Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

On the nose, deep, dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dry cranberries, some blue fruits with baked strawberries on the edges. Black licorice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, dark spices, smoke, softer leather, dry stems, dry rich soil and fresh & withering flowers.

The body is much fuller than the 14. The fruits are also darker. The tannins are big, firm but nice rounded. dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dry cranberries, creamy raspberries come on as it opens open and coats the palate, some blue fruits with baked strawberries on the palate edges. Black licorice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, caramel, dark & milk chocolate dark spices, mint, expresso roast, tobacco, cedar, smoke, softer leather, dry stems, dry rich soil, tarry notes, crushed rocks and fresh & withering flowers. The structure, tension are more like 13 vintage. The length & balance is beautiful but, will take time to flush out. The finish is big, rich, elegant, glorious and lasts minutes.

Their Winemaker is Aaron Potts. Small production wine, under 500 cases.

Photos of; the several ton Artwork stones that they use as their logo & brand. The seven stone pieces are held together by gravity. Human relaxing art piece on the grounds, painting in the winery and the view from the Estate. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The second vintage of Beau Vigne. On the nose; dark currants, burnt ambers, blend of blue fruits; blueberries, boysenberries, huckleberries & olallieberries. Dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, dry brown soil, dark minerals, anise, dark fruit liqueur notes, cinnamon, clove, tree sap, a whiff of mint, herbaceous characteristics and decayed dark flowers. The body is medium full and rich. Tannins are 65-70% resolved. The structure is not their best, but, the length, tension and balance are quite nice. The blue fruits explode onto the palate. Blueberries, boysenberries, huckleberries & Olallieberries. They set a little syrupy. Dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries/cola, raspberries come on late, dry brown top soil, palate grippy dark minerality, graphite, dark fruit liqueur notes, soft, medium, dark spice, mocha powder, cinnamon, clove, light vanilla, tree sap, a whiff of mint, herbaceous (bay leaf) characteristics, lilacs, violets and decayed dark flowers. The acidity is round and nicely managed. The long finish is velvety, ruby, rich and beautiful. Shows a little alcohol but it’s tamed from the tiger I bet it was young. Still has another 5-7 years of good drinking ahead. Photos of; their vineyard and antique truck, Yountville tasting room, Owners/Winemaker Ed Snider and wife Trish. Producer notes and history...Beau Vigne was founded by Ed Snider in 2002. They are a small, family winery with a production of about 4,000 cases annually vintage dependent. They are primarily known for their Cabernets. Their vineyard goes by the name of Stags Ridge and is the benchmark and centerpiece of Beau Vigne. Stags Ridge Vineyard & Ranch are located on the Eastern edge of Napa, situated in appellation of Atlas Peak at the very top of Soda Canyon Road overlooking Pritchard Gap, Haystack, and Stagecoach Vineyards. They began with only a few acres in 2002. Stag’s Ridge is now comprised of nine acres, eight of Cabernet Sauvignon and one of Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. As the Beau Vigne brand has grown, they’ve sourced from some of the best vineyards on the North Coast and Napa Valley such as Bacigalupi, Dutton Ranch, and Lewelling. Beau Vigne’s philosophy to winemaking hasn’t changed since their beginning. They are a boutique winery; which is generally a good idea to maintain very high quality. The family roots run deep in the Napa Valley. Martin Garzoli, Ed’s grandfather, arrived in the Valley in 1913. He was a Swiss Italian who, learned winemaking in Italy. Martin worked the Hayfields of Napa and Sonoma during the day and made wine in an old barn at night. Nearly 100 years later, Beau Vigne Family is still carrying on in the family tradition. — 7 years ago

Florian Perolini

9.1

In English and French.

Whisky !

- Kavalan Solist Vinho barrique. 59.4%
Single Malt. Taïwan.
Matured in White and Red wine oak.
Distilled in mars 2010. Bottled july 2015.
212 bottles in the world.
Single Cask. Cask Strenght.

Taïwan is an isle south Est of China.
Kavalan is in the North. Hot and wet climate.
The Angels'share is more important : 10% each year. Scotland : 1% each year.
And the maturation is faster. For exemple, a 7 years old Kavalan Whisky will look like to a 18+ years old Scotch. Impressive.

Best Single malt and best of the best for the 2015 world whiskys ?

The fact ???
Lets try it !!

The color is impressive. Dark brown. Beautiful.

Just 2 cl in the glass and ... explosion !
Old cedar, pine wood, nuts, fresh vanilla, passion fruit, mango and coconut, red fruits to !!. Original.
Love it !

59.4% alcool.... strong, but fatty, so easy to drink. Red fruits, cherry, pine wood, exotics fruits : mango and passion fruit.
Nice balance, you can feel a little sweet sensation.
The finish : cassis, dark chocolate and leather.
Long, very long.

