Gregory Fulchiero

9.3

Outrageously quaffable - essentially a “passé tout grains” blend of gamay & pinot — 6 years ago

with David

Matt

9.0

Fun bottle that has shed its baby fat, moving towards a more focused, savory stage of its life. I bet the fruit on this was just gorgeous and deep 8-10 years in. Plenty of acid and the maturity of the tannin brought life to the wine. Abv is a bit intrusive on the nose, but that nice richness it brings on the palate offers a compromise. Stewed blackberry, plum and cherry notes, smoke, and iron edge, potpourri, warm spice, leather. I curious were it’s going and where’s its been. — 6 years ago

D Bender

9.2

A tart red fruited wine with so much savory. Dried leaves, graphite, iron, cedar and cinnamon stick. Dusty and balanced. Even undertones of herbs way in the back. Such a long wine. @ $28 WS and with a magnum tucked away, this will be a safe bet for a long time to come. 10-15 more years? — 7 years ago

George Hesse

9.0

Smooth, slightly acidic. Well balanced. Very safe bet. — 7 years ago

with Mark and Jennifer

Toby Lafont

9.1

Interesting that I had the 2011 53 weeks ago. Still an awesome wine but a bit too old for my pallet but I bet it's right on for others. Great wine. — 7 years ago

Steve Bachmann

9.5

(From magnum) Absolutely fantastic. Tannins are nicely resolved but I bet even better in 5 years. Sweet fruit, 45 second finish. Frankly might be worth higher rating. — 8 years ago

Joe Lanteri

9.4

William Hill always a good bet. Enjoyed it. — 8 years ago

David Devan

9.4

A juicy mouthful of fruit. I bet it holds some of those "OLD SOULS" tasty grapes. — 9 years ago

Andrew Benn

9.0

2012
Liked it better at In Pursuit of Balance
but everything tastes better in a festive wine event with lots of gourmet bites at your side. I bet it'll be better in 2017 — 9 years ago

Vadim T

9.0

Very popular wine and always a safe bet. The vintage of 2013 provides a very satisfying experience that starts with a powerful nose of passion fruit and citrus as soon as you open the bottle and lasts to the very end. Very fruity, but with some restricted acidity. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at its best. — 9 years ago

Nicole Dodson

9.5

Seriously, the best Pinot out of Alsace. Stick it in a blind tasting and I bet most Somms would think it was from Rully! — 10 years ago

Yoon Ha

Master Sommelier/Wine Director Benu

9.6

Too young? Absolutely. Beautiful? You bet! — 10 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Château Lafleur-Gazin is situated between Château Lafleur and Château Gazin, and its immediate neighbor is Petrus - I bet that’s one hell of a neighborhood potluck. Currant, cocoa, fig, graphite, and cedar, with a bitter coffee streak that runs through it. — 6 years ago

Jess K

9.0

Spicy and versatile...always a good every-day bet! — 6 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.6

Just found this......hiding in the back.
Gotcha!

Very good., not their best Rockstar year but I wouldn’t kick it out of bet for eating crackers! — 6 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.4

Balanced (as in elegant) = Nope!
Balanced (as in low alc.) = 15.6%
Balanced (as everything is in equal proportions) = Yep!
Balanced (as in enjoyable) = You bet your sweet...!!

(this would be a great wine to share with IPOB winemakers to hear some arguments).

— 7 years ago

Scott Gauthier

10

The 2010 vintage is absolutely a treat. My first 10 out of 10. Not one of Kevin's picks but I bet it will be soon. — 7 years ago

with Mike

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.4

Scorched earth and roasted game add immediate complexity to its pure black cherries, bright cassis and blackberry aromas where a whiff of oriental spice and crushed black peppers create something unique. Youthfully tight and slow to unfold, but there's lots going on here, with tannins being dominant at present. Good fruit and lively acidity, this is the most refined Eneo produced to date, and I bet it will be on if the best ageing ones too. Might well be the greatest bargainTuscany has seen in a very long time. 94+ p. — 8 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.1

Not as much oak as I was expecting, but tons of juice-like fruit. I wonder if they micro-oxidize? This is a wine that lacks risk, but is a safe bet if you don't care about terroir. — 9 years ago

Michelle McNiel

9.3

Absolutely delicious and even better with good company! The dinner bet at Bob's Chop House has been paid. — 9 years ago

Monica Chapman

9.0

I really like this one. Not super dry, jammy berry flavor. I bet this would be awesome with grilled meat. — 9 years ago

Leslie Jenkins

9.8

Dang - one for Luders! Amazing cab blend! Never had- worth branching out for! I bet $ it was 2005 Ducru. — 10 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.2

An NV aged an extra few years after purchase. Nice now. Good bet nicer still in a few more years. — 11 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 6 years ago

Marc Koslowsky

9.1

Great QPR! Bet this improves with a bit more age but very terroir driven and great summer red. — 8 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.4

Nice and lush with strong balance of black fruits and undertones of vanilla/oak. It's a baby and enjoyable now but I bet will be much better in a few years. — 8 years ago

Matt Leader

9.3

How nerdy do you want to get? Perfect. Unless your a wizard from planet #cinsault, tasted this blind the bestwo bet the farm on #Provence — 9 years ago

Flavio Menezes

9.0

Village wines in hot years = sure bet again! Pinot, not Chardonnay. — 9 years ago

Jana Sukala

9.1

Amazing bottle with amazing friends. Never been so happy to lose a bet! — 10 years ago

with Anna

Chris Harvey

9.1

I bet yo momma was a Cheshire Queen... — 10 years ago