Somm 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. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

I was given this bottle as a birthday gift from some close friends a couple of years back. Last night, we had them over for a holiday dinner and figured now would be just as good a time as any to open and enjoy with them! I pulled the cork about two hours prior to dinner, just to give it some time to breath. Deep ruby color with quite a bit of sediment present; about to be expected considering it has over two decades of age. The nose is quite expressive with a whole hedge of roses, red cherry fruit, some tar and tobacco too. On the palate, tart red cherries, balsamico, earth, mushrooms and herbs. I think the age has probably softened this up a bit however, plenty of structure remains. I would say this Borgogno Riserva is enjoying a really nice, mid-life drinking window but should drink well for at least another decade and possibly longer. — 6 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! 😄 — 6 years ago

Raphael Malago

9.6

1985 DRC Grandes Echezeaux carries the magical scent of that makes you dream with more of this bottles. Intense and vibrant red fruits, spices, earthy & roses. The palate still dense, complex, a work of art! — 7 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

Chiaroscuro is an art term for the juxtaposition of light and dark. Think Baroque stuff. Think Caravaggio and my personal fave Artemesia Gentileschi. Can I get any more pretentious in my reference? Probably but I won’t. Really good Barolo does this dang chiaroscuro thing. Vajra does this. The dried plum, roasted plum, almost overripe roses and perhaps...cocoa sipped while sniffing an old leather book are dark. But the acid and body are bright and light. Ridiculously good. Wine is art. — 8 years ago

Antonio Galloni

Founder, Vinous

9.5

A great bottle of one of my absolute favorites. Delicate, exquisitely perfumed and striking in every way. My last bottle... — 9 years ago

Matt

9.0

Becoming one of my fav NV as of late. Balanced and pure with a mix of all things great Champagne has to offer. Deliciousness that will smoke almost anything at this price point. — 10 years ago

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen KC

9.0

Riper, darker and more fruit forward than previous vintages. Still shows lots of spice in finish. — 10 years ago

Daniel Argandona

9.3

Something creamy , buttery , and aged apricots on the finish. For some reason this reminds me of luxurious cream and . sherbet. Fantastic, exquisite- wow. — 10 years ago

with Alexandre and Roxana

Daniel P. Drake

9.8

Yesterday late afternoon I had the pleasure of tasting the 2016 Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo. At first taste I knew this was a special bottle of wine. All boxes were checked on the nose as well as the palate.

On the nose were fully expressive notes of black cherry, strawberry, herbs, clove, clay pottery, rose petals, underbrush, tar and dusty soil.

On the palate were delightful notes of dark cherries, strawberry, red plum, licorice, truffle, herbs, dried roses, a good mineral note and dusty earth.

An outstanding wine from the word go, full bodied, well balanced with a smooth round mouthfeel, medium + acidity and medium + to high fine mouth coating grippy tannins that leaves you with a long pronounced fresh fruit dusty earth finish. This wine still has a lot to offer years from now. What a pleasure to have experienced this. I hope everyone's weekend is going well? Have a continued wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 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. — 6 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. — 6 years ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Hickoryburger

9.9

Better than burgundy? Tannins have softened into the ether and the color lightly glows like a spooky zombie rosé. There is a sweet singing brightness and an unreal nose of soy, anise and roses. — 7 years ago

Rich Walker

8.9

Minerals initially segueing into light fruit. Fun. — 8 years ago

with Monica

Reggie Sheehan

9.2

Excellent full body Cabernet. — 8 years ago

George Chen

9.3

Bottle variance! Last one was bit maderized but this one was showing much better. Soft mature ripe fruit of peaches, compote and bread yeast toast. Enjoyed it. — 9 years ago

Madilyn Dillen

10

This and the Domaine de Fontsainte remain my favorite roses of last summer. — 10 years ago

Scott Taddeo

9.2

Proper neb here. Oak is no where to be found; all just gorgeous aromas of leather, truffle, roses, cherry, strawberry and orange zest. Lovely pucker of tannin to it too — 10 years ago

Zeus Fonsi

9.5

It was a wonderful bottle. We had it on a tasting and it was a great deal for the price. Golden apple and pear notes with a hint of Quince and a light biscuit nose. Gorgeous and lovely. — 11 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. — 5 years ago

Zack Hall

9.3

Low pressure of course. Vinous. — 6 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. — 6 years ago

Somm 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”...🍂🍁🎃🕷👻👹😱 🍾🥂 — 7 years ago

Pablo Garcia

9.1

Extremely smooth tannins...complex palate of red berries, maybe tar?? Hints of dry roses...very good — 7 years ago

Daron Watson

9.6

aromas of pine, roses, black cherry & raspberry (fresh & candied), cinnamon and peppered salami ~ starts like glycerin examples of the fruits followed by plush tannins of the spices and licorice ~ drank over two nights~ still young ~ Bravo! — 8 years ago

Neil Cornish

9.3

Finesse, power and driving clean acid. Just the beginning of secondary development. — 9 years ago

with Jon and Michael

Matt Ryan

9.0

Roses and cedar with a bit of cranberry. Love Vietti! — 10 years ago

Vic Petroff

9.4

Alive, tar, roses. Concentration. Jumps out of the glass. Just like it's supposed to be. Yum. — 10 years ago

Tan Ernest

9.1

Delicious blanc de noir which was constantly evolving in the glass. Seem to enjoy it more and more as it breathe with flavours of fresh green apples and citrus. — 10 years ago

Stephen DesRochers

9.1

Clear burgundy color, acidic with notes of roses. Full bodies and notes of dark fruit on the finish — 13 years ago