Amy

9.7

Color: Pale Ruby
Aroma: Cranberry, Fig, Olive
Sweetness: 1
Acidity: 5
Tannin: 5
Alcohol: 4
Body: light
Finish: short

Brilliant Chianti- lovely drying tannins hit the palate first, light body and short length make you want to keep sipping. Loved this wine. — 5 years ago

David Shaw

9.0

Blend of six German white varietals, 35/24/18/14/5/4 of Siegerebe, Madeline Angevine, Madeline Sylvaner, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürtztraminer, Riesling. 270 cases made. Pale yellow white, brilliant clarity. Light spice, citrus notes in nose. Neutral, slightly citrusy flavors (grapefruit, lemon), slight skin astringency on finish, dry to semi dry. Good acidity with slight lactic on finish. After ten minutes, a light pineapple tang and spice note emerges in the finish. Simple, bright, but fruity enough to sip as an aperitif. — 6 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.9

The 2016 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is simply sensational in this vintage. This brilliant wine is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc and it exudes sheer class and elegance. It begins to impress with its beautifully pure aromatics of fresh dark currants, exotic spices, coffee bean, spring florals, graphite, tobacco all taking shape in the glass. On the palate this is medium to full-bodied with remarkable structure, balance and depth. It further impresses displaying striking precision and definition through the long, graceful finish. The 2016 may require a decade of cellaring, but it is such a beautiful wine and clearly has the potential to be an all-time classic from this legendary Château. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The first of three Lafleur vintages. Quite a tiny Vineyard at only 3.75 hectares or 9.26 acres. Blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. Lafleur owes its reputation to the complexity of its terroir. Mainly Gravel on clay and sandy clay it varies across the property into 4 sub-sections which are picked and vinified separately. An annual production of around 1000 dozen. The 2006 is dense, restrained and subtle with a long life ahead. Precise round and generous. Imperious - brilliant wine. Touch of dark chocolate. Our host said that Lafleur has to be caught at the right time whereas Petrus is more forgiving. Probably because of the tiny size of Lafleur. — 7 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.3

Captured in the wild. Bottom shelf, no price tag, alone. 3 days ago...and this really threw me for a loop. Hands down best Bourgogne Blanc I’ve ever had. Malo, Battonage, oak, on a racy mineral ringing nerve of aligote?! Holding up like a fine 1er Cru white. What the hell?! I can’t believe I haven’t encountered this style anywhere. This is some brazen proof from Denis just how brilliant he is when it comes to making wine. Was really shining about 4 hours after opening, kept singing until it was finished about 20 hours later. Pina colada rich in minerals and acid. Hell yes. — 8 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.2

Very nice bottle for the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon, Andris conducting Mahler No. 4 in G (brilliant work), and his beautiful wife Kristine as soprano soloist.
Typical CF nose, and lightly dirty on the palate, yet has minor ruby red grapefruit finish, at $16 this is a star! — 8 years ago

Matt Trader

9.3

1 of the 4 Champagne elements release series (fire, earth, air, and water). The L'air was such an awesome find (current and last release was "O", or water). It is lifted much like clouds ( beautiful sweet brioche toast notes, lemon zest, dried peaches, spiced honey, and and nutmeg. The pallet was creamy and full - full of baked golden apples, créme bruleé, toasted almond, and a bright lasting finish. I think this was an outstanding, and brilliant wine for under $90... yumm mmmm. Happy Valentine's Day! — 8 years ago

Kevin Oconnell

10

#1986 decanted for 4 hours. Brilliant wine. Could not have celebrated my 30th birthday any other way — 9 years ago

with Steven

Matt Leader

9.4

One of the best from one of the best… this brilliant cuvée contains the 4, arguably, most important Alsatian varietals. #SpringForward — 9 years ago

Patrice Breton

Owner/Vintner Vice Versa Wines

10

Nolet's The Reserve Dry Gin - Extremely fine and uplifting. Juniper, verbena, saffron & fresh rose petals. Every sip lingers for 4-5 minutes. Brilliant. 1 of only 494 bottles produced. — 10 years ago

Rob Lateiner

10

Nothing stops this from just getting younger and younger in the glass after being double decanted 4-5 hours prior. Color darkens, fruit becomes brilliant and fresh, tannins emerge. Dried roses and dark, deep red fruit, some nice wood. Nebbiolo is king. One of the best wines I've ever had! — 11 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I bought 3 or 4 bottles of the 06 Heitz Napa. I think this is my first bottle. I either have none or one left. Better gets notes tonight! I think I gave others away. What was I thinking? Wine is meant to be shared.

