Ryan Guy

9.1

From 5L... red apple skin, tobacco, spice box, stewed blackcherry, and ripe plum. Herbaceous red and black fruits on the palate, with hints of oak shining. Well balanced and elegant with enjoyable length. Drink now. Paired with Friendsgiving! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I bought nearly a case of this years ago. I’m guessing 5 plus years ago. I think I paid somewhere $16.99 - $19.99 a bottle and its proven to be a very good QPR steal. Sadly, my last bottle.

I found it in a box encased in styrofoam. It has been on the side floor of my garage at least that long. This Cremant was even better than I remember it despite its poor storage. I was expecting far less and was really only curious to see if it was still good. I will say it doesn’t get hot on the California Coast often but, I am surprised by how well its held up and even improved slightly.

This bottling represents to me how good of Cremant/Sparkling wine can be made in Burgundy and in the hands of a good producer. The climate and soils are not all that different than Champagne.

This Bourgogne Cremant was lively in the mouth. Good acidity. The body showed a lot of mousse. Bright lemon, lime, grapefruit, green apple, its taken on just some very light honey notes, beautiful, soft chalkiness with spring flowers. The finish was rich, delicious and lingered on the palate for minutes. Great with dessert and sipper to close out the night.

Photos of; Domaine Henri Boillot, some of his beautiful Chardonnay grapes, Owner/Winemaker-Henri Boillot and a wide shot of one of his vineyards. — 6 years ago

October Cleveland

9.0

The clever Ms G called rose petals on this (I might add texturally as well as aromatically), oceanic nose and a touch of lilac. — 6 years ago

with Georgina

Shay A

9.3

Our local Central Market does big themes throughout the year and mid-Sept is “UK Passport”, highlighting all sorts of English food, drink and more. Needless to say, there was an array of English Sparklers available at 20% off and I rolled the dice on this vintage rosé as I’ve been intrigued by the demand of English Sparklers. Wine Enthusiast 93 for those who are interested in scores.

Very pale colored in the glass. Bubbles are extremely tiny. The aromatics aren’t as “fruit filled” as I expected...more along the lines of the skins of fruit, especially red apple peel, and raspberry. Chalky notes are there on the palate but not overly so. Very little yeast, but a good amount of honey on the finish. Not complex and incredibly easy to drink and enjoy. Would put this in the same category as Chapel Down’s Brut Rosé...maybe slightly ahead. — 7 years ago

Benjamin Keator

9.9

Loads of spice box and apple pie. 60 second finish — 7 years ago

with Weston

Matt Trader

9.4

This is just a stunning wine. 2005 is still just so young and absolutely gorgeous at the same time. The nose is almost the best part.. mushroom, leather, pencil box, dark chocolate, anise, grilled meat, and tobacco - classics of St Julien. The pallet is firm and full of flavor, no where near it's plateau! Exhibiting notes of black pluma, bruised red apple skins, white pepper & clove, and a still fresh blackberry finish that lingers forever. Need some more of this! — 8 years ago

Celia Smith

9.0

Thin, pear, alcohol, honey. Green apple, chlorine. drank at home while watching Ellen. Lasting aftertaste. In a box. — 9 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.1

White pepper nose. Light red apple attack with surprising spice box resolution. — 9 years ago

Lily Mirabelle Freedman

8.9

Better than your average apple juice box — 10 years ago

Austin Beeman

9.1

Red apple skins on the nose. Red fruits Stoney dusty tannins. Spice box. Tobacco. $50 — 11 years ago

Jon Ebsworth

9.4

Joyous intense fruit alongside that Barbera tannic backbone hits all the right notes, up there with my wine of the year to date — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Quite a history to this wine. Back in 1997 Robert Parker gave the 1997 Duck Muck 99/100. A rare event at the time for an Australian wine and rapidly turned it into a Cult Wine par excellence. Almost overnight a bottle of Duck Muck was bringing $1500USD and higher. Unfortunately this led to many Australian winemakers wanting to duplicate this success and began creating these ultra ripe, high alcohol, very oaky Behemoths trying to attract Mega Scores from Parker. This was a trend that set back the Australian Wine exports by 10 to 15 years. We are only recovering now from the image of only producing Massive Shiraz and anyone who knows the Aussie wine industry knows we do much more than that. This wine at 16.5% ABV is not for the faint hearted. Rich Plum Prune and cinnamon notes. On the palate concentration and intensity is off the charts. You would never guess the age of this wine if tasted blind. It tastes much younger than a 2002. On a cold Winters night it’s great to reacquaint with a big Australian Shiraz. This is the whole Box and Dice - Shiraz on Steroids - but from this Burgundy Lover I can tell you it works. Time and a place for everything. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.5

