |
BM: 79 4 TH: 81 3 |
BM: 89 1 TH: 89 1 |
BM: 81 2 TH: 80 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 81.0 2 | 80.0 4 | 89.0 1 | 80.5 3 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 87.5 1 | 85.0 2 | 74.5 4 |
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Castalia Rochioli Vineyard 2006 | Laetitia Estate 2006 | Laetitia Reserve 2006 | Chalone Estate 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Smoky cherry, floral, dark chocolate, strawberry | Heady aromas of oak and tar, laced with cocoa, dark fruit and mineral. Quite complex. Slightly funky, with earth and leather. Bad Man really liked this nose | Blueberry, oak, perfumy floral and baking spice, slight cola. The most closed down nose of the group | Show leather, mold, mint, menthol, camphor, warm spice, vanilla, and cinnamon |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Silky but light, thin-bodied, bright acid, red cherry cola, strawberry and spice, followed by a crisp zippy finish | Fine grained tannins, balanced, solid fruit core - "that Pinot fruit profile". Tightly structured, black cherry, layered and complex with a lingering warm tangy finish | Tally Ho wrote: Bright but nice acidity balances the sweetness, dusty spice, black cherry, plush mouthfeel with a dark plumy finish. Bad Man wrote: Sour grape green fruit; all pears and apples. Gripping tannins over a complex palate, but turns soft and flabby, with a cloying finish | Velvety and layered, black cherry and plum. Some chocolate goodness in the mouth - a "complete" wine in balance. Moderate structure, ending with a Warm spicy beautiful lasting finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Fanta red pop. Very Beaujolais Villages in style. Not a likable red. I'd rather drink a dry Rosé and get better fruit and structure. BM: A very Pinot Pinot - pretty much what I'm not looking for. Defining trait is the crisp zippy finish. A pretty head-turner, but nothing on the inside. At $50 a TERRIBLE QPR. |
TH: Classic Pinot, a very approachable, drinkable Pinot with some soda pop effervescence. BM: Show promise. A little (well, okay a LOT) on the bright side on the balance spectrum, but I don't mind it tat all. A real show-girl head-turning wine but with a tight structure. |
TH: Give this wine some time to fully actualize and the rich fruit and spices will reward. Almost Zin-like spicy nose with lighter less purple fruit. BM: Like eating a bowl full of green citrus fruit - cloying finish, not balanced. Not a good representation of Pinot Noir. |
TH: Ripe, warm, fruity - great mouthfeel and very nice finish. The most likable wine on the table. BM: A solid effort, beautifully balanced mouthfeel. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 74 3 TH: 75 4 |
BM: 85 2 TH: 85 3 |
BM: 73 4 TH: 87 2 |
BM: 84 1 TH: 91 1 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 74.5 4 | 85.0 2 | 80.0 3 | 87.5 1 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 88.0 1 | 83.0 2 | 77.0 6 |
|
Shea Estate 2006 | Chalone Estate 2006 | Rippon 2006 | Londer Paraboll 2006 | Harmand-Geoffroy Gevrey Chambertin "En Jouise" 2005 | Jadot Beaune Clos des Couchereaux 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Toasted oaky, vanilla, some chocolate, smoke, slight vegetal, floral, red fruit turning to blackberry much later | Intense forest floor, iced tea, sawdust, fungal craziness, strawberry, slightly sour overtime, kind of chemically | Forest floor, dusty leaves, red fruit mélange, wood funk softens to spicy vanilla, red funk | Intense forest floor, dark cherry, spice box, mocha, mushroom, earth, tobacco, vanilla, oak, sugary | Pine needles, barnyard, earth, wood, chocolate, plumy fruit | Slight spice, violets, raspberries, very slight oak, tea, chocolate, floral, sugar |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Slight to no tannins, sour, Morello cherries, layered and balanced, not rich and full but velvety and rewarding, pure and lasting finish | Dusty strawberries layered and structured, mashed raspberries, earthy fungal element - sort and rich. Slight spice on lingering finish with some off-putting sourness | Searing bite of ascorbic acid fruit, like chewing on a lime. Integrated tannins, not awkward per se but rough and tumble rustic - a big gob of fruit with no underpinnings. Unremarkable slightly hot finish changed over time to spiced fruit mellow very pleasant finish | Fine grained moderate tannins, complex and layered, spice, blackberry mouth filling and silky, followed by spicy fruit on a great finish. | Bitter thin fruit with over-bright acid and chunky wood, very jangly and awkward, some spice and heat on the finish | Soft and supple bright red fruit with under layer of spice, structured and layered, some chocolate flavours over a reasonable structure, a tad biting on the finish |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: A refined, pure complete Pinot. Smells like a Pinot, tastes like a Pinot. BM: Elegantly balanced with a beautiful lush feel, a pleasing light attempt, no angles or awkwardness - ready to go. |
