Emily Singer

9.2

Really dry, crisp, fruity rosé that comes in a can — FINALLY. Almost a little too easy to drink. — 7 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Sadly, the last in a case. Reprising my notes from last year, still true except a bit more liquorice :

A year ago I was loving this, 92 and better than the 08 Dominus. Go figure this gets even better. Peaking. P&P, outrageous candy cherry nose came outta nowhere. At cellar temp, just vanilla-liquorice dreamy with power behind it and some serious length. Softer and more nuanced as it warmed in the glass. No need to wait. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The Anvil Cabernet is 100% Cabernet. 60% from Pepper Bridge and 40% from Minnick Hills. 100% New French Oak. On the nose, ripe, slightly candied, blackberries, dark cherry, plum, touch of spice, black moist earth and dark fresh flowers. The body is M and the tannins are M+. The fruits are deliciously ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, black & raspberries. cigar, leather, crushed rocks, dark chocolate chalky saline minerals, spice, round nice acidity and a beautiful round fruit driven finish. Photos of; the tasting bar, Forgeron fruit sourced Vineyard, Marie Eve with her husband Gilles who is the Wine Director at Long Shadows and the exterior of the tasting room and production. Producer history and notes...Forgeron opened 2001, as the 23rd winery in Walla Walla. Marie-Eve Gilla (Owner/Winemaker) has French roots. She studied viticulture and oenology in Burgundy. The production and tasting room were a stones throw from our hotel. It's located in a turn of the Century blacksmith shop. Blacksmith translates from English to French as Forgeron. I'd never had Marie-Eve's wines until now. I was introduced to the idea by her husband Gilles who is the Wine Director at Long Shadows. However, after enjoying his wines, I was inspired to stop by and check out Marie-Eve's wines. I wasn't disappointed. Most every Walla Walla producer I met considered her wines one of the best kept secrets in Walla Walla. — 8 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.5

Exceptional balance. Rich, but so fresh. Pears, orange, flowers, lemon curd, cream, brioche, nut. Long, powerful palate, underlined by a driving acidity.

Some thoughts: In my eyes, RMs tend to fall into "extreme" categories e.g. Laherte - austere, Egly - rich (lees), Agrapart - rich (oak), Selosse - oxidative; but this wine doesn't fit here. NM-like, but not (I think of Chartogne-Taillet when I say this). Compare to Krug's Grand Cuvee, the Grands Vintages is definitely richer and broader (fair comparison, given how both wines are constructed).

From Chain Bridge Cellars:
As the name suggests, Eric Rodez’s Grand Vintages is a rich, powerful and very much “grand” wine in the tradition of Krug (where Eric learned his craft). This year's release is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from seven great vintages going back to vintage 2000. Eric ages all of these base wines in used oak and blocks malolactic fermentation to maximize freshness and vibrancy. Then the carefully crafted blend spends 8 full years on the lees before being disgorged this October. The dosage is ultra-low - 2 or 3 g/l - so this could be labeled "Extra Brut," but there's so much richness and depth here that "Brut" seems more appropriate to Eric.

Past releases have earned plenty of critical praise, including 17.5/20 points from Jancis Robinson, 93 from Vinous, and 92 from Wine Advocate. This year’s release is explosive on the nose and palate, pumping out big notes of lemon curd, caramel, toasted nuts, baking bread, crushed chalk, and more. The flavors just balloon out to fill your entire palate and finish with layer upon layer of mouthwatering pie crust, lemon curd, hazelnut, crushed stone and salty caramel flavor. Try holding some for even more richness! — 9 years ago

Jon Ruyle

9.0

Big fruit, spicy. I'm starting to see the appeal of Washington cabs. — 9 years ago

Julien Marchand

9.1

Nova Scotia's answer to Champagne. For the same price, I'll take that any day. — 10 years ago

Mike Fassler

Proprietor Fassler Ridge Vineyards

9.5

2011 is drinking well now... Very balanced. All the best Merlot has to offer. — 10 years ago

Cory Fierro

9.4

Troll Bridge Password red blend, 2009. Bottle number 218 of 900.

Deep ruby color with a nice, slighter ruby rim. The tears fall nicely on this blend. On the nose are notes of blackcurrant, black pepper, cooked, crushed raspberries, stewed fig, plums, mint leaf, baking spices of vanilla and slight cinnamon with some dried leaves and some forest floor in the background.

The palate is dry, with some tannins though this could be cellared for 5-10 more years. Some green capsaicin, bell pepper and oak. A tinge of tobacco leaf, and a ton of red fruits. Also a nice bit of cinnamon apple spice on the finish.