What is better than paying around $33 for a bottle of wine, forgetting about it for twelve years and having it blossom on your palate the way it is tonight? This is a prime example of two things; you don’t need to spend a hundred(s) for a really good bottle of wine and their is absolutely no substitution for appropriate cellaring time.

The nose reveals; steeped, dark fruit wading in fruits of ripe/ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate, light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, saddle-wood, graphite, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets.

The body is, rich, ruby and creamy with fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate that shows light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, dark, steeped, black , assorted fruit teas, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, caramel, mocha, saddle-wood, graphite, savory grilled meats, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clay & top soil, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, hints of Provence herbs, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets. The acidy is like a cool waterfall on a warm day. The beautiful, elegant, extremely well knitted balance is in the realm of “forget about it”. Sometimes the right wine, when it’s right, moves the entire body. Such as it is tonight.

The tension, structure, length and balance have just hit their high point and will remain there for another five years into a slow decline over the next 10-15 years, stored impeccably.

This might be the best Napa Heitz I’ve bought & stored. It’s stunning and way over delivering its price point. One complex wine!!!

Photos of; Heitz Winery, tasting bar, tasting room garden patio and the Hwy 29 signage for the tasting room with the valley floor vines that surround their tasting room. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.9

Wine No. 4 in the Vosne Romanee lineup. My notes - Powerful yet balanced. Toasty Oak notes. A tarriness to the violets and perfume. Brilliant- probably deserves 💯. Romanee Conti?” The unveiling revealed it to be the next door neighbor La Romanee. My highest pointed wine in the group. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.0

Curiosity got the best of me. Steve Mnuchin and Jared Kushner bro’d out over a bottle of this 2015 Arbalest on Sunday. Apparently it’s newsworthy when a wealthy politician brings a ‘cheap’ ($22) bottle of wine to a bro out. I wonder what price gets the ‘politician drinks expensive bottle’ story (see Paul Ryan at Bistro Bis in 2011). No matter, it’s brilliant product placement — I’m surprised Trump didn’t tweet about it... “Did everyone see Poor Stevie’s wine? So Sad. My 2015 Meritage is So Much Better.”

The wine is made by Benoit Touquette. Here’s his background courtesy of critic Jeb Dunnuck, “Born in Lyon France and gaining his education from the University of Bordeaux, Benoit worked at numerous French wineries before getting a job (with the help of his friend and mentor Michel Rolland) in Napa Valley with Andy Erickson. He consulted for the likes of Screaming Eagle, Ovid and Arietta. Today, Benoit is the winemaker for Realm Cellars, Hartwell, and Kata, as well as numerous other labels, including his own project Fait-Main.” Who wouldn’t want to try a $22 bottle of wine from a winemaker with that kind of resume??

Dunnuck also scored the wine 91 points, calling it “Full-bodied, ripe and rounded, with a sexy, opulent style, lots of mid-palate depth, and a great finish, it's well worth your time and money and is a smoking deal at 20 bucks.”

The blend is 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. It needed about an hour to fully open up... one of my fellow tasters called it soapy... which I think was because of its noticeable herbaceousness. Focused black cherry, pipe tobacco, clove. Juicy, but dry, with lots of grip. I’m not doing backflips over it, but you could do much worse at $22. 90+ — 7 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.3

4 hours in the decanter and the wine starting to unveil. Of course yet an infant but oh such a beautiful wine! Fresh, intense, layered and a great stamina on the palate! 100 % whole bunch and 20 months in 20% new barrels, Brilliant! — 8 years ago

Nick Yu

9.3

4/14/2017 Classic chassagne nose, prominent minerals well integrated, little bit buttery (vs Pierre Yves) but shines at this age in the nose. Brilliant acidity that will help it stay at the peak for few more years. (If there is any nit, it is a little too tart for me at this stage) — 8 years ago

with Chris

Anthony Lombardi

9.5

Work is done for 2016. Time to celebrate. This has some sweetness, but is wonderfully balanced with acidic structure and fresh summer fruit which allows me to ignore the 4:30 sunset in Seattle today. Absolutely brilliant. — 9 years ago

Roger Cabrera

9.2

Opening a 4-year old Barolo is often considered infanticide. This however is brilliant. Clean notes of cherries with undertones of bramble and turpentine all the while a glowing hum of violets. The violets are there beginning, middle and end. Fantastic acidity and a refined tannic structure. Not a classically made Barolo, but a modern gem. — 10 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Drinking at its peak. One of the top 3 or 4 Aussie Pinots IMO. Has been great for many years. Obviously a brilliant terroir. 18- — 11 years ago

