Jay Kline

9.4

Opened several hours prior to service and poured into a ship’s decanter. The 1967 “Riserva” pours a ruddy garnet color with a transparent core and a slightly orange-ish rim. Medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. Some slight signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous but the fruit is still showing so well! A mix of ripe and desiccated red and dark fruits with forest floor, porcini, dried roses, tar, some tobacco, dried herbs, dusty earth and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry; medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long a slightly savory. This is drinking so well right now and I reckon it’s on a plateau of pleasure. It almost seems evergreen considering its vigor. Drink now because you’ve already waited long enough! — 6 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Cedric Bouchard makes some of the most singular, vinous and terroir expressive wines in Champagne which is even taken to the next level in his prized and ultra rare cuvée, La Bolorée. 2015 was a particularly great vintage for Bouchard and every cuvée I’ve tried has been fantastic. La Bolorée, 100% Pinot Blanc from 50+ year-old vines on limestone soils, is powerful, detailed and multidimensional showing layer upon layer of rich orchard fruit, white flowers and salty minerals. Just my 4th time having this bottling, but it is always a special drinking experience. We did not decant, but drank from Zalto Burgundy which somehow didn’t break on a boat 😅
— 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s 1/2 bottle n/v Billecart evening.

This is a more appropriate color of rose for the Rosé color of this champagne.

My go to n/v Rosé Champange for a number of reasons…quality & 1/2 bottle availability are right up there.

Blood orange, black cherries, Rainer cherries, lean strawberries, pomegranate juice, hints of raw rhubarb, grainy, grippy, sharp chalkiness, crunchy volcanics, limestone, sea fossils, baguette crust, deep white spice, orange lilies, peach roses, excellent, lively acidity with a rich, well balanced smart finish that starts clean, ripe fruits falling onto perfect minerality. — 3 years ago

Joe Weinberger

9.0

Not quite as good as I remember this the last time I had it. There was more of a smoky element that wasn’t there before and it seemed that the fruit wasn’t quite as bright. Still, this was a very nice wine and wish I had more of it. — 3 years ago

Dawn E.

9.3

Really delicious Kermit Lynch selection! Loads of baked apple and peach cobbler...brioche and nutmeg! Creamy delicious yet zippy too!

Celebrating the return of my Daughter's car after it was stolen Monday! 🚘 Thank you Iowa City PD! 🚔 I was craving a bubbly so I have my justification! 😄 — 4 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.3

Nose has old tar, countless stems of red roses, dried cherry, library stacks and dried raspberry.

Palate has jammy and bright cherry preserves, fresh tart cherry, old leather, moist earthy notes (positive trait) and some neutral wood.

Mellow tannins after an extended decant, this bottle is really singing. I am lucky to have tasted older vintages to give an understanding of where this wine is going. Now, whether or not I have the patience to hold the remaining bottles another 20-years is a major question, very nice today.

Decanted ~3hrs, in a cool place. Not my kitchen today, which was quite warm as I preserved our first real harvest of 2019 tomatoes, converting them into pizza sauce. I beat our first processed batch from 2018 by an entire week...don't believe anyone telling you we're not living through climate change, or more appropriately 'climate disruption' to quote Ralph Nader. This is why the best Nebbiolo is now coming from northern Italy, and the best Pinot will transition to Germany. OK, enough politics, this is a forum for wine, mostly. Cat photo-bombs appreciated in your bottle pics (sorry none from me today). — 5 years ago

Jess

9.2

Pale straw color.
Aromas of pear, apple, citrus.
Dry. Flavors of pear, apple, lemon, white peach, honeysuckle.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 5/5
Finish: 5/5 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; consumed over three days. Best on Day 3. The 2019 Cavallotto Barolo “Bricco Boschis” pours a deep garnet with a translucent core. Medium+ viscosity and no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with super expressive of fresh red and dark fruits: Montmorency cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, blackberries and lingonberries. There is also some balsamic notes, cedar box, roses, tar, green herbs and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with monumental tannins that seemed to build each day. Acid is medium++. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is forever long. Alcohol is medium+. This is a beautiful wine with a very, very long life ahead. The fruit is so gorgeous, so fresh at this stage. Drink now with the patience of a saint otherwise best after 2029 and enjoy through 2069+. Bottle No. 05586 — 9 months ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

Aced this blind, though I felt the palate weight does lean more towards a Langhe Nebbiolo by convention.
Like the blinded Margaux on the table, the nose led with Morello cherries, but without new oak and more layers such as aromas of dried roses, leather, star anise, and earth. The trademark Nebbiolo tannins and acidity on the palate was what scored the clincher for me. Lighter than expected for the level of tannins, but I felt it was still balanced especially with the mouth-filling mid-palate fruit (mixed berries here). Finishes with spice and fresh acidity. It’s a dangerous drink given how elegant it is at 14.5% abv. Best red of the night!

