Ron Siegel

9.3

Beautiful drinking Burg with notes of cherry, berry, plum, orange peel, earth, spice & violet — 6 months ago

Shay A

9.7

Drinking at the source…Les Avises restaurant at Jacques Selosse. Home for the weekend at Hoteles Avises.

Bucket list wine for me and it lived up to the hype. I love the Selosse champagnes for their oxidative profile and was curious how a rosé would drink made in that same manner…just a hint of sherry in the glass before an absolute tidal wave of flavor and power. Dried apricot, plum, cranberry and orange marmalade out of the gate. There is a sweet/savory roller coaster showing red flowers and shortbread before a pink sea salt and truffle spice arrives. Texturally, it’s commanding but so cerbreal. If you enjoy Egly Ouriet’s rosé, imagine more depth and complexity and you’ve got it. Stunning rosé and the best rosé champagne I’ve had. — 2 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.1

On the fruitier side of LdH (darker in colour, too), with some dried cherry, dried cranberries, a touch of orange peel & orange bitters with the typical leather, wood polish, cigar box next. Some decent dark earthy notes, too. Needs a bit of time to open up.
On the palate this is poised, elegantly balanced, in a perfect spot. Medium body, vibrant acidity, the tannins finely grained & mellowing. Savoury fruit + a touch of spice & a hint of orange peel towards the finish.
A lovely wine! — 4 years ago

Beth Hamilton

9.1

The color is striking. More orange than rose. The aroma is like salted orange butter. On the palate it’s round and balanced. The usual notes of strawberry and honeydew are there but there’s also prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe, and maybe grapefruit. Finishes with some nice minerality. I was holding onto this in my fridge like it was a “big deal” but I shouldn’t have. It’s very drinkable. — 5 years ago

with Parviz

Adam Beasley

9.2

Very light golden color, with a subtle nose of orange blossom, lemon, pear, and slate. Bone dry, and a little austere, but delicious and mineral driven. Interesting varietal and a very good bottle. No vintage designated. Overdelivers for the price, for sure. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Masterclass in San Francisco with Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite. Chateau Rieussec is another property that the Rothschild’s own.

1997 a difficult vintage for reds in Bordeaux. The upside is, when the reds lag, the whites almost always shine.

The nose shows; marmalade, dry peaches & apricots, pineapple, citrus blend, fresh orange peel, burnt almonds, almond cake, nut skin, burnt toffee, honey, caramel, beeswax, waxiness, toast, limestone, gravely stones, fruit blossoms and yellow florals.

The body is thick, gluey and rich. The mouthfeel magnificent. There is almost a dry tannin presence but it is it’s dry, gritty volcanic minerality, marmalade, dry peaches & apricots, pineapple, citrus blend, fresh orange peel, burnt almonds, almond cake, nut skin, burnt toffee, honey, caramel, beeswax, waxiness, toast, limestone, gravely stones, fruit blossoms and yellow florals. The acidity round and splendid. The finish is rich, well balanced, elegant, polished and delicious.

All wines arrived weeks ago directly from the Chateau.

Photos of; the Crown Room on the 23rd floor of the Fairmont where the Masterclass was held, glass of 1997 showing color, Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite presenting and another view of the city of San Francisco/Bay and the Golden Gate Bride in the background.
— 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2015 pours a deep amber color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with fascinating notes of ripe orchard fruit: apricots, peach, and orange pith; along with pu'er tea, dead flowers, nuts, and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with low tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and there is a slightly waxy texture. This is a wine that gives you that sort of, “open your head, lift out brain, spin it around, and reinsert” sort of experience. Special. Drink now through 2030+. Bottle No. 03507/11970 — 7 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

This is lovely. Deep amber in color. The nose is great- tea, spices, a touch of sherry, roses, orange rind, dried flowers. Lovely texture- glycerin and a beautiful balance of sweetness with acidity. Lovely — 3 years ago

with Peter and Gregg

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.2

#sauternes so sweet and balanced. Third of three bottles for my wife’s 40th birthday. We saved the best for last, as it turns out. Honeyed layers as this gently warms in a Burgundy bowl - caramel, marzipan, toasted almonds, some petrol, apricot jam. Tastes exactly how it smells with the acidity taking a step back from the honey sweetness swirling around a luscious oily mouthfeel. Touch of orange pith bitterness on the finish - lovely wine. Indeed it pairs well with Indian food but the force of this wine could have easily matched even spicier dishes. Beautiful wine and what’s amazing is it seemed this wine could easily go another 20 years. Good Sauternes is ever youthful. — 4 years ago

