Wine Review 2010

Lot # Wine Year M D Comment
PORT WINES FROM CHURCHILL, GRAHAM
None of Churchill’s wines lack weight, authority or balanced fruit. They come, increasingly year by year
from properties that have been purchased by John Graham as the company has flourished. The result
is that the wines are better than those shipped in the early 1980 decade from this House. If the trend
to sourcing from vineyards owned by the House continues, they will eventually become the equivalent of
“domaine bottled.” In the meantime, they are solid and good valued, each wine exhibiting a wonderful
nose and palate often described, and much loved by Port aficionados, as “Douro Palate.”
3831 Opimian’s Finest Reserve Port,
Churchill Graham Lda
N.V. n/a n/a
3832 Opimian Dry White Port,
Churchill Graham Lda
N.V. n/a n/a
3833 Opimian Late Bottled Vintage Port,
Churchill Graham Lda
2001 n/a n/a
3834 Opimian Tawny Port, 10 Years Old,
Churchill Graham Lda
N.V. n/a n/a
3835 Opimian Crusted Port, Bottled,
Churchill Graham Lda
2002 n/a n/a
3836 Alto, DO Douro, Portugal, N.V. 9 9 One of the earliest Founder’s Choice wines.
Founders’ Choice A good choice, as it is now showing fine red fruity style.
3837 Edelzwicker, Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr 2005 10 10 Totally mature. Will not much improve, as the flavours are
already drying out.
3838 Pinot Blanc Klevner, Reserve,
Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr
2005 10 10 Drink soon.
3839 Riesling d’Alsace, Reserve, 2005 8 9 Steely, needle sharp notes of white cherry, flowers and
Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr minerals. Great wine. Very fresh. Early signs of maturity, but
very pleasing harmony.
3843 Pinot Gris, Grand Cru, “Rosacker”, 2004 9 10 A wonderful example of the clean notes and refined harmony
“Schoenenbourg”,
Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr
of a fine Alsace wine.
3844 Gewürztraminer, Grand Cru, 2004 9 10 A wonderful wine. Very fine flavour profiles that highlight,
Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr not only the residual developed fruit, but the balancing acidity
that enhances the length in the mouth.
3849 Mâcon Supérieur Rouge,
Cuvée Prestige, Paul Sapin
2006 9 10 Not going anywhere. Drink up.
3850 Mâcon Lugny, Cuvée Prestige, 2006 10 10 In good shape. Perfectly mature now and showing the best
Paul Sapin of its characters.
3851 Pouilly Fuissé, Vieilles Vignes,
Paul Sapin
2006 9 10 Developed. Very fine. Still beautifully balanced.
Cellar Offering 172
3859 Domaine de la Ferme Saint Martin,
AOC Beaumes de Venise
2005 9 9 Very fine bouquet. Jam, damsons and chocolate notes.
3860 Domaine Berthet-Rayne “Tradition”, 2005 9 9 As fine and full now as when first bottled, except that all
AOC Cairanne the harshness has been replaced by full notes of red fruit.
3861 Domaine Gilles Flacher, 2005 9 9 Fat, soft and well fleshed out, with dark berries and
AOC Saint Joseph succulent fruit flavour.
3862 Domaine du Murinais, 2005 8 9 This cuvée, made from the oldest vines on the estate,
AOC Crozes Hermitage has matured very well and now shows very similar characters
to good Hermitage and even Côte Rôtie.
3864 Domaine des Cigalons, 2005 9 9 Perfect now. No rush needed, it will hang on for several
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape more years.
3878 Côte Rôtie, du Peloux Eleveur,
AOC Côte Rôtie
2004 10 10 Now slightly disappointing. Should be used this year.
Wine Review 2010
1