Brooks Note

Alessandro Viola

Note di Bianco Grillo

A wine to drink with a lover. — 6 years ago

Damien liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Paul K
9.1

Nose is cedar, herb, and leather. Medium body. Raspberry, red currant, and dark chocolate with really nice tannin throughout. Long finish is currant and cranberry. This wine is delicate. Overpowered by aged Gouda. Drink with Brie and French bread.
I pulled a classic and was just a bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, still great, but for the anticipation... I have one more bottle that I’ll wait a long time and hope there’s a big payoff.
Interesting note, the 2013 Heitz Cellar in the background was remarkably similar in fruit, weight, and profile. 1/3 the price and I’m giving it a 92.
— 7 years ago

Mark, Vanessa and 13 others liked this

Alessandro Viola

Note di Grillo

Wonderful Sicilian natural wine! Deep gold (let’s call it light orange) in color. Hints of grilled lemons with a hint of smoke. Beautifully “funky.” A true winner! Great with appetizers! Thank you Franky Bella for this selection. — 8 years ago

Kasey Vanderhoff
with Kasey

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 2009

Some ripeness on the nose but a lovely rock pool note with decent minerality.Surprisingly approachable on the palate.. generous and lush. But good acid too. Reminds me of 05 a bit. Probably will be an early drinker. As always Dom has got it right. — 8 years ago

Ira, Ara and 5 others liked this

Misha's Vineyard Wines

The High Note Pinot Noir

2009 seems a little lighter then the last I tried good acidity — 9 years ago

Serge, Steve and 4 others liked this

Brooks Winery

Temperance Hill Pinot Noir 2012

Can't think of a more perfectly beautiful wine while watching American Wine Story. — 10 years ago

Lucas Rosin
with Lucas
Lucas, Liz and 4 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2004

Scorewine
9.3

Revisiting this splendid wine almost two years since my last tasting note and it is delivering above expectations for this undervalued Bordeaux vintage. The color is deep garnet almost black, the nose in enchanting with lairs of black current, cherries, cassis, coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of spice, the body is full round and delicious with velvet tannins and precise acidity, a true pleasure that continues with a delicious long finish. A wonderful wine. My score 93, drink to 2024 perhaps longer. — 10 years ago

Dick, Spinning_spins and 26 others liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1996

Brandon Jamieson
9.2

Amazing balance, soft tannin, burst of black fruit from start to finish. Sweet pipe tobacco note mid palate. Since my in laws were watching the kids, my wife and I decided to indulge. — 10 years ago

Joseph and Andy liked this

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1977

Max Kogod
9.7

1977. Floored by extreme caramel note on nose and palate completely backed up by gorgeous purity of fruit, acid, levity and all the tertiary elements that make Martha's Vyd what it is. — 11 years ago

Anthony, Bill and 11 others liked this

G.D. Vajra

Albe Barolo Nebbiolo 2010

Great vintage, no doubt. Wild strawberry, with an almost Oriental spice note that emerges with an hour of air-one might think Burgundy. This shows great texture and nuance, certainly beyond the Nebbiolo from the same vintage. — 11 years ago

Alessandro Viola

Note di Rosso Terre Siciliane Red Blend

Cherry fruit and bright acidity. Short,
spicy finish.
— 6 years ago

Jacques Selosse

Initial Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay

So so goo! Just needs a bit of air in the glass to take on volume and toasty note. — 7 years ago

Severn, Patrick and 7 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2014

I will preface this note by disclosing that I am generally not a fan of Super Tuscans. I like old school Toscana. But I will try to be objective here. The nose is very evocative of a classified growth Bordeaux: lots of cedary, gravelly scents and some dark berry fruit underneath. In the mouth it is concentrated and soft, but develops weight in the back half of the palate. Some peppery heat from alcohol at the end too. I know it’s predominantly Sangiovese, but it really does taste very Left Bank, except for a little note redder fruit at the end. — 7 years ago

Angelo Casagrande
with Angelo
Mike, Ira and 17 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

Good review and i agree with your bias on Super Tuscans.
James Forsyth

James Forsyth Influencer Badge

Great note.