Evan McKenzie

9.0

Appearance: hazy orange wine
Nose: Aromas of apricot, muted citrus fruits, crushed rock, black tea.
Taste: tea/Arnold Palmer, bright citrus, grippy tannins, hay, medium + acid, clean mineral finish
12%EtOH — 6 years ago

Sarah O'Kelley

9.2

After work grilled cheese and orange wine it’s the little things! I love these wines for some they are a little too funky but I always find them to be on the nicer side of natural! This taste of Orange peel and herbs and dry earth 😋😋 — 6 years ago

Deanna Urciuoli

9.0

Beautifully complex wine, light but layered. Hints of melon on the nose and a cross between rose and orange on the mouth. Truly wonderful. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Jack & Arden put together a wonderful evening of delicious food and great wines, and a few of us attendees contributed some bottles to enjoy as well. Great night!

My contribution. Wow! The aromatics here are some of the most intoxicating I’ve come across. Ripe pineapple bathed in honey butter, apricot preserves, orange marmalade and honeycomb. Light on the palate with zippy acidity. Fantastic! — 7 years ago

with Arden, Jack and 3 others

Scott Kahn

9.2

Deep amber color in a 375ml format. Non-descript on the nose with a hint of neutral oak. Clean and clear in the class with rich honey and a finish of candied orange peels. Some soft floral notes that I cannot fully discern. An amazingly good pairing with Asian inspired honey beef stir fry — a year ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

8.9

Tough vintage - might have been the worst in 10 years. Yet at 6 years this came around nice. I heard a lot of folks had concerns. Earth, bark, orange 🍊 rind, crushed marble, black currants, lime juice and a hint of cherry. So even this very basic version did quite well after 6 years. 12.5%. — 2 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

Decanted for around an hour, the 2015 Chateau Musar showed quite differently throughout the evening - at times effusive, at others more reserved - but at its best was a glamorous young wine with elegance and great tension.

The nose was exotic, as is often the case with Musar, with aromas of cassis, cedar, vanilla and soy. The palate is explosive and demands food at this embryonic age, totally saturated with ripe cherry, fig and orange zest.

This should age rather well, but that’s hardly a bold statement for Musar!
— 3 years ago

Peggy Hadley

9.1

Easy drinker. Full of fruit. — 5 years ago

with Jim

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The White Burgundy was excellent but, still have to have my BSR 375ml. It’s been awhile for us.

It is a little better tonight following the Burgundy & soft white cheese.

The nose on this bottle really flows out of the glass tonight. Beautiful lean fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, cherries, strawberries, watermelon near the rind, blood orange, orange & tangerine & some pomegranate. Crisp volcanic minerals, saline, sea fossils, baguette crust, vanillin, whiff of caramel, soft white spice, pink flowers and rose pedals.

Everything on the palate sings just a little louder tonight as well. Fruits are even a little richer than normal. Ripe & slightly gummy not as normal leaner fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, cherries, strawberries, watermelon near the rind, blood orange, orange & tangerine & some pomegranate. Crisp and grippy, volcanic minerals, beautiful softer, powdery chalkiness w/o quite the sharper edge it normally has, soft, hints of Provence herbs, saline, sea fossils, baguette crust, vanillin, whiff of caramel, soft white spice, pink flowers and rose pedals. The acidity is crisp, lively and dead on as alway. The long, rich, well balanced finish is deliciously refreshing and persists minutes.

Photos of; one of their Grand Cru Vineyards at sunset & inside and the Estate grounds of the House of Billecart, — 6 years ago

Alexander Connell

9.3

The color is a rustic tan or light orange with clear edges. The nose has a almost aprocot quality to it with loads of orange rind and citric acid minus the sharpness and a distinct green grape core. The mouth feel is thicker just as a dry red would be. Tannins and all. On the palate there is notes of grape skin, peach, and a bit of cherry. Long dry finish. Leaves you thirsty for another sip. — 7 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.2

PnP. Way on the hedonistic side of the Pinot spectrum, and delicious for it. Black cherry cola, orange peel, white flowers. Lovely structure, zippy acidity. This is a drinking wine today, but yearns to mature into a food wine in 5-10 years. — 7 years ago