TH: A complex wine with likeable funk but a weird chemical sourness after a few hours - chemical astringent mess. BM: Layers of smoky fruit - doesn't taste like a Pinot, rich mouthfeel, incredibly intense nose! |
TH: When all is said and done - a very drinkable wine over time. BM: Tastes like a Pinot - least elegant of wines 1, 2 and 3 - the most rustic, but not awkward by any means. The higher acid makes it more angular. A hollow one-dimensional wine. Somehow manages to be big but thin. |
TH: A complete wine - fruit balanced with complex flavors. Structured, well made, and rewarding. Hardly a Pinot at all - a beautiful, full, complex wine. BM: Another intense nose, this has more body than the rest. Soft, sweet, ripe textured - super! Really nicely proportioned, all about rich layered mouthfeel. |
TH: A mixed-up dysfunctional mess. Thin and hollow - who stole the fruit? BM: Thin acidic fruit over a solid structure, but not rich mouthfeel. All about muscle over mouthfeel, needs more time, perhaps the most ageworthy. But again, too much acid in the mix. And too barnyardy, which I love in my Bordeaux. |
TH: Over bright and slightly sour, too bright and red, probably because it's a Pinot. BM: A strange little wine, very simple and sedate, but also secretly seductively. Acid turned up a tad too high. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 81 3 TH: 85 2 |
BM: 85 2 TH: 76 6 |
BM: 81 4 TH: 80 3 |
BM: 86 1 TH: 90 1 |
BM: 82 5 TH: 75 5 |
BM: 76 6 TH: 78 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 83.0 2 | 80.5 4 | 80.5 3 | 88.0 1 | 78.5 5 | 77.0 6 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-3, 1 best) | 89.0 1 | 86.5 2 | 86.0 3 |
|
Four Vines “Maverick” 2006 | Rosenblum Annette's Reserve 2006 | Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Dark cherry, blackberries, toasted vanilla, sweet baking spice, maple | Must, brown sugar, toasted oak, cinnamon, slightly overripe, raisony, blackberry, raspberry | Hint of burnt sugar, oak, spice box, tight nose with classic Zin sourness, blue/black fruit |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Textured mouthfeel, very balanced, great acidity, not angular, modest fine grained tannins. Warm and spicy lasting finish - perfectly complete | Slight acidity but well-suited to the fruit and medium integrated tannins with just the right amount of grip. Spicy cocoa dusted dark fruit - how can that be bad? Bright tannic middle with the perfect hair-pulling attention getter. Fruit and spice all the way down to a satisfying finish. | Excellent extraction and heat blended with fine round tannins under blue/black fruit with terrific middle Eastern spices, not a complex wine but a very drinkable effort. Slightly hot finish but all in all a very nice example of my (Tally-Ho) kind of Zin. |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Soft plush layers of fruit supported by balanced acid and tannins. Hello Annette - great to see you again my friend. :) BM: Some tannins along the sides of the palate, a certain softness, followed by length and breadth. |
TH: Sharp grip with wonderful fruit. Structured but without the complexity of wine #1. If this is the Annette '06 we can be very excited about what is to come from this wine. BM: A touch awkward, becoming more than a little raisony as the night progressed. I fear for the ageworthiness of this; what started out so promising with searing acid and wonderful grip turned all pruney and raisony - blech! |
TH: The only fault of this wine is possibly a lack of complexity compared to the other two which is not a bad thing considering the contenders. Maybe this is too young to compete, so if it's the Annette '06 - makes perfect sense. Anything else and this is a shame. BM: A little disjoint and definitely needs more time. Heat. Having no NOSE threw me. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 87 1 TH: 91 1 |
BM: 86 3 TH: 87 2 |
BM: 87 2 TH: 85 3 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 89.0 1 | 86.5 2 | 86.0 3 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 93.5 1 | 88.5 2 | 79.5 6 |