Jackie Chu

9.7

Brilliant in 4 years — 11 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.8

No. 4 in the Vosne Romanee Grand Cru bracket. Tasted blind. As I mentioned earlier some tasters picked the 2 x DRC wines at #1 and #4 and this was indeed La Tache. My notes:- “Stalky peppery spicy nuances - more peppery than I recall from these previous tastings. On the palate earthy sweet black cherry but not as opulent as in prior years. Savoury. Brilliant - lives up to its reputation. “ — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

A pre-tasting of my heavy meat red sauce in order to fine tune the spices and seasoning it before serving for 30 people for our friend’s 60th birthday party tomorrow night.

The sauce is 9 cans of whole tomato’s crushed & drained, 9 can cans of tomato sauce, 3 cans of tomato paste, 6.5 pound whole pork roast braised in diced garlic & olive oil that falls apart & shreds when done, 5 pepperoni sticks sliced, 4 pounds of meatballs (with Italian bread crumbs, garlic salt, coarse black pepper, eggs with warm water) and 14 seasonings & spices slow cooked over 36-48 hours. It’s a blend that once it’s done is magical harmony in the mouth like a well crafted & aged wine.

The wine works well but, I’ll have better pairing wines tomorrow night.

The nose reveals; dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender.

The body is medium full, round with great mouth presence. The tannins nicely, rounded, slightly tarry and baby teeth. The tension, structure, length and balance have just started to tango. Dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, medium intensity dark spice with a little palate heat, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, leathery, dry tobacco, shades of graphite, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, nutmeg, clove, a touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender. The acidity is nicely executed. The long finish is nicely knitted, balanced fruit and earth, polished with soft, brilliant florals and persists minutes.

Third largest Co-op in Europe and they produce some quality wines. Especially, for the volume the make.

Delectable has this @ $99. I bought it at Costco upon release for $28.99.

Photos of, the beautiful, quaint hilltop town of Barbaresco, my meat sauce, their tasting room just to the right at the feet of the clock tower with Gaja just a little further down to the right of there and the best Michelin star restaurant we’ve experienced for lunch. We dined there right after our visit to Gaja. What service, food and a day!
— 6 years ago

Lou Dizzle

9.5

Brilliant. Open 4 hours early and let sit. — 7 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Been dying to try this. Doesn’t let down. Nose starts out quiet. Granite, Bacon, olive, but subtle. Very mineral. Palate is deep, fresh and super clean. Also wonderful structure and depth but not showing nearly anywhere it’s potential. Wonderful length and minerality. Brilliant wine but needs at least 3-4 hour decent. — 8 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.3

Had been decanted for 4 hours in the cellar door.
Brilliant but $110? I wouldn't pay it but I'll swap for it 👍🏽 — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.5

An absolutely brilliant evening at one of the best hole in the wall spots in all of Fort Worth, Nonna Tata. The Italian food is out of this world good, and if you can get there in time (which we luckily did) the patio is perfect for this weather!

To celebrate one of my best friend's coming first child, Kevin and I met up and I wanted to supply the wine as I know he's a Gargiulo fan. Funny thing is, I'd never had Gargiulo, but thanks to @Martin G Rivard , I had one of these bad boys to open! Martin told me to not worry about the vintage and trust him as it's a killer wine. He. Was. RIGHT. Wow. After about an hour and a half of being open, this was so incredibly supple. Dark purple and almost black in the glass. Blackberries and raspberries on the nose...faint hint of pepper. Absolutely perfectly balanced on the palate...blackberry pie, blackberry preserves, plum, red and black licorice on the palate. This is so delicious now, but in 3-4 years, this will be absolutely divine. Up there with Red Cap in best wines of 2011. Thank you, Martin! — 8 years ago

Richard Steinberg

9.8

One of the best gajas I have had. Red cherry mature fruit with some mushrooms and earth. Brilliant. Decanted for 4 hour which helped. — 9 years ago

with Justin and Dan

Tom Kobylarz

9.4

Brilliant, for my tastes the best Muscadet I have ever had. Minerally, pure, with nice depth and roundness from the sur-lies aging for 4 years. Citrus and flowers meet rocks and steel. — 10 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Cape Mentelle was an early pioneer with Zinfandel in Australia with winemaker David Hohnen. This was easily the best of 4 masked Zins including 2 Californians which were admittedly younger but very lolly jelly beans. This has reawakened my interest in Zins. Brilliant wine. 18. — 10 years ago

John Feyock

9.8

Hadyn Zug's — 12 years ago