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

This wine had some tobacco and earth FUNK after it was opened up. The herbaceous and tobacco ash note on the nose was almost identical to the 1980 Beringer State Lane cab. This did blow off after an hour, but the wine was less fruit than I thought it would have been. Lots of dark figgy jam. Tobacco and cigar box. I'm sure the fruit came back after I left, but this would have been 2 hours after opening and just didn't have the time to see this one though, hence the "NR" rating. Impressed by this wine, and probably one of the older Monte Bello wines I've been able to drink. — 8 years ago

Chateau Montelena

Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013

Very complex and delicate Chardonnay. Nice front push, dry with slight note that comes through — 9 years ago

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay 1999

2 Flawless bottles make for a happy girl. Acid , minerality, brioche, white flowers, almonds, slight note of apricot and citrus. — 10 years ago

Paul, Velma and 1 other liked this

Big Table Farm

Brooks Estate Vineyard Riesling 2012

Almost amber in color with tropical and floral nose. The color belies the fact this is not an over extracted sweet juice. Beautifully bone dry with great acidity. Super. — 10 years ago

Brooks Winery

Oak Ridge Vineyard Gewürztraminer

Awesome — even after a day open — and with some basil, squash and quinoa salad. — 10 years ago

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Une petite note d'amertume mais c'est un régal — 11 years ago

Maxime liked this

High Note

Elevated Uco Valley Malbec 2012

Slight fruit up front, dry finish — 11 years ago

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo

Kevin Walsh
8.9

2008. Dried cherry, black tea, dried mushroom and rose, prosciutto. Minerality is reminiscent of standing on a dry, dusty dirt road. Only criticism is that it falls off in the mid palate, but finishes with a nice gamey note. — 12 years ago

Brooks Winery

Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc 2018

Really enjoyed this Pinot Blanc. Paired well with creamy food. — 6 years ago

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1999

Special new year’s eve selection. Contemplative wine that gets more interesting and dynamic with each sip. The dominant flavor is a smooth balanced coffee note that is just beautiful, with tobacco, leather, cedar, some light red fruit as well. Exceptionally long finish, like 10 minutes long. A treat to drink. Happy new year! 🎊 — 7 years ago

Pooneet and Allison liked this
Pooneet K

Pooneet K Premium Badge

Leoville Barton! One of my favorites. Happy new year my friend!!
Jason Gelman

Jason Gelman

happpppy new year @Pooneet Kant !!!

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay

Medium ruby color and a pronounced nose of raspberry, violet and a spice note reminiscent of sandalwood incense. Lovely medium body with silky texture. Good acid balance for food pairing and a long lovely finish. Wonderful evocation of serious Beaujolais — 8 years ago

Douglas and Greg liked this
Douglas Heye

Douglas Heye

I remember when you first had that!
Lyn Farmer

Lyn Farmer Influencer Badge

You have a very good memory!

Tendril Wine Cellars

C-Note Whole Cluster Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2013

My favorite Pinot in a lineup from Tony Rynders. — 8 years ago

Doug Sayed
with Doug
Doug Sayed

Doug Sayed Premium Badge

Punching way above it's vintage wieght, the whole cluster fermentation really stands out in its structure. Bravo.
9.2

Château Margaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Giving absolute credence to the reputation that the wines from the Margaux commune show, both displayed an elegance allied with a subtle power and perfect balance, especially 2005.

2000 had a trace pyrazine note that I found unexpected, and quite frankly not that enjoyable. Outside of that the wine was perfect. The second bottle did not throw it as strong, so not exactly in the clear on this night.

The 2005 was in perfect shape, drink now or age it another 20 years easy, this was so enjoyable and balanced with perfect tannin integration and a seamless, dense and pure finish that sailed on forever.

#margaux #bordeaux
#wine
— 9 years ago

Pazzu, Andrew and 7 others liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2010

What a beauty! Creamy, defined and rich. Perfumy with flowers, mint, sweet apples, minerality and very concentrated honest power. Acidity is angular, very bright and holds this huge palate together nicely (and oh boy, I wish I had a time machine to see how it evolves in 10 years). I'm still trying to crack that dominant aftertaste note — it's almost cake-like sweet, with some nutty backbone and caramel on the top. Absolutely in love. — 10 years ago

Greg, Beau and 17 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Jimmy Smith
9.4

2001: going into a black olive, black truffle note. Rich meaty notes, vibrantly meated, smoky, leather, tobacco, cigar. Towards full, complex, chewy. Light liquorice, light black truffle. Tip top. — 10 years ago

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2006

look: pale ruby red core with slightly garnet rim.  medium viscosity.

smell: medium intensity aromas of roasted red bell pepper, allepo pepper flake, raspberry sauce, roasted jalapeno.  overall, sweet and ripe fruit smells followed by slight iron-like gravel note.

taste: medium + acidity, nearly high acidity, medium - tannin, flavors of smoked tomato, sour cherry, ending with a note of sweet dried/roasted pepper.  

profile: flavor is 'bursty' and drops out quickly and then hangs in a very subtle low way on the palate.  
purchased with Somm Select. honestly, it could have cellared a few more years.
— 11 years ago

Seven, Julia and 11 others liked this
Madeline Puckette

Madeline Puckette Influencer Badge

France Loire Chinon Olga Raffault 2006 'Les Picasses'
Julia Weinberg

Julia Weinberg Influencer Badge

Love these wines!