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Four Vines “Maverick” 2006 | Rosenblum Snows Lake 2005 | Robert Biale Black Chicken 2007 | Klinker Brick Old Ghost 2006 | Rosenblum Annette’s Reserve 2005 | A. Rafanelli 2006 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Dark raspberry, red cherry, floral, spice box, sugar cookies, rental car air freshener | Dark cherry, oak and earth, menthol/mint, maple extract, cedar, fresh lavender, whiff of chemical | Toasted marshmallow, camphor, cloves, cardamom, mulch, creosote, cassis, sugared cherries, maple covered toast | Black currant, dark fruit, oak, stuffy hot leather, pencil lead, bacon, floral, Tahitian vanilla | Smoked meat, toasted bread, plastic, vanilla bean, Swiss dark chocolate, currants, blackberries, floral, sawdust, rose, chemical glue | Violets, warm spice box, cassis, licorice, orange peel, black cherry, grandmother's perfume |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Soft ripe fruit, silky rich spicy fruit with a dusting of cocoa, not too lush, plum flavours, modest very fine supple tannins, warm lingering finish of cocoa and cinnamon with good acid follow-through | Round & spicy, decent fruit, balanced and layered, lush and dusty, great extract, persistent finish of bright fruit and dark chocolate | Tight bright acid, great integrated tannins, racy and bright fruit, classic Zin sourness, good fucking wine, grittiness, a finish of great mashed fruit with a nice line of spiciness | Chewy and edgy, big and fruity, spice is in check - a supporting role as it should be, a sublime warm caress of fruit and spice on the finish. Gargantuan - needs time | Lush mouthfeel with a dark fruit profile, dusty fine tannins, dark brooding mélange of mixed berries supported by bright acid, followed by a terrific chocolate covered berry finish that goes and goes | Gripping acid, dark rich voluptuous fruit, slight spiciness, vanilla, persistent finish of dark fruit |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Good structure and balance, layered fruit and warm spice presence. BM: No perceptible flaws, a solid effort in a medium-bodied firm structure. Bright red acid, sweet. Not as much richness in the mouthfeel and not a spectacular finish but again no flaws. My style of Zin for sure, well done! |
TH: Acids, tannins, fruit and spice create a serendipity of voluptuous juice. BM: Great extract, persistent finish. |
TH: A seductive nose but the rest of the experience is not in synch - lighter than I prefer. BM: A |
TH: Ball buster Zin. An awkward adolescent that will evolve into a real full throttle Zin. This wine simply announces itself! BM: Bitter and messed up and all fucked up. Too young - the best fucking Zin I've ever had! Shows the most promise on the table. |
TH: Structured and rich - the gothic novel of Zins insinuating and sinister, the Energizer (©) bunny of Zin finishes. BM: Pretty unadmirable nose, hollow a little on the third quarter of the palate, bitter. |
TH: Not a big chewy jammy Zin, but the fruit - though not yielding on the nose is rich and lively in the mouth, less impressive than the other contenders. BM: Perhaps a little hollow in the mid-palate, light on the uptake, a disappointing offering - and an AWFUL nose. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 5 TH: 84 5 |
BM: 86 3 TH: 87 3 |
BM: 88 2 TH: 88 4 |
BM: 93 1 TH: 94 1 |
BM: 87 4 TH: 90 2 |
BM: 80 6 TH: 79 6 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 82.0 5 | 86.5 4 | 88.0 3 | 93.5 1 | 88.5 2 | 79.5 6 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 88.0 1 | 87.5 2 | 78.5 4 |
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Zuc di Volpe | Domaine Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chenes 2008 | Domaine Henri Bourgeois Haute-Victoire Quincy 2006 | Groth 2007 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Butterscotch, lemongrass, grapefruit, pineapple | Mineral, swamp grass, perfume, cantaloupe, melon with a hint of grass | Butter, mineral, lemon, citrus, white peach with a tinge of pineapple | Lime, lavender, tight with slight hints of stone fruit |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | BM: Crisp with a smooth lasting finish. Spiky mid-palate, some ML, smoky nose, hollow. TH: Full and round in the mouth with rich citrus and tropical fruit notes. Slightly sweet with decent balance and structure. | BM: Butter smooth but not oily, then it cranks up the acid and develops quickly into a green wine. TH: Somewhat astringent with a thin mouthfeel. Slight melon notes with the barest touch of sourness. | BM: Off balance at first as she gathers her legs under her and jumps at the starting pistol. Flinty butter but with bracing acidity, medium-bodied, balanced, chalky complexity. TH: Slight stone fruit presence in the mouth. Crisp and well balanced with good structure. | BM: Grabby acid that turns smooth and clean on the finish, a straight-shooter with little nuance but impeccable balance. TH: Lush bright pineapple and peach fruit in the mouth. Crisp and well balanced with good structure. |
| Overall.Notes.Final | BM: Very grassy and too crisp and hollow. TH: I was impressed by this sultry Italian. Loved the ripe nose and fruit fullness in the mouth even though it was slightly sweeter than I prefer. |
BM: Yuck - apple-tart and thin. TH: This was a disappointing mess. Tight nose, thin mouthfeel, the barest hint of fruit and no real finish. Save your ducats; wish we had. |
