Airs & Graces

Domaine Le Couroulu

Vieilles Vignes Vacqueyras Red Rhone Blend 2016

Earthy dry red Grenache. Good nose. Red berries on palette. Mellows as it airs out — 4 years ago

Craig Larson
with Craig

Château Yvonne

Saumur Chenin Blanc 2017

Lyle Fass
9.5

Love this wine. Electric boogaloo type wine. So much energy. Could power a small house! Nose is high toned meyer lemon, fresh almonds, saline minerals, persian cucumber, swimming pool. Just wow nose. Palate is just electric! ⚡️so much acid and texture. Insane minerality. Pretty much no fruit. Sappy and extracted with a never ending finish. Structured to a T. Wow wine and wonderful. As it airs the nose gets phyllo dough and that takes this over the top! — 5 years ago

Severn, Bob and 27 others liked this

The Four Graces

Doe Ridge Estate Pinot Noir

Smooth but smokey finish — 5 years ago

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier

Hohen-Sülzen Riesling 2018

Lyle Fass
9.3

Considering how stunning Frauenberg was in 2018 I was even excited to taste this and it did not let down. Stunning nose. Vinous Crabtree and Evelyn. Floral, herbal, lavender, gorgeous. Honeysuckle. Lean and limey as well. Hint of vulcanized rubber I love so much. Apricot, peach skin. So insanely complex. A GG like nose. Complex and concentrated with terrific fruit skin purity and almost a like fruit leather. So mineral and precise and just teeming with energy and a playful, focused yet intense juiciness. The finish is a mile long and gives off citrus and minerals. Amazing texture and so well made. Balanced and super pure with the structure to age for 10+ years. As this airs it picks up a white chocolate, caramel hit in the mid palate which is to die for. — 5 years ago

Jonathan, Rob and 9 others liked this

Chapel Down

Three Graces Champagne Blend 2010

Very good, light and drinkable, not too dry — 8 years ago

The Paring

Red Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

Vinous Favorites
9.2

Supple, radiant and expressive, the 2012 Red Wine graces the palate with exquisite dark fruit, mocha, plums, spices, raspberry jam and spices. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this supremely delicious Cabernet Sauvignon-based red from the team at Jonata and The Hilt. (AG) — 8 years ago

The Four Graces

Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 2010

Four Graces is one of favorite sources of Pinot Noir in Oregon. This particular one is a fave. 2010 was a good year at Yamhill. — 9 years ago

Menti Giovanni

Roncaie sui Lieviti Garganega 2013

Fizz and des airs citronnés. Parfait sous la chaleur estivale. — 9 years ago

Carne Humana

Napa Valley Red Blend

Great wine at unwind for $15 for a 6oz pour. Full bodied that grows as it airs. — 10 years ago

The Four Graces

Yamhill Carlton Reserve Pinot Noir 2012

Wonderful representation of Oregon Pinot. Cherry, cola, sedimentary soil - you get notes of all of that here! — 10 years ago

Pierre Brisset

Abbaye de Morgeot Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Chardonnay 2019

Lyle Fass
10

First taste of Brisset 19’s and starting BIG. Ahhhh that nose. Gorgeous lemon oil, super discreet oak, sea air like minerality, just so airy and expansive. Unreal clarity and depth. Elite. Super elite. 9.8 nose out of the gates. It’s been open 5 minutes. This man is a god amongst men. Stunning. Balance and purity on this is ridiculous. Concentrated and no hard edges. None. Oh my this is elegant. Elite elegance and chock full of minerals. Structured, deep, salty and saline. Luscious and round. Killer acids but so well integrated. Round and chewy and really very complex already. Such a long finish with lime zest, green apple, flowers and extreme minerality. So sad Pierre made so little. This seems more young and backwards than the 2018 at this point. Will be back as it airs. The elegance and no hard edge quality signals this is the 1% of Burgundy. As it opens it becomes more compact and just a single unit of brilliance.

Wow so sappy and there is a mineral sweetness now. This is bonkers. 9.8 to 9.9 after 15 minutes.

9.9 to 10.0 overnight. More of everything. Just insane. If you get offered this by me and refuse it you’re off the list.
— 4 years ago

Dick, Josh and 9 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

Severn Goodwin Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Wow, turn it up to 11!
Lyle Fass

Lyle Fass Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Severn Goodwin one of those days!

Domaine François Buffet

Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017

Lyle Fass
9.6

What a nose. Dark cherries. Spice. Very high toned. Superb stoney minerality. Haunting florals. Blackberry. Gorgeous delicacy. Wow. Elite level nose. Haunting. Has so much. Palate is superb. Sweet fruit, stones, laters of finesse, velvety almost pinpoint perfect tannins. Long complex finish that does not quit. Still only around 10% open after 10 minutes. But it’s all there. Wow that’s a long finish. Haunting. Ethereal. Gorgeous, classic CDC. Big tannins but so nimble and they weave in and out on the incredible finish. I’ll be back for an update after some air.

