A Sunday In August
Château Climens
Barsac 1er Cru Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2011
The 2011 Climens has a fresh, lifted, mineral-driven bouquet which has closed down a little. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh. A lively, tensile finish, with hints of stem ginger thatlinger on the aftertaste. This is drinking beautifully. Tasted at the Climens vertical at the château in April 2022. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2022)
— 3 years ago
Bollinger
La Grande Année Brut Chardonnay - Pinot Noir Rosé Blend 2012
This superstar 2012 vintage just doesn’t seem to miss. Especially not when paired with the elegance of Bollinger.
A gorgeous rose copper color in the glass. Plenty of fine bubbles that seem to just go on and on. The approachability of these outstanding 12’s is immediate. Wild strawberries and herbs shine on the nose. Red currant, raspberries, and stewed plums. Some exquisite spice notes along with white flowers. Tangerines and watermelons play a part.
The vitality and sheer energy of this is amazing. 67% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and Verzenay. 33% Chardonnay from Oiry and Le Mesnil sur Oger with 5% still red wine from Bollinger’s legendary Côte aux Enfants vineyard. Terrific youthful tension and balance. Zippy acidity with 8 g/l of sugar. Disgorged in August of 2019 and already showing some maturity.
Pure romance on the tongue. Silky smooth and elegant with fresh red berries and more spice on the palate. Saffron and honey with oak complimenting. The Lehmann Jamesse Grand Blanc provided more floral notes, while the Riedel Dom Perignon showed more ripe fruit and minerality. Both wonderful. Yes this will obviously develop over time and become so much more special but you deserve this now. So do I. Enjoy.
— 4 years ago
Christophe Mignon
Extra Brut Champagne Pinot Meunier
Dealing with one of the masters of Meunier here and it is positively gorgeous. Medium gold color with tiny bubbles and wonderful creaminess. The nose is harmonious, as is the entire package, showcasing chamomile, white flowers, and tea. Citrus rind and brioche explode from the glass, with spice and a rather decadent streak of honey running throughout.
Already set apart from other Growers, Mignon’s winemaking is about as natural as you can get and dictated by the lunar cycle. 100% Pinot Meunier, this is a blend of the 2014 and 15 vintages, it was disgorged in August of 19. Low dosage at between 2 and 5 g/l and you definitely feel it. Strikingly and gloriously bitter, this is just a joy to drink.
Dry with very crisp acidity, this has amazing texture and structure. The palate shows orchard fruits, plums, and rose petals up front with more drizzled honey and pears. Apricots and toasty biscuits abound. The finish is long and pure. This could certainly benefit from a few more years on the shelf but it’s fun right now. Pure elegance. — 4 years ago
Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2013
A slightly late Thanksgiving dinner in Shanghai on Sunday evening. A full house so why not a Jerobaum of Sassacaia to celebrate with a crowd. 2013 vintage. Elegant and polished but still young, I suspect this would have improved over the years ahead. Not so deep noted as some other years- red fruits, currant, young cherries. Awesome aroma. The crowd loved it. — 4 years ago
Fattoria Le Terrazze
Rosso Conero Montepulciano 2015
A fruit-forward yet wonderfully fresh red, showing a mix of cherry, raspberry, sweet herbs and spice. Cooling minerals and earth tones balance the warmth of the 2015 vintage nicely. Vinified in large neutral oak. $18.00 (Eric Guido, Vinous, August 2020) — 5 years ago
Tensley
Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah 2020
The 2020 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is a dense, potent wine. The purity of the fruit is remarkable. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2020 is still incredibly primary. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and rose petal open with a bit of coaxing. All this needs is time and a bit more polish. As always, the Colson Canyon Syrah is one of the most distinctive wines in Joey Tensley's range. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2022)
— 3 years ago
Gianluigi Bonari
Salento Appassimento Red Blend
Lovely wine from the Salento sub region of Puglia. The grapes are Cab and Merlot and allowed to stay on the bone longer before picking. The result is a mouth full of ripe fruit with taste of cherries. Drank the 2019 vintage in August 2021. For such a young wine it has great structure and will be interesting with a few years of aging. Pared wonderfully with Southern Italian food and smooth enough to drink on its own. A great bargain for the price. — 4 years ago
Robert Biale Vineyards
Old Kraft Vineyard Zinfandel 2011
Nose has ripe blackberry, fresh black cherry, cherry jam, mashed cherries, toasted anise seed, sweet smokey cedar, cherry liqueur. Rich and beautiful.
