Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

@Delectable This is the Covert 337/191.

Julien Fayard makes the Covert. He worked with Philippe Melka for yrs before going out on his own. Julien also makes the Nicholson Jones wines.

I went to taste’s the Nicolson Jones wines but they set up the Coverts for me. My host said they upgraded me.

The Covert wines are spendy. North of $250 at the winery. This is my first experience having them.

Having said that, most of the 23 Napa reds show amazingly beautiful fruit. This had that. These are really soft and nicely layered but they just didn’t stand up-out at their price point. For me, just not compelling. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

A bit strange this Chardonnay. It starts like a burgundy and then it’s Ca climate shows with structure and then finishes with Meursault mineral-saline like finish. The fruit profile is uniquely different to me. It neither shines nor seems faded. Can’t really find the exact wording to state it. Oddly slightly sweet & sour lemons, tropical melons, grapefruit, soft lime zest, orange blossoms light butterscotch & melted reduced brown sugar. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

Previous notes apply except this tastes sweeter now that I have fully shifted to Extra Brut. Pre EB purchase. Also, EB in 375’s are more difficult to locate.

The balance will be really good w/ Key Lime Tart later! 🍋‍🟩 — 8 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

The Vocabulum is the sure bet to win the long game of 20 plus yrs because of it big structure. Window of 20-40 yrs for its best depending on how you enjoy them. Another candidate for a perfect score when the ratings come out Spring-Summer next yr. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Thomas Rivers Brown is the Winemaker for Maybach. He also makes his own label Rivers-Marie. This Maybach is very similar in style to the Rivers-Marie Pinot Silver Eagle bottling. Styling is near identical. This bottling shows a bit more earth & minerality. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

Round, viscous & gently waxy. Meyer slightly sour lemon, some lime zest, dry stone fruits-apricot lead, pineapple syrup, tropical melon, some green apple, slightly, overripe pear, orange peel, honeycomb-pot, marmalade fruit bits, melted caramel, coconut hues, pronounced salinity, dry herbs, mid white spice, crumbled chalk & volcanics, limestone marl, sea fossils, dry twig notes, white & Spring flowers with greens, very nice round acidity, well balanced, nicely layered, elegant, polished finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on spice & minerals on the long set.

Chassagne-Montrachet is amongst my favorite areas for its whites. — 8 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

So Williams Selyem Pinots should be treated is the same fashion as good burgundy, with age. It will always be somewhat sweeter than red burgundy but nonetheless very good.

This shows w/ an array of mid berry fruits accompanied by some darker fruits. Strawberries, cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, raspberries, hint of rhubarb, blackberries and haunting blueberries. Mid berry cola, red licorice, fruit tea, eucalyptus, pine tar notes, pine tree bark, dark, rich soils/earth, dry herbs, mid, dark spice, dry crushed rocks, dry limestone powder, black pepper notes, dry river stone, dry fall leaves, bright florals that are; red, blue, purple with a mix of red & pink roses, late spring waterfall acidity with extreme balance, tension, structure with elegance & smart polish for days and long sets on tree bark/sap & spice.

Still ascending. — 15 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

Another amazing 23 Napa Cabernet. This one will reveal its best self in the mid game window of 15-30 yrs. When this gets scored, it has high potential for a 💯. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Tasted all three of their 2023 Cabernets. All outstanding. Believe when they are scored, each one will receive between 97-100. This one showed more elegance-beauty on this day but the other two are the slightly better wines. — 2 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

I posted their 2014 a few weeks ago. As I mentioned then, I bought the 13 & 15 before completing my 14 notes. While this has a yr on the 14, this is not as big as 14. Even with another yr in bottle, I expected this to have bigger teeth and it doesn’t entirely. 3 hrs in the decanter before beginning my notes. The 13 & 14 to me were not completely different. The 13’s I’ve had generally have bigger-brawnier tannins, but not significantly and not the case here with this 2013 tonight. I bought the 13 & 15 to do this comparison. The fruits on the 14 were more lush & ruby. Mildly surprising. This has more spice/earthiness and doesn’t lack a mid palate like the 14 did early on and eventually filled in.

The advantage of writing realtime notes is you can understand the changes with food. In this case a Ribcap. This was a far more lush with steak.

Now with a nearly 5 hour decant, the wine has added more lush Fruits.

Ruby & somewhat lush & juicy; dark currants, dry blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, notes of pomegranate, raspberries & hues of blueberries. Deep, dark, spice w/ palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel hues, cocoa powder, dry tobacco w/ ash, graphite, leather, cedar, steeped black tea, dark, rich, slightly, sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry top soil, dry brush, limestone & volcanic minerals, pepper, dry river stone & crushed rocks, dark, red, blue flowers, red roses with nice acidity and a well knitted-balanced, nicely toned- structured, elegant finish that lands on moist volcanic clays.

Definitely put on some weight, complexity & elegance the longer it was in the decanter.

If I’d tasted 13 & 14 blind and was asked to pick, which vintage was which. I would have said the 14 was the 13.

Props to their terroirs-vineyards, vineyard manager-team, they farm exceptional fruit for all three of the Dana labels. — 8 days ago