As it airs the breeding becomes more apparent. Incredible refinement and elegance. Wow.
— 5 years ago

Timmer, Severn and 10 others liked this

Domaine Saint Préfert

Clos Beatus Ille Côtes du Rhône Grenache Blend 2017

Ted
9.0

Really softens as it airs out. Cherry liquor, baked cherries. Saturday football sipper. — 5 years ago

Jeni
with Jeni
Kimberly, Todd and 7 others liked this

The Four Graces

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

A great jammy Pinot — 7 years ago

Andrew Oshman
with Andrew
Paul liked this

De Toren

Z Merlot Blend 2011

Greg Ballington
9.1

Deep garnet red. South African funk, like damp leaves, wet clay, sundried tomatoes and red cherries in the finish. Moderate tannins (5.5/10) probably will grow once it airs out. Balanced acidity and semi dry. Broken twigs with red currants and cherries. Needs some time to open up and develop. Medium bodied with a medium plus finish but potential is there. Drink till 2021. — 8 years ago

India Okoh
with India
Mike, David and 11 others liked this
Greg Ballington

Greg Ballington Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Jody Scharf will have to give that credit to @India Okoh haha
Bryan Flewelling

Bryan Flewelling

Does an un-broken twig have a different aroma than a broken one?
Bryan Flewelling

Bryan Flewelling

I've had tons of red wines with clearly defined "un-broken twig aromatics"--think it's a chemical compound chain that doesn't integrate with reductive-style reds(?)...

The Four Graces

Black Family Estate Pinot Noir 2010

Aging this vintage has really left a balanced wine; fruit to the front. — 9 years ago

The Four Graces

Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2011

Love this! Light and delicate Pinot! No cola back end! — 10 years ago

James Miller
with James

Pierre Brisset

Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2018

Lyle Fass
9.3

Oh man what a great bottle of wine. Stunning nose of cherry flower, gorgeous smokiness, some high end leather, sopping red cherries, so deep, so high quality. Wow, what fruit. So decadent yet fresh and such energy! Really loads of cherries and just so so pure. Awesome purity. Velvety tannins and they just pump that sweet, pure fruit onto your palate. Invigorating, luscious and so so good. As it airs nose has a lipstick like intensity to it. One of the best BR’s ever. Terrific concentration sap and sweetness but finishes very mineral. — 4 years ago

Matt, Timmer and 8 others liked this

Cascina Sot

Bricco San Pietro Barolo Nebbiolo 2016

Lyle Fass
9.5

The top wine at Sòt. Darkest color of all the wines so far but still very light in the grand scheme of things. Nose is fascinating with big boy sour cherries. So sappy and pure aromas with a wild herbal, mineral, feral side as well. Perfumed and elite but wild. Love it. Leather, tar, roses, tea. Wow what a palate. So refined and elegant. Super super elegant. It just floats. This is incredible. Nose led me to believe one thing but palate has me believing another thing. Really concentrated and just bonkers complexity and that insane Sòt freshness and transparency. Superb, actually elite structure. Really deep. A beautiful wine that has substantial tannins as it airs but deep fruit and just incredible minerality. So long and a taste of precise cherries and rocks on the palate. Nose opens up more with an insane penetrating perfume. Less wild, more of a crushed rock, mineral perfume. Again, that tiny hit of 16 opulence. This has linearity and energy for days. So pure. Young but man this is the bomb. So so promising. — 5 years ago

Severn, Chris and 8 others liked this

The Four Graces

Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2018

Ming L
8.9

I’m not a big fan of Pinot Gris, and the last time I tried an oregano Pinot Gris was probably about 4 years ago when I visited Portland, but this is really nice.
The fragrant nose was full of peach, lime, apricot, chalk, and ad ever so slightly hint of vanilla. Medium to full body with round palate and lovely acidity.
Takes me back to the beautiful Willamette Valley!
— 5 years ago

Jennifer and Somm liked this

The Four Graces

South Blocks Pinot Noir 2012

Dark cherry, maple syrup, and tree bark. — 6 years ago

Mike liked this

Franz Hirtzberger

Rotes Tor Federspiel Wachau Grüner Veltliner 2015

Clear golden color with aromas of peach on top of slate. Entry is clean with incredible minerality and flavors of peach and apricots. As it airs there is even more complexity in the nose and flavors have mellowed but the incredible minerality persists. This wine would go well with cheeses and Asian food. — 7 years ago

Gérard Raphet

Cuvée Unique Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Celebrated Father's Day. Nice earthy mineral initial palate with fruit opening as it airs. — 8 years ago

Clos du Val Wine Co.

Three Graces White Winemaker's Signature Series White Blend 2011

Great Napa chard without butter and oak. Much more French in style. — 9 years ago

Ilida Alvarez
with Ilida
Frank, Daniel P. and 9 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

CdV seem to be back on track. Such a historic winery. Nice to see them back on top of their game.

The Four Graces

Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc 2015

2015 Pinot Blanc- ?Say What? did I say Blanc? Absolutely- look out for this elegant white from Oregon Pinot Country...
Amazing with Chinese take-out.
Been open for about a week and still showing bright citrus & orchard fruit notes with a slight herbal edge- great with sautéed bok choy...
— 9 years ago

Scott liked this

The Four Graces

North Blocks Pinot Noir

Did the 2011 North and South Block comparison with Thanksgiving dinner. North was a bit darker in color and heavier in body (and had more of an alcohol mouth feel) and went better with food/the whole meal. Fabulous nose of leather and wintergreen. — 9 years ago

Castillo de Monseran

Cariñena Garnacha 2007

Smooth and subtle, a rich depth to its flavor, airs beautifully and pairs wonderfully, classy — 12 years ago