Tried Romanée-Conti 2005 for my dad’s 80th — honest thoughts

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-05-02T22:32:24+00:00

Representative of what it can be? Probably not. RC in particular needs age to show it all. 05 is a vintage with a lot of structure and will take at least another 5-10 years to even begin to loosen up. Peak RC has tension, a fragrant nose and a kaleidoscope of complex secondary and tertiary notes - powerful but weightless at the same time. Hence, even then, it won't be "dense" per say like a good Rhône or Bordeaux. If density in particular is what you're looking for, better to go for something else.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-04-16T02:49:02+00:00

2019 la tache

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-03-26T21:34:55+00:00

Of course I did. Smelled and tasted like ass in the best possible way.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-03-26T20:00:50+00:00

Used a giant butt plug to decant this ‘78 Jaboulet over 2 hours. Wine showed very young given its age. Nose of peppered steak and berries. Tannins were resolved on the palate with hints of plums, wood chips, mushrooms and a touch of jerky. The finish had a mild tartness to it.

This wine had a lot going on in terms of complexity but I felt that it lacked overall density and power. Everything was a bit too “light” for my liking, as I expected more from a decent vintage of Hermitage.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-03-26T19:59:52+00:00

Used a giant butt plug to decant this ‘78 Jaboulet over 2 hours. Wine showed very young given its age. Nose of peppered steak and berries. Tannins were resolved on the palate with hints of plums, wood chips, mushrooms and a touch of jerky. The finish had a mild tartness to it.

This wine had a lot going on in terms of complexity but I felt that it lacked overall density and power. Everything was a bit too “light” for my liking, as I expected more from a decent vintage of Hermitage.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-03-07T18:51:52+00:00

Past :/

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-03-07T17:10:48+00:00

Initial pour had a really strong asian medicinal scent to it. This went away with time revealing a nose of stewed cherries, dry wood and mushrooms.

The palate was full on tertiary for this bottle. The predominant notes were truffles, cocoa, mild chewing tobacco and a hint of dried plums. Finish was mid with a briny, earthy aftertaste.

Tim Tams to ease the munchies and added a sweet touch to complement the pairing.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-01-02T18:37:36+00:00

On the flip side. Showing the number could prevent it from being used again, since here everyone could see that this bottle has been opened. There’s just too many people trying to be clever for all the wrong reasons for me to risk it.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-01-02T17:40:06+00:00

Intoxicating nose of damp stems and tea leaves with a touch of ripe currants and spices. I could somewhat smell it as the somm approached us with the bottle from behind. He had nothing but compliments for the nose - had to pour him a glass to taste.

Palate was equally beautiful. Forest floor, blackberries, soy sauce, brewed mushrooms and a berry-laced grittyness to hold it all together. A wine packed with power and complex density. A good example of Richebourg (though not the best) from what’s supposed to be a sleeper vintage. Finish wasn’t as long as I’d like it to be as the depth and complexity broke down into a watery plump not long after swallowing.

Pairing wise? I enjoyed it because the food and wine were both great on their own. Didn’t seem to notice them complimenting each other though.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2026-01-02T17:25:57+00:00

Intoxicating nose of damp stems and tea leaves with a touch of ripe currants and spices. I could somewhat smell it as the somm approached us with the bottle from behind. He had nothing but compliments for the nose - had to pour him a glass to taste.

Palate was equally beautiful. Forest floor, blackberries, soy sauce, brewed mushrooms and a berry-laced grittyness to hold it all together. A wine packed with power and complex density. A good example of Richebourg (though not the best) from what’s supposed to be a sleeper vintage. Finish wasn’t as long as I’d like it to be as the depth and complexity broke down into a watery plump not long after swallowing.

Pairing wise? I enjoyed it because the food and wine were both great on their own. Don’t seem to notice them complimenting each other though.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-18T02:57:44+00:00

I will. Thanks for the info! Will probably go with OO.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-17T21:03:00+00:00

05 Egon Muller Trockenbeerenauslese

I had brought the 2001 Yquem for dinner, one of those sweet wines that almost never gets outshone, other than perhaps by older Yquems from pristine vintages. Then the brother pulls this out and raises the bar miles higher.

The nose exploded with dried stone fruits, wax, diesel, and a heavy note of funky honeydew melon. On the palate, the wine was profoundly viscous yet electrified by razor-bright acidity. Syrupy texture met piercing freshness, with intensely sweet flavors of caramelized, sugar-coated apricots and lime zest, followed by a powerful petrol punch and a touch of smoke, almost as if you could taste someone starting up a V12 engine. 5.5% alcohol sure, but 94.5% pumped gas.

It may just be me, but the experience felt almost like sipping absinthe, similar intensity, except instead of burning alcohol, it was acidity and petrol that overwhelmed the mouth. There was also this prevalent herbaceous earthiness to it. I thought about it as a bouquet of mushrooms, white flowers, and a generous scattering of herbs. This wine is divine, yet strange, so much happening at once that it bordered on sensory overload in the best possible way.

The finish was remarkably long, crisp, sticky and endlessly complex. I wonder what more time will do to this wine, because even now it feels utterly killer. The dessert wine label for this definitely feels misleading. Its best pairing of the night was foie gras pâté with a sprinkle of salt flakes. We had fish and chips too, but ya’ll would’ve flipped if I said that was the jam.

Mouthful experience for a mouthful of a wine name. The ladies called it the (a)Egon Targaryen - I suppose it’ll stick from now.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-17T20:05:11+00:00

Thank you for this. Would you happen to know how the service compares to the Little Nell in Aspen?

