Pooneet K

9.3

The final bottle for our annual Valentine’s Day and carbonara tradition (this time one day early). We skipped last year as my wife was pregnant, nice to be back. Very good, but definitely in an advanced stage - the nuttiness really comes through. There is still great acid, lemon curd, crispness, soft bubbles.

After the full case, I’d say the ones from 2021-2023 were the best.

On to Krug 2004 next year!! — 5 months ago

Shay A

9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

A treat to try this next to the ‘88, and also against a mini-flight of Leoville Barton. This ‘14 was shockingly odd…unbelievably high toned, sharp, and bing cherry driven aromatically. It actually has this weird cherry reduction profile but also a malic/butter note that needs time to blow off. Crème de cassis and red licorice on the palate with a small amount of graphite. A lot of Calistoga cabs for me show the warmth of the region and this evidently is in that vein, but it’s very Montelena-esque at the end of the day. I’d hold another 5-7yrs. — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.7

The 2019 Angélus has a Cabernet Franc-driven nose, touches of Earl Grey and ash infusing the almost sultry black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, taut and crisp, quite a fine arching structure that delivers wonderful tension and mineralité on the finish. Serious. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2023) — 3 years ago

leon egozi

9.6

The annual 305 Napa cab 10 year retrospective. So many amazing wines. — 3 years ago

Janet Coleman

8.9

2019 vintage nice and smooth but a bit of a pucker. Actually went super well with grilled fish! — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Just concluded the annual Fall seclusion at our cabin in the Rangeley lakes region of Maine, mobile service up there is mostly non-existent, after several days I am posting again. Notes are somewhat brief, as my focus is relaxing and watching the Common Loons swimming and diving in the cove in front of our camp.

Nose has bright green apple, saline solution, distant petrol, under-ripe peach, sliced apricot, clover honey and wet flint
Palate has effervescent and tart apple juice, tart pear, under-ripe peach, green apple peel, wet limestone with solid acidity and a ever lingering sweet/salty/tart finish. A great bottle! — 6 years ago

John Lintz

9.4

After following AH on Instagram for a few months it peaked my interest in wanting to taste their wines plus they look like a fun group too. To my surprise somebody bought a few bottle to Thanksgiving dinner. I am very happy to report it was even better than expected. Deep rich ruby color looking like a huge Rutherford tannin monster. The nose was subtle and pleasant. Two sips in I was beliver.. smooth, delicate soft cabernet. Would probably improve if opened and breathed a bit but consumed before it had a chance.. black cherry, currants, almost a slight zinfandel like notes. enjoy now! — 7 years ago

with Sandy

Shay A

9.3

One of the bottles from my annual WWC hosting. I opened this as a side by side to a 2019 Saxum White as the makeup is fairly similar.

80% roussanne/ remaining a mix of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, piquepoul blanc, picardan and bourboulenc.

Nicely expressive at pop, it then faded and hid in a shell for a few hours before coming back at last glass. At 80% roussanne, I expected a more consistent expressive profile (honeyed tropical fruits, some orange) and for the acid to show a touch, but it was a roller coaster. More melon and light fruits vs bigger/more tropical. Medium bodied but not as rich as expected. It’s clean and shows some floral and mineral/stony nuances, but I’d spend the extra and take the Roussanne VV to get more complexity and flavor. — a year ago

Shay A

9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty. — 2 years ago

leon egozi

9.5

The annual 305 Napa cab 10 year retrospective. So many amazing wines. — 3 years ago

leon egozi

9.7

The annual 305 Napa cab 10 year retrospective. So many amazing wines. — 3 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has blackberry jam, old cedar closet, wet leather, dried blueberries, dried cherries and moist mahogany shavings.

Palate has blueberry jelly with a dash of cayenne, blackberry fruit leather, humid cocoa powder, dried tart cherry with a long finish. The blueberry jelly notes persist for 1-2m, amazing.