After watching Masterchef the Professionals this week I saw a 15 minute challenge to make fresh Angelotti pasta with a cheese bechamel sauce in mushroom, pea & diced pancetta in 15 mins so I challenged Mrs E to do the same today - she’s through to the next round in my book 😁😍👏 it was delicious 😋
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Mrs E decided to drink the latest vintage of Grande Annee Rose while making it 😎 Pop to Instagram @chrisjengland too see the video 🎥
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📍 Bollinger Grande Annee Rose 2007
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🏵 95 points
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🍇 72% Pinot Noir & 28% Chardonnay
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🍷 Peachy copper salmon pink
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👃 Crushed red apple compote on hot baked butter brioche w/ minerals, peach, red fruits & smoke
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👄 Med bodied creamy fine mousse of butter brioche bathed in wild strawberry, peach, tart citrus fruits & red apple w/ a Granny Smith hint & dry minerals in med acidity
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🎯 Long dry tart grapefruit, lime & lemon infusion through red apple & red fruits w/ a sweet strawberry biscuity tone
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💥 DON’T FORGET to enter the 15k giveaway I posted Thursday with @openyourwine to win a vSpin decanter worth $250 and @nosywineclub to win a Nosy gift box with £65 - you’ve got two chances to win 😎
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🏬 Remember 35% discount for BLACK FRIDAY at Nosy with code CHRISBLACKFRIDAY30 which means getting Nosy is even better 👃
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🎶 Music: Last Night @ Site: https://icons8.com/music/
— 6 years ago

Evan Bloom

9.2

Nose: sweat waft of apple, ripe banana,caramel, ripe dates

Palate: banana, dates, hunt of cigar box and earth, slightly viscous, long finish that is uber pleasant. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.6

Wow... this has to be one of the best vintages of Ontogeny in years, if not ever. Higher concentration of Tench vineyard, used in the EE Red, than in any other vintage of this wine. Incredible nose of luxardo cherries, pencil box, leather, lavender syrup, and vanilla. The pallet is brick house! Tannins perfectly integrated, full throttle, exhibiting notes of smoked blackberry reduction, dark chocolate, red delicious apple skin, licorice, and a finish that lasts forever. I feel like there's no way this wine should score less than 97 on WA. In my top 10 wines I've had all year - I will gladly take a bottle of this for Christmas! ;) — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.4

2012 wasn't the best year for left bank Bordeaux, but don't tell that to Pape Clement, because they crushed it! (All puns intended) Decanted from 11-4pm before jumping in, and it could have spent even more time breathing. The nose was divine - rose water, crushed gravel, pencil box, cloves, espresso bean, and mulled black fruits. The pallet was full of focused tannins and dark rich fruit - black plum, creme de casis, red licorice, red delicious apple skin, mineral, vanilla, green bell pepper, nutmeg, and a lingering finish of dark chocolate. Absolutely a full throttle wine, and this one will age just as long as their 100 pt 2010. Also, this vintage is average only $90, compared to about $250, so it is the best value in some of the best of Bordeaux. Buy all this up while you can, try one, and hold on to them for as long as you can! Hold, and drink from 2027-2047. — 8 years ago

with Tais

Erik Rupinski

9.3

Last of my stash of this delicious juice from Alpha Box & Dice in #mclarenvale. If only they exported to the US #sigh — 9 years ago

Ryan Stewart

8.9

Burnished copper color. Nose is full of fruit and spice: blackberry, dried apricots, apple tart, marmalade, and nutmeg. Palate resembles the nose, with the addition of cigar box notes, vanilla, and toasted almonds. Autumn in a bottle! Medium + finish. — 9 years ago

Jessica Waugh

9.0

So weird!!! So much going on! Bruised apple, overripe pear, dried peach, cheese rind, hazelnut, white flowers, perfume, citrus blossom, white tea, sherry-like, brine, saline, lanolin, wax, orange rind, vanilla, cigar box, oak, creamed corn, wow! — 10 years ago