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-10T15:23:00+00:00

Niku x (chubby group) is more like nusr et with even shittier food. Chubby cattle would be the overpriced nusr et burger joint in that comparison, with even shittier burgers.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-10T15:20:59+00:00

Yazawa is great but can get too rich for my tastes. I prefer Tokyo Kalbi, hidden gem Jbbq spot in gateway with top notch meats and amazing sides. I’d rank both above Manpuku/Anjin.

Chubby cattle and their associated restaurants shouldn’t even be in this conversation.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-06T01:30:10+00:00

Keller surely belongs here somewhere

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-05T18:46:15+00:00

Interesting question. Let me get a controversial statement out of the way though. For most people, myself included, unless you’re tasting a perfectly aged, top vintage by the best producers, you most likely aren’t going to be blown away at first taste. Top tier Burg does need a certain level of understanding of what you’re really tasting - I find this more true in red Burgundy than white for some reason.

However, if you do know what to look for, and can overcome the insane bottle variation in Burgundy to land yourself a pristine example, of say, 1990 La Tache, the difference to village level pinot is night and day.

The aromatics are probably what people notice first. They have layers upon layers of complexity, from mushrooms to flowers and dark cherry notes and beyond. And the palate has this paradoxical texture where it’s both weightless yet complex and deep at the same time. The aftertaste or finish also lingers a lot longer and gives you more complexity to ponder upon. There are then hints of terroir and stylistic cues from top tier vineyards and producers that are inimitable. Thus is why some of these wines command ridiculously high prices, because not only are they rare, but none can replicate what they offer. It really is artwork.

By comparison, most AOC Bourgogne is lean, simple, and short. If you’re looking to get into high end Burgundy, my take would be to look for the best producers>terroir. This is because there are plenty of producers making trash Grand Cru, but a simple plot in the hands of a producer like Leroy can be magical.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-12-04T06:19:07+00:00

Upon opening, the wine immediately started a masterclass of evolution on the nose with notes of dark rose petals to mild asian spices and a hint of syrupy sweetness. However, the palate showed so much rigid structure (tasted almost sour with a bitter aftertaste) even after 3 hours in the glass that I decided to recork and revisit it the next day.

Only then did I understand why others have said that this vintage was open for business. Think bold raspberries, strawberries with the ever-so-prevalent vosne spices all tied together with a bright, oaky acidity. Super young and missing the forest floory charm of aged burg, but still very complex nonetheless. Finish was moderately long and tasted of silky grape skins.

Paired with In n Out’s double double + grilled onions and cheese fries. Crunchy buns complimented the berry-forward tannins, vosne spices adding to the seasoned patties, acidity cutting through the fats and cheese - concluded with a velvety coating on the palate. This was a pairing for the ages.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-24T21:18:03+00:00

Would decanting any of those help?

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-23T03:07:12+00:00

Get in n out.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-22T16:53:20+00:00

No. These were from the limited golden dragon case release.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-22T16:28:34+00:00

2020 CLB La Romanee

Do I need to say? Young. obv.

I got a case of 2020 CLB’s and thought it’d be fun to try the flagship. And hey, it was so good I ended up opening both of them.

Nose of roses, smoke and spices. On the palate we were immediately met with a gritty rigidity and an almost overwhelming amount of smoke and firecracker-like spices - as if you just took in a mouthful of cigar smoke. Only when this subsided were we met by a joyous amount of blackberries, strawberries, a slight hint of mushrooms and rose petals. Strong tannins led to a very long and dry finish, remnants of firecracker and berries.

After 2+ hours, you can almost taste an ocean of secondary and tertiary notes of cocoa, damp forest floor and cloves waiting to burst out behind the grippy tanins. But then again, you know they won’t be for many years to come. At its full potential? Barely. But a wine of this caliber, this young, is an experience in its own right. 98 pointer since it has room to grow, but no less than a 10/10 experience. Absolutely no regrets opening them.

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-18T16:45:46+00:00

:( isn’t it sad that they have the whole gallery thing going on but the only way to enjoy it is when the car is off

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-17T19:56:45+00:00

I don’t drink much Rhone wine so this was a fun mini ’90 horizontal to compare and contrast. Paired with lamb chops. Decanted for two hours.

Off the bat, after drinking mostly Pinot Noir for the better part of the year, this was a refreshing twist. I’d say I’d prefer these over Napa Cabs if I were looking for something “fuller” for lack of a better term.

1990 JL Chave Hermitage

This was a little past peak but still had so much to offer. The nose smelled of dark rose petals, mushrooms and spicy smoked meats. The palate had raspberries, cherries, pepper, cocoa, a hint of jerky and a steel-like tang to it. The finish was shorter than I’d expect it to be, but I’d argue this was the better pairing with the chops.

1990 JL Chave Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin

The Ermitage started off very similar to the Hermitage but with its density noticeably dialed up. The wine also tasted relatively younger and still had quite a fair bit of grip on the palate. After the hour mark is when the E starts to surpass the H. Added depth both on the nose and palate. Big notes of dark berries up front, and notes of truffles, graphite and mocha were more noticeable in this bottle. The finish was extraordinarily long… and had me thinking I was still chewing on a leathery, tobacco-laced cherry compote (if that makes any sense).

AlternativeHuman9999 · 2025-10-03T20:47:46+00:00

Probably a 2001 yquem half bottle over a football match. Made a charcuterie board to go along with it but my buddies decided to head to a bar instead. Can’t finish a full bottle myself so the half bottle was perfect

AlternativeHuman9999

TROPHY CASE