NB: The 2017 Blue Label Ascheri Barolo was made with a blend of fruits from La Morra, Verduno, and Serralunga. Fermentation was a 50% mix of 15-day batch and 25-day batch with submerged cap. Aging was for 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels (70% new oak and 30% used) and for 12 months in stainless steel before bottling. It’s interesting to note how little wood character was imparted into the wine using large format barrels, despite the high percentage of new oak. I would imagine that one of the roles of this cuvée at Ascheri is just to season the new barrels for use in the better cuvées. — 2 years ago

Jay Ivison

9.6

One of the smoothest, most flavorful whiskies I have tried. — 4 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.3

Even distribution of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier, but this drinks like a BDB.This shows vibrancy & freshness along with a fruity, yet balanced character. Very good Champagne. — 4 years ago

Conrad Green

9.4

A slightly stinky front. Then real deep clarity of raspberry fruit. There’s a gentle luscious center of hauntingly pure aged fruit (dried roses, soft cherry?) leading into the end palate. Really lucid. Delicious. — 4 years ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having the 2014 Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo. This was my 4th in succession starting with the 2011 and they were all very similar in style and very structured.

On the nose is the ever present cherry, raspberry, red currant, clove, licorice, dried roses, some alcohol and dusty soil.

On the palate the nose is confirmed with dried cherries, raspberry, red plum, licorice, mint, herbs, graphite, a little burn of alcohol and newly tilled dry soil.

This wine and the others is medium to full bodied with medium + acidity and high fine chewy tannins that lead to a long fruit filled finish. As I went back through the 2011, 2012, 2013 and now the 2014 it brought back memories of each one and how similar they all were and expressing a distinct sense of place. The weekend is upon us and I wish all well. Enjoy a weekend of wine and happiness. Please be safe and have fun. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.8

Awesome. More soon. ….Drinking this wine is like sitting on the sofa with a big bar of dark chocolate. Very port like. Roses, leather, classic. Very dry dried figs. Plenty of tannins left. Could run for 10 more years with ease. 400$ now. Just drank a second and last bottle. One of the best Barolo’s money can buy. — 8 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.8

Dark scarlet color with a deep center. Notes of black cherry, cola, roses, cassis, some spice and a little wood char. Amazing perfume in the nose. Smooth and silky in the mouth. Lots of drama with this one, and many agreed the 59 was better than the 45, the 61 and 82 Latours beside it. Bravo! — a year ago

Mark Eastom

9.1

Delicious. More fruit then toast. Citrus, apple/pear and a bit of yeast. Thanks Sunshine :) — 2 years ago

Jordan Yu

9.5

Third rating for this: started at 10 degrees , and warmed up to around 15-18 in a warm 29 degrees tropical Singapore. Was fresh, crisp, lemon-like at first, followed by zesty mandarin orange flavours that finally matured to mellow honey apricots. Best of all coloured like the upcoming Chinese New Year - perfect gold. — 3 years ago

Manny Abascal

9.4

Roses, blood oranges, touch of heat, distinctive Nebbiolo presence. Amazingly paired with veggie stew with chickpeas. The food and wine match was a 10. — 4 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.3

This wine has evolved quite a bit in the last two years. So, I’d say this medium to full-bodied Barolo is “A Point” right now.
Beautiful secondaries have entered the stage, showing subtle nuances of tobacco, earth, antiqueshop and truffle sprinkled over the lifted, feminine flavors of dried roses and cherries and figs.
Gorgeous. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

It’s Friday, gotta kick it off with Champagne. This Friday a little N/V Ruinart Rosé.

The fruits are; ripe, ruby and slightly candied. Deeply extracted; strawberries, black cherries, some black raspberries, cherries, ripe, juicy, summertime watermelon, touch of pomegranate, blood orange, understated, fine, powdery chalkiness, powdery seashells, sea spray, grey volcanic minerals, soft white spice, hard baguette crust with red & pink roses. The gently crisp acidity is dead on. The long, rich, ruby, well balanced, polished finish is delicious and nicely persistent.

Photos of, Dom Thierry Ruinart, our recently added Chrysanthemums, fresh fall table flowers and candle pumpkin. It’s fall! ‘‘Tis the season”...🍂🍁🎃🕷👻👹😱 🍾🥂 — 5 years ago