Had this wine with a charred filet and it really brought out some wonderful black pepper on both. Beautiful blend and makes me want to try more from them. — 10 years ago

with Liz

Maranda DeBusk

9.0

Not bad. Very cheap at Kroger. A tad dry, but once it has had the chance to breathe awhile, pretty good. — 11 years ago

Anthony Pro

9.2

I don’t know how to review this. Unreal. Salmon. How is this from Nova Scotia? Sweet. Yet dry. Sparking. Yet delicate. I haven’t had anything like this. Ever. So complex. Apricot. Peach. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.0

If you like lifted, bright, crisp and refreshing, this is the wine for you. Incredible value for a fairly cheap price. Tropical bright feel, pineapple, gala apple flesh, Meyer lemon, under ripe melon, and light cream. It seams to be light percentage of Malo, along with aging in either stainless steak casks, or concrete eggs. Crisp and clean finish, excellent for a 60° Sunday. — 8 years ago

Shay A

8.9

Another great last minute gathering at the storage facility!

Dan is the king of busting out these old Marcassins, and every single one has been a revelation...until this one 😕. Don’t get me wrong, this was nowhere close to terrible, but it smelled and tasted of bubblegum. Very faint nuttiness notes to it. — 8 years ago

with Mark

Mark Flesher

9.1

Quite an enjoyable wine from Ceretto. I remember this one being just right down the middle and very enjoyable from this producer. It was a good wine no doubt. I remember this wine being right down the middle for what it was. Good ripe fruit up front. The middle of this wine had a nuttiness that was complemented by a little bit of Italian herbs. Finished with good weight and structure. I get the feeling that this wine is in a slight bit of decline. Although nowhere near the gutter, I think the best time to enjoy this wine was probably 1-2 years ago. Still not a bad wine in an all-star lineup, and the only Italian wine on the table today. — 8 years ago

with Benjamin

Ron R

9.1

Just opened the case, which came direct from the winery, en primeur.
I let this breathe for 3 hrs, reason being, I could smell sh%* in my glass. It took a while to evaporate, but in the end, the Bdx notes shone through. This needs food, as the acid structure overpower the tannins. Good light mouthfeel with a tart cherry finish. Drink this with rich meats or full-fat, soft cheeses. Still fresh and youthful, and has the stuffing to last for another 15 years, at least.
At 12.5 abv, the alcohol was nowhere to be seen. — 9 years ago

Steve Kaczmarek

8.9

I'm trying to acquire a taste for Bordeaux and this particular wine is helping. Aromatically consistent with most Bordeaux's but much smoother and cleaner than other Bordeaux's. This is a bridge between Bordeaux and California Cabs. — 9 years ago

Christopher McCurdy

9.6

This 2006 is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, making it in the right bank style of Bordeaux. Absolutely delicious! Aromas draw you in and give away the California origin but the flavor palate takes you on a journey to France. Very complex with fine tannins and a long finish. Lots of dark fruit still present. — 10 years ago

William Hughes

9.1

Do not mistake this for a Chinon. Cabernet Franc is a killer grape in Virginia and Maryland! She loves our terroir! This wine has a wonderful perfumed nose of sour cherry, desert rose, and a hint of tobacco. The nose follows through on the palate with svelte tannins and a slight cherry liqueur note. Well done Baker family and here is to Maryland wines! — 11 years ago

with Drew

Melissa Anthony

9.0

Good flavor. — 11 years ago

Rachel Heller

9.5

Great for a summer day and to add to a watermelon sangria — 7 years ago

Jennifer Alvarez

9.2

Juicy and acidic at first then turns to a soft dry heated finish. Bold finish. Great weight. — 7 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.5

Ripe, big but savoury with great length and fine sweet tannin that seems to come from nowhere. Black and red fruited, complex. Would never have picked it as an Adelaide hills shiraz. Many thanks Seth and Magda! — 8 years ago

Chris Fransham

9.1

Sweet, but somehow nowhere near sickly. Very, very drinkable, aromatic and lovely. A nice one to get again. — 8 years ago

Jon Wright

10

Tannins are amazingly round. Had it opened for only an hour and it was incredibly drinkable. Mouth feel is lush and coats all the way to the back palate. Wish I had another! — 8 years ago

James Scott

9.1

2005 Vintage smooth very soft tannins some fruit forward ness but not overly so --- perfect time to drink this vintage — 9 years ago

Arnaud Tronche

9.3

Savory nose, touch of reduction. Nice elegant red fruits, fine bubbles. Prosciutto really helped the fruit to blossom. Easy and lively acidity. Not very leesy. 11%
Really nice. — 9 years ago

Charles Hudson

9.2

The 2014 is shaping up to be solid — 9 years ago

Roel van der Burg

Sommelier at Restaurant Entrepot

9.5

This must be the bridge between wine and beer. Cabernet Franc & Merlot grapes soaked in Bordeaux barrels filled with two to three year old Lambic. Limited available but unlimited delicious. — 10 years ago

Billy Powell

9.4

I struggle to find words as lush as this. #merlot #wine #washingtonwine #winelover #delectable #lush #blackcherry #lovely — 10 years ago

with Nick

Mike Anderson

Owner/Winemaker for MTGA Wines

8.9

Pretty solid. It definitely kept me coming back for more. It has been a while since a big Cab Sauv has made my taste buds perk up. — 11 years ago

Brian Grech

9.2

Superlative cab franc, second only to the '08. — 12 years ago