Chris Zitzman

9.0

The 2024 Ameztoi “Rubentis” carries a subtle, almost rose gold hue in the glass. The nose contains bright red berry notes, but it’s on the palate where this wine absolutely shines.

The blend of hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza are at the heart of the wine, but its real beauty stems from the method to its marriage.

Both grapes are hand-picked, but then placed in hoppers from where they are de-stemmed together, then pressed together, then allowed to naturally ferment together. Towards the end of the process the tanks are closed to preserve the naturally occurring carbonation.

As is traditional/preferred method in Getaria, the tanks themselves are kept near freezing to solidify the blend’s effervescent character.

The result is a robust-yet-effervescent rose whose roots date back to the late 1800’s.

The craft used to make this very wine made rose popular in the Baque region of Spain LONG before rose became so popular around the world. — 13 days ago

with Beth

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

A very old bottle bought back from a customer cellar. Foil suggests serving chilled or "ice cold," welcome to 80's era wine guidance.
Medium gold color. Nose is apples, slightly bitter apple pip/skin. With air shows some delicate/floral peach aromas. Balance is spot on with a good acid/sweet balance. Maybe this would be between sec and demi sec these days. There is a slightly bitter mid palate attack that echos an apple pip/cyanic character. Surprisingly good given character of cork, which refused to come out with an ah-so and retreated to the bottle. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Night 1 of WineBoyz Wineapalooza. I hosted a pre-game before dinner at La Belena in Carmel, and opened two champagnes to kick off the blowout weekend our wine group has set up. This has a straw gold color. Vibrant with great energy in the glass. Chablis-like nose. Notes of citrus, wet river stone, vanilla, some iodine. Chalky with nice salinity in the mouth. Great, long-lasting finish. Got better with an hour of air. Killer juice. 96+ — 4 years ago

Conrad Green

9.2

Gold cap. Light bright and fresh. Delicate s sweet fruit with hints of lime and salinity. Light and breezy. — a year ago

with Amanda

Conrad Green

9.4

Dark gold in color. Dried apricot, biscuit, toast. Very broad and rich in the palate with loads of complexity but a deftness. Oxidative notes and sherry. I suspect this bottle isn’t as great s as it once was but it’s still a complex and fascinating wine. Memorable. — 2 years ago

with Tony and David

Vanessa

9.7

Belatedly celebrating @Deked1’s special day with his favorite bottle of bubbles! 🥂🥂

This wine was disgorged in 2017 after aging on the lees in Ruinart’s chalk cellars for a decade. It’s spent the last 5 years in the bottle.

With a pale gold hue, this wine is showing some delicious signs of age, but also remains incredibly vibrant.

It offers a fine mousse with rich notes of lemon curd, flint, hazelnut, marzipan, toast, and brioche. Yas!! 👏🏻 It’s so darn good. We don’t want this bottle to end.

HBD @Deked1 🎉🎉🥂🥂 — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid gold in colour. Aromatics of yellow peach and honeyed notes. No traces of petro chemical. Medium plus intensity of stone fruit and mineral on the palate. Great depth. One of the top Rieslings in Alsace and showing it in spades. A beautiful Riesling and probably at its peak. Will stay on this plateau through the 2020’s. Interestingly about 25% went through malolactic so this is a different style from the usual Cuvée Frederic Emile. Very fresh for a 14 year old Riesling but remaining fleshy and M plus bodied. — a year ago

Shay A

9.2

I’m between 92-93 here. I bought this at the same time as the Marguet Shaman 17 I opened two weeks ago and wanted to try them fairly close together for comparison sake (both are grower, zero dosage), and the V&S wins (more body/richness).

Jan’21 disgorgement. Gold in the glass. I’m not a fan of decanting champagne, but I do love drinking champagne from wider bowl glasses to air them out gently, which this benefitted from. Doesn’t have that really brisk Carmex aromatic I get with many lean grower champagnes. It sports a gently oxidative flair with golden pear, red apple, and honey roasted cashews. The palate has a distinct bakers yeast note along with classical chalky limestone too. It was a match made in Heaven with lobster corndogs! Will purchase again. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Tasted blind. Dark gold color. Heavy like motor oil in the glass. Sweet nose. Notes of apricot and spice. High-pitched, more so than a Sauternes. Guessed 70's German. — 3 years ago

Kyle Katterjohn

9.5

Pure Gold on the Government s dime. We’ll kind of. Haha Kpk/Carol — 4 years ago