Cat Matson

9.7

Mistress by alpha box & dice mclaren vale — 12 years ago

with Michael

Tami Papagiannopoulos

8.9

Slightly sweet and apple. Very buttery on the palate. — 6 years ago

with Josue

Adam Knoerzer

9.0

Yellow pear and apple on the nose with pineapple, sweet spice, and vanilla to round it out. Similar echoes on the palate with some green melon, a mineral streak, and bright acidity to give it plenty of lift. Sits beautifully between old and new worlds in style. Don’t put this in a box, though; it’s delicious no matter how to label it. — 6 years ago

Ana Coronado

8.9

Got it as part of my Wine Authority monthly selection box. Dry and crisp, with slight hints of fruit citrus apple . Paired very well with a slightly spicy caprese chicken sausage and smokey grilled veggies. — 6 years ago

with Phillip

Steve Cunneen

9.2

Very fresh and so easy to drink. Berries and a little fizz on the palate with a nose that is really close to Ashton Pinot Noir from Gentle Folk. Amazing wine. Must buy again. — 7 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Needs a little nudge. Let it warm to cellar temp and open up to about 60 degrees; but not to room temp or you’ll let too much acid through and it’ll taste harsh.

Nuanced aromas of chamomile, apple, sweet lemon, tarragon, and vanilla cinnamon. A round to medium creamy body is balanced out by guided salty minerals and high acid. Finished with citrusy desserts - ice box lemon pie and sliced lemon preserve. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.3

2010 Erba Cabernet Sauvignon is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon,7.5% Merlot,3.5% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, crafted by Denis Malbec - bless his soul - also known for Blankiet, owned by Paul Erba, all sourced from their mountain side vineyards ranging from 1100-1500 ft, on the peak next to Atlas Peak. 2010-2012 was Denis Malbec, and 2012-present is now Russell Bevan.
Beautiful wine for the value, and a bit of a sleeper! 2010 is still tight and young, and will attest time - will age like the best of mountain style wines.

Aromas of black plum skins, gravel dust, mashed blueberries and lavender, pencil box, espresso, black pepper, and leather. The pallet is dark, clean, and focused like St. Julien, but more fruit forward, exhibiting notes of casis, delicious red apple skins, dried cherries, bell pepper, clove, nutmeg, olive, smoked herbs, vanilla, and a bit of grippy tannin to the finish. For $90, this stuff is excellent. Can't wait to try the 2012 made by Russell Bevan! Paul Erba told me that he will be producing a single vineyard wine from Paul Erba's property next year as well! Glad to have this in my cellar. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.1

A nice visit back to one of my favorites! Chateaux Lilian Ladouys is just such a great value north of Pauillac in St. Estephe. Perfume out of the glass: Sandalwood, decaying violets, wet underbrush, stewed plums, cigar box, and peppers. It still has chewy tannin structure, and luscious acid - red apple skins, black plums, mocha, tobacco leaf, and vanilla to the finish. I wish I laid more '09 down to have around for a while.. drink now through 2030.

Yumm! — 8 years ago

Matt Trader

9.3

I know this wine will be great in another 10...but I feel like I was getting a glimpse of its plateau this year. 12 wasn't the best year in Pauillac, but I am thoroughly enjoying the vintage across the board of left bank Bordeaux. It was showing that world class Pauillac nose - cigar box, gravelly/loamy soil, and mulled fruit. The pallet is nice and rich but not necessarily fruit forward, exhibiting flavors of stewed black plum, red apple skin, vanilla and espresso bean, and a lovely finish. This also made a great wine for our Cigars. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.1

2007 and really just a beautiful lady. Roses, but with cinnamon apple, burnt grapefruit rind bouquet. Impeccable silky tar that exhibits dried plum, Bing cherry, goji berry, tinder box and brown mushroom, salty watermelon, white pepper. A sexy sexy wine. — 9 years ago

with Courtney

Matt Duncan

9.6

Vibrant plum attack. Subtle cigar box behind candied apple. Blueberry sage resolution. Coco nib aromas. A certain sort of weathered appeal gives cause for reflection and contentment. — 10 years ago