An impressive whisky with high density and good complexity. Best whisky in the world??? That's totaly subjective. For me ? No, but one of the best i ever tried !

Now, in France the price is around 250 euros. Dont know for other country.


☆ Kavalan Solist Vinho barrique. 59.4%
Cask Strength. Single Cask
Distillé en 2010. Édition 2015. 212 bouteilles pour le monde.
Taïwan.
Whisky élevé dans des fûts de vin blanc et rouge.

Taïwan est une île au Sud Est de la Chine.
La distillerie Kavalan se situe au Nord Est.
Climat chaud et humide.
La part des anges est de 10% par an, par comparaison, elle est de 1% en Écosse.
La maturité y est aussi plus rapide, un whisky de 7 ans est comparable en complexité à un whisky de plus de 18 ans en Écosse !

Alors !? Meilleur whisky du monde 2015 ?
Qu'en est-il ?

Après avoir juste versé 2 cl dans mon verre, le bouquet à littéralement envahi la pièce.
Vieux cèdre, sapin du sud-ouest, aiguilles de pin. La noix, gousse de vanille, Fruits rouges. Puis, très exotique, sur la mangue, le fruit de la passion et la noix de coco. On s'y perd ! Puissance aromatique énorme !

59.4% c'est beaucoup! Mais finalement quelle douceur, c'est gras.
Les arômes de cerice et de fruits rouges lancent le bal, le sapin, les fruits exotiques : mangue et fruits de la passion.
La finale s'étire très longuement sur le cassis cuit, le chocolat noir, le cuire et la banane flambée.

C'est très impressionnant !

Alors meilleur whisky du monde 2015 ??? C'est une question de goût ;, subjectif.
Pour moi, non, mais fait parti des meilleurs whiskys que j'ai pu déguster à ce jour.

Un grand whisky ! Comptez 250 euros en France....

À bientôt.
Florian. — 9 years ago

Nathaniel DiMaggio

9.0

A lot of bottle variation on these guys. This is my 5th bottle in 3 weeks. Beautiful bright blue fruit. Yummy! — 10 years ago

Claire Kim

9.0

Nose is dusty roses, more floral than fruity. Beautiful sweetness balanced perfectly by acidity. Slight kick of ginger at the end. — 10 years ago

Cedric Moussé

8.9

Beautiful brand — 10 years ago

Stephanie Kendall

9.4

Beautiful wine to pair with a spicy halibut. Bits of apricot and dried peaches. — 10 years ago

D Scher

9.1

2014 vintage. Beautiful Merlot-driven blend from Santa Barbara County. Bordeaux influence with New World boldness. 13.6% ABV. — 7 years ago

GabWine

9.5

Color : White
Wine estate : Billecart-Salmon
Designation : Champagne
Name : Brut Sous Bois
Country : France
Vivino : 5/5
Note : I think Billecart is my favorite brand of champagne. At each tasting, a treat and wonder! With this "Blanc de noir", we have a character related to its passage in oak barrel which gives a beautiful complexity. A bright yellow robe with its fine bubbles, a nose of citrus, butter and toast. On the palate, the expression of his character with notes of toast, brioche. Just perfect.
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Je crois que Billecart est ma marque de champagne préférée. À chaque dégustation, un régal et de l'émerveillement ! Avec ce "blanc de noir", nous avons un caractère lié à son passage en fût de chêne qui donne une belle complexité. Une robe jaune éclatante avec ses fines bulles, un nez d'agrumes, de beurre et de toast. En bouche, l'expression de son caractère avec des notes de pain grillé, brioché. Tout simplement parfait. — 7 years ago

Rob Moose

9.1

A beautiful drinker. Signature brand stylings PYCM. Lit up! — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is another brand from Charles Smith of K Vintners. 50% of the Frenchmen Hills spends 9 months in concrete and the other 50% spends 9 months in neutral oak. On the nose, Meyer lemon, lime, green apple, touch of sulfur, cream and yellow lilies. The palate is fresh and transitions to slightly sour. Fruits of; lemon & lime zest, overripe pineapple, grapefruit, touch of green apple, a little cream, honeycomb, body is a touch oily, yellow lilies, minerality is powdery but crisp, the acidity bright and round with a rich, slight creamy beautiful finish. I certainly like this more than the "Uncovered." — 8 years ago

Martina Clements

9.0

This Torii Mor rose is soft and a bit tart on the finish but absolutely beautiful for a brand new vintage! Love our Torii Mor wines ❤ — 8 years ago

with Dave

Rivka Friedman

9.1

Basically the house brand at Il Pozzo, the bottle in-restaurant was like $22. Drinks fantastically; beautiful ripe fruit, soft tannins, just a happy happy wine. — 9 years ago