BM: Complexity abounds - phenomenal effort. TH: By far the best nose and finish of the group. This little French Mlle. is always welcome at the Royal's table. |
BM: Straight-forward, clean. TH: Although it falls short on the nose, the tropical fruit in the mouth is crisp and satisfying. If you must do your wine buying at the local neighborhood grocer's, this is probably your best bet, hands down (unless you live in a tony enough neighborhood to have a broader choice than most which this Cellar Mistress does not). |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 3 TH: 88 2 |
BM: 75 4 TH: 82 4 |
BM: 89 1 TH: 86 3 |
BM: 87 2 TH: 89 1 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 84.0 3 | 78.5 4 | 87.5 2 | 88.0 1 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-6, 1 best) | 86.5 1 | 86.0 2 | 75.5 6 |
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Pinon Silex Noir 2007 | Montfort 2006 | Raimbault "Les Terrages" 2007 | Le Mont 2006 | Le Haut-Lieu 2006 | Aubuisières Le Mariguy 2007 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Faint honey, lemon, apricot and peach, with some grass | Must, minerals and citrus | Tight nose, eventually developed Meyer lemon | Lime, mandarin orange, granite and brown sugar | Lemon Pledge (©) with honey, funky | Granite, Mandarin orange, sweet honey and toasted flint |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Silky lemon curd-like mouthfeel and taste | Lemon pound cake with hints of vanilla, tons of candied fruit, lingering finish | Candied lemon peel, beautiful mouth coating full bright fruit, lovely finish | Sour, watery, mineraly, austere, green | Good structure and balance between minerality and acids and sweetness, flinty and lemony with a nice presence on the finish | Thin, tart and simple, absence of fruit |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Balanced and rewarding. BM: Sour, too tart and crisp without the structure; a tad off-balance. |
TH: Sweet and sultry. BM: What a Vouvray should be, but short on the nose. |
TH: Very German style but oh so likable. BM: Like a Gewurztraminer but with excellent balance - great body. |
TH: Offputting - I don't like this wine. Better over time so maybe that's the key. BM: Like a Sauvignon Blanc only with no substance (i.e. balls). Green-grassy. |
TH: Bright citrusy fruit with great minerality. BM: Hollow in the middle - the nose is definitely Vouvray but the body doesn't back it up. |
TH: Stingy fruit - it all goes downhill after the nose. BM: Too tart - sweet nose but no mouthfeel. Perhaps the oak was too new and/or too toasted? Super dry - not at all satisfying. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 80 3 TH: 92 1 |
BM: 90 1 TH: 83 3 |
BM: 82 2 TH: 83 2 |
BM: 79 6 TH: 72 6 |
BM: 80 4 TH: 80 4 |
BM: 76 5 TH: 80 5 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 86.0 2 | 86.5 1 | 82.5 3 | 75.5 6 | 80.0 4 | 78.0 5 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-4, 1 best) | 89.0 1 | 82.0 2 | 74.0 4 |
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Sanford Santa Barbara 2007 | MacRostie Carneros 2007 | Chalk Hill Estate 2005 | Chalone Estate 2005 |
| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | Melon and honey | Slight vanilla, sour lime, citrus | Pineapple, floral, honey, sweet apricot, toasty | Woody oak, maple and honey, and then it turned very funky after being open 30 minutes. It developed a sour dirt/peat very alcoholic chemical sulfur odor |
| Flavor.Body.Finish | Lemon curd and cantaloupe, lush mouthfeel, silky bright fruit, some butter but mostly acid | Lemon honey Ricola cough drop, some grass, crisp rubbiness on the palate, short finish | Modest acid but very balanced, rich creamy malolactic fermentation, lasting vibrant honey finish | Thin, flinty, and chemically - corked. =( |
| Overall.Notes.Final | TH: Probably really good with food due to acids and crisp fruit. BM: Super tart and crisp - no oak, more refreshing, a good stainless steel no-frills Chard. |
TH: Less rewarding than #1 and not creamy. BM: A crisp non-ML Chard, more my style. |
TH: Rewarding and lush. Needs time, is better chilled. BM: I'm not a big fan of the buttery ML style, but this is a good Chard - no doubt about it. |
TH: Corked. BM: Corked; not going to rate this. |
| TRTB Scores | BM: 85 3 TH: 86 2 |
BM: 84 1 TH: 80 3 |
BM: 86 2 TH: 92 1 |
BM: XX 4 TH: 74 4 |
| TRTB Final Averages: | 85.5 3 | 82.0 2 | 89.0 1 | 74.0 4 |
| Colour Legend: | First Place | Second Place | Last Place |
| Rate (51-100, 100 best) and Rank (1-3, 1 best) | ??.? 1 | ??.? 2 | ??.? 3 |
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| Aroma.Bouquet.Nose | _ | _ | _ |
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| TRTB Scores | BM: ?? 2 TH: ?? 3 |
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| TRTB Final Averages: | ??.? 3 | ??.? 2 | ??.? 1 |
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