Palate has bright black cherry, old milk chocolate, cherry jam reduction, ripe fig, dried fig, black currant jam, moist garden soil, licorice and grape Jolly Rancher candy. Rich palate with mild tannins and long finish. This wine is in an outstanding spot with years ahead of it still, enjoy 2024-26, in proper storage. Decanted 6H.
Paired with pulled pork sandwiches, a Superbowl Sunday tradition for us. A local pork shoulder (Mill River Farm, New Marlborough, MA), dry spice rubbed and rested for 24H, then 10H in the slow cooker; it's just falling apart...so beautiful, our kitchen smells amazing! Garnished with our garden bread & butter pickles, homemade barbeque sauce, pickled red onion and a dash of cilantro, all a worthy combination. — 4 years ago
The Ojai Vineyard
Puerta Del Mar Chardonnay 2018
The 2018 Chardonnay Puerta Del Mar is bright and finely sculpted. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, and a range of saline-infused overtones all grace the 2018. Weightless and yet full of flavor, the 2018 is positively stellar. It is yet another fabulous white in this range of new releases from Ojai and a terrific example of the far western edge of Santa Barbara County that is outside of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2020)
— 5 years ago
Petaluma
Hanlin Hill Riesling 2002
Mid yellow in colour. Aromas of musk and mandarin with dried herbs and a hint of paraffin. Fresh and sprightly at 18 years of age. I was contemplating leaving this to 2022 when it would have been 20 years old and on this showing it would have made it easily. With time some peachy flavours and some sweetness. Next day - lovely honeysuckle and honeyed notes on the palate. Fulsome with stone fruits and quince - you would think off dry but in fact 12.8% ABV and fully dry. Made by the legendary Brian Croser back then. An absolute treat to have a wine like this for Sunday lunch. One of the Wines of the Year for me. — 5 years ago
Brewer-Clifton
Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2020
The 2020 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is fabulous. In fact, the appellation wine is my favorite Pinot in this range. The combination of the sites, and a bit less stem influence than the vineyard designates, works so well. There's a bit more fruit, more mid-palate sweetness and better balance overall, in my view. All the elements are so well put together. All of this fruit is from Machado and Hapgood. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2022)
— 3 years ago
Sandhi Wines
Sanford & Benedict Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2014
Sandhi Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2014: Medium-light body. Soft tannins. Medium acidity. Beautiful light red/cranberry color. Delicate perfumed nose with bright red fruits (cherry, strawberry & raspberry). Orange peel. Dried herbs. Earth. Cedar. Smooth easy finish. All in all, I loved, loved, loved this wine. It was drinking perfectly, beautifully balanced and a great representation of the local Sta Rita Hills terroir; felt like I was drinking a Burgundy wine! One of the best Santa Barbara Pinots out there! Happy Sunday Funday! Cheers🍷 — 3 years ago
Domaine A. et P. de Villaine
La Fortune Côte Chalonnaise Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2019
Just a very enjoyable wine. Dangerous in that it’s so easy and compelling to drink. Decanted 2+ hours, quite ready to go at that point. Probably would have guessed a nice Beaujolais from the nose. Palate is so wonderfully seamless with excellent fruit and completeness and acid, with some serious density. Delicious with the standard Sunday night roast chicken with mushrooms. — 4 years ago
Domaine Servin
Les Preuses Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 2017
The 2017 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru has a wonderful, focused nose: lean, mineral-driven, very flinty and very Chablis. The palate is taut and fresh, with sharp acidity, and very citric and powerful, with immense weight and penetration toward the finish. Very persistent, very sophisticated; this is what great Chablis is all about. But the bottom line is that it is very uncompromising. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2021)
— 4 years ago
A Sunday in August
Similkameen Valley Pinot Gris
Lovely Canadian orange wine. Tastes like a grapefruit bouquet of flowers! — 4 years ago
August West
Peterson Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014
Red fruit in spades. Smokey and charred fruit on the nose along with cinnamon and mulled spiced. Tart cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and cooked strawberry on the palate with earthy minerals and a hint of mint. Runs a bit hot, but solid acid in the finish. — 4 years ago
A Sunday in August
Merlot 2019
i love a juicy merlot — 5 years ago
Delectable Wine
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Les Romains is a vineyard with its feet in flint to the east of the fault line in Sancerre. The 2020 Sancerre Les Romains begins with a fruity and open welcome, blossoming and silken in the mouth before tying the wine up; the flint influence acts like the belt on a pair of trousers tightening up the middle and leaving a sensation of sinew and length with a fine nettley fragrance. (Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, August 2022)
— 3 years ago