Justin Brilman

9.4

Loved this wine. While the 2011 Brio was tasting a little better this day this wine will age better. Big and bold but seamless, just a beautiful wine. Fruit, acidity, silky tannins and all the components to be a stunning wine with some bottle age. — 10 years ago

Gerald Montoya

9.0

Dirty grapefruit and decomposing flint. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc and better than some big brand Sancerre — 10 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.6

Great way to start a week helping make wine by tasting a brand new bottle of a vintage that I worked on. Unbelievably balanced and beautiful. One of the best Cobb wines I have had and I've tried a lot. Finish is nearing the three minute mark right now. Happy:) — 10 years ago

Matt Sobczak

9.2

Aromas of brand new Bridgestone tires, and roses. Beautiful representation of Neb. — 10 years ago

K U

9.3

Most popular Leitz brand wine. Beautiful blend of sweetness and minerality. Gran-crew parcel. On the top of the ridge line. Great salinity due to be region. — 10 years ago

Anna Marie Dos Remedios

9.8

Fantastic single clone Ponmard Pinot Noir from Alexander-Smith, Paraiso Vineyards new brand in their beautiful new tasting room in Carmel! — 11 years ago

Michael D

9.0

Dark, rich , robust. Beautiful Corvina blend that tantalizes your taste buds. My wife and I drank this a few weeks back. I wish I could remember what we ate with it. For a wine of this calibre I would definately have paired it with something suitable for the occassion. Hmm...thinking maybe pasta bolognese...florentine style steak? Anyways this full bodied Gem will make you a believer of the Zenato brand. Dark rich fruit..plums and cherries. Hope to find this one again.👍🍷 — 7 years ago

Jeff D.

9.7

Just beautiful...big fan of Jennifer and this brand, full of life and a silky smooth finish! — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Lovely story here at Reverie II. Grant Long, winemaker for Aonair, Blue Oak, Jack, and others, purchased the original Reverie label/brand from Diamond mountain after the owner sold the property. All current grapes and barrels were theirs and they moved their estate on the other side of 29, just down the road from Hunnicutt and re-branded as Reverie II. BEAUTIFUL new spot! Views are amazing. Part of the Aonair team left to now run this, so we knew before we showed up that it would be a great time.

Reverie II focuses on some unique wines...their white is a Marsanne Rousanne, and their reds are Tempranillo, barbera, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv and a special Reserve Cab Sauv. While all were enjoyable, this barbera was incredible. Totally blown away. Pinot-esque with the cherry and cedar notes, but the finish had the smallest hint of blackberries and blueberries. Acidic and wonderfully balanced. A must stop visit, if for the views only! — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, floral and lightly spiced dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, liqueur notes and dark dry & fresh florals. The mouthfeel is richly beautiful. The palate has; dark cherries, cherries, dry strawberries, hints of blue fruits and then the spices quickly kick in with a heat lifting intensity. Notes of red fruit liqueur. Nice round acidity with a beautiful, elegant fruit and medium spiced finish. Substance is another label under the Charles Smith brand. In fact, I was told, Charles has further evolved the name to "Wines of Substance" going forward. — 8 years ago

Devin Bray

9.3

Beautiful balance between sherry and campfire smoke. Gorgeous and poised and worth every penny. — 9 years ago

Darcy

9.2

Absolutely love this Artezin brand. Mourvèdre is smooth and vanilla aroma is beautiful! — 9 years ago

Pierpaolo Petrassi MW

Master of Wine; Head of Beer, Wine & Spirits Waitrose

9.0

This is Larry's take on a minimum intervention Riesling, hence the sub brand name. Typically he has achieved this whilst still making a delicious wine which is complex but still clean & pure. Fantastic, with beautiful lime and elderflower fruit, only just off-dry but with crisp acidity. — 10 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.3

Made of some of the oldest vineyards of the estate, it is a warmer style, more solar, richer wine, dense and lively acidity - a beautiful wine 😉 — 10 years ago

Jeffrey Long

9.3

Beautiful old Diatom that is still full of life and will be outstanding for many years to come. Congrats to Dr. Katie Meihaus, brand new PhD! — 10 years ago

Tim Baitch

9.3

Watch out Central Otago, here comes the apple Isle! This is big by Pinot standards but still has that beautiful light feel, early finish and leaves you reaching for the next glass. Get on it!! — 10 years ago

Lara Elisabetta Belgrado Barzan

9.6

New brand !!! By profumi d Italia !!! Beautiful !!! Fresh ! Very good euro 15 — 11 years ago