Decanted 5H at time of notes, continuing to evolve. 🥳 Enjoy 2026-32, from proper storage.

Paired with our Superbowl Sunday traditional feast, pulled pork. This year were going local (as always) with both pork shoulder and ham hocks from our bi-annual purchase of one-half piggy from Highland Farm (Old Chatham, NY); love your farmers! Shoulder was dry rubbed and rested, then into the slow cooker for 9H, talk about falling apart!

Pork shoulder and hocks for two...I pretty much know what my lunch is going to be for about the next two weeks. 😋

Go Bengals! 🐅 — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.

Theorem was one of our highlights last year, so we made sure a return visit was lined up this year. Base of Diamond Mtn with one of the most beautiful properties I’ve seen. Over the last 12 months, they’ve added a couple new wines (with more to come from Moon Mountain). TRB is the winemaker.

Fairly similar to the Hourglass SB in that its profile is rich yet tight and zippy. Heavy amounts of lemon tart, limestone, slate, sea salt and fresh cut grass. Lots of acidity here, but there is a component about it that adds a roundness right before the finish which keeps it from being totally sharp. — 6 years ago

Paul K

9.4

Annual golf getaway with friends. Chicago edition. This is great and digging the restaurant. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Double decanted several hours prior to service (recommended); no formal notes. While probably not my pick for best expression from Columbia Valley, the wines of Quilceda Creek certainly have a massive following for a reason. It has been at least seven years since I last had the 2005 vintage which was probably my favorite from the aughts. Well, I’m happy to report that it is very much alive and well. Big and would still be attractive stuff for many. Balanced. Perhaps a little hot on the finish but that’s pretty common with their wines; at least to my palate. Drink now and through 2030. — 2 years ago

leon egozi

9.3

305 group annual 10 yr Napa cab retrospective — 2 years ago

leon egozi

9.5

The annual 305 Napa cab 10 year retrospective. So many amazing wines. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.6

We pulled this from our cellar and brought it to V. Mertz for dinner. We enjoyed a couple of other wines as aperitifs and then ultimately did what anyone given the opportunity should do: pair it with lamb chops. We poured it into a decanter while we enjoyed the conversation and opening courses. Given the setting, there were no formal notes however, I can confidently report that the 2015 “Tintot” absolutely slaps. From the first sip to the last, it was all balance, power and class. It was also a spectacular showcase for Mourvèdre. It was hard to fully judge color because the lighting was so low but it appeared to be nearly opaque. A touch feral with a slightly gamey element to it but there’s a great big ol’ basket of black and blue fruits with red and purple flowers, garrigue, some black pepper and cedar chest. Structure is still quite firm but totally enjoyable. While this is an unusual assemblage for the region, it still comes across as a wine from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This was my first “Tintot” and it has left quite the impression. Drink now with an hour decant or over the next 7-10 years. P.S. it probably goes without saying, but the pairing with lamb chops was sublime. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.6

The 2016 Belair-Monangé displays almost clinical precision on a nose of mineral-rich black cherry and raspberry fruit, plus hints of wilted violets and iris. The medium-bodied palate delivers firm grip on the entry. This is a clean, precise, correct Saint-Émilion with plenty of tension and poise toward the persistent finish. Very classy and noble. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2020)
— 6 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.

We returned to Hourglass after our visit in 2018 as the wines are just so enjoyable, but the tasting cave may be one of the coolest spots to enjoy a glass of wine.

I’ve had many vintages (and bottles) of this and it’s always consistent. In an age of “super SauvBlancs”, this toes the line between old school and new school. Lots of grass, little bit of grapefruit, lemon lime candy and minerality in the nose. It gives way to more lemon on the palate, waffling back and forth between oak or steel with high acidity and a slightly rounded profile on the finish. I like this SB a touch warmer than others as the acidity can be razor sharp when it’s cold. Great for the price. — 6 years ago