AHF

9.7

Light to medium gold. Light to medium bodied. Not much on nose or palate. Easy to drink, silky, and fresh. Hint of citrus, or almond, I can't say. Just perfect to start a meal or with a roast chicken. Jan 2022. — 3 years ago

Neil Cornish

9.3

This was singing! Everything you look for in a top flight white burg. Rich and light at the same time. Gorgeous white flower blossom. — 4 years ago

with Michael and Jon

Brian Reedy

9.4

Elegant and beautiful. Pear, green apple, hint of vanilla. Bright acidity and lightly oaked — 5 years ago

with Sarah

Phil Stice

9.5

Lemon oil, minerality, slight flinty reduction - this is all I want from white burg. 👏 — 6 years ago

with Robin and Jim

Lars Miller

9.5

Notes of game, flowers, and graphite on the nose upon opening. Smooth with medium tannins and dry. Tastes of dark fruit compote or stewed fruits, with a touch of mint. Quite good! — 6 years ago

Allison Lyzenga

9.0

Deep ruby; medium intensity aromas of blackberry, black plum, blueberry, bramble, forest floor, mineral, dried herbs, vanilla, cloves, anise; developing; dry, medium plus acid, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, medium plus intensity flavors of blackberry, black plum skin, dried herbs, cinnamon, clove, old leather — 7 years ago

Dyann Panepinto

9.6

Lovely old vine! 2014 — 9 years ago

Samuel Sabori

9.1

I can never describe champagne, so I’ll just say it’s great champagne. Pinot Meunier, very energetic, clean, not too sweet or any of that business. — 4 years ago

with Julia

Thomas Thompson

9.1

Red berries, quince, orange blossom, and hay. A hint of natty funk. Juicy. Low acid. — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2015 / Love this. Vanilla, great balance — 5 years ago

Kevin Cahoon

9.2

This was a dynamite single parcel Chardonnay from the Marne. It is full of bright lemon curd, lemon peel and green apple fruit with a salty, mineral touch. Palate has a nice plush texture with orange and lemon fruit and a spicy mineral accent. There is great cut and focus but totally different from Cotes de Blanc champagnes. — 6 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2012 minerals flint — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.2

Straw gold. Light on its feet. Notes of lemon, sweet citrus, gravel stone, white flowers and a little honeysuckle. Fruit forward at first and over time. Pretty good. — 7 years ago

Brittany Powers

9.2

Delicious minerality and bright citrus. Don't chill it down to far, it really opens up at closer to room temp — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Ginkgo smash rot blows off to wildflower honey and brioche, tart pineapple, chamomile, yellow apple, ginger nose. Tart starfruit, lemon zest, lime pith, lemon-lime peel; wound a little tight. Lemongrass and a green onion element I expect to vanish. Ginseng and glittering lemon oil and racing pith for a long salivating finish. Opened rich and unctuous, but narrowed to focused acid blast.
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#etiennesauzet #pulignymontrachet #etiennesauzetlatruffière #montrachet #1ercru #1ercrupuligny #bourgogne #bourgogneblanc #whiteburgundy #burgundy — 4 years ago

with Courtney, Emily and 1 other

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

We met & visited a number of Bordeaux producers while 2005 was still in the tank or just into barrel.

In talking with Winemaker-Owners about the 2005 vintage, you could see the twinkle in their eye as they were asked questions. They knew they had Bordeaux magic for the first time in five years.

We tasted this at what was deemed an “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting.” This was on the higher end of that tasting at $35. It is delivering a little better than its young expectation and the jewel to date from that tasting.

With and without protein, the 05 Chateau de Candale moved between 92-93.

The nose reveals; warm alcohol, immersed fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, poached/slightly baked, dark cherries, dark spices, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender.

This is a very good first look at this 2005. God willing, I have another look in on bottle two of three in another five years. This 05 has another 15 plus years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.

The body is full, tarry with big, sticky, chewy tannins. Baked/poached, floral fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, pomegranate, dark spices with a heavy, heated presence, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, loads of graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, dry top soils, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, muted eucalyptus, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender. The acidity is round & full just holding, for me, the slightly higher ABV in check. The long, heavy, dark, well knitted, more earth/spice dominated finish is showing the quality of the vintage. Yet, it still needs more time to be its best.

Photos of; Chateau de Candale, harvested Merlot fruit, recent buyers of Chateau de Candale - Thibaut Decoster and Magali Decoster and their barrel room. — 5 years ago

Nina van den Broek

9.3

Very mineral Nice fresh style! — 6 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2012 / roses in smell high in bitters lots of character — 6 years ago

Dave Schneider

9.4

Wow. I had another bottle of this a few years ago and I hated it. I guess I had a bad bottle. This one is absolutely amazing. at its peak but it can probably last 5 more years if properly stored. Gorgeous nose with lots of nuances on the palate of fruit And spice. This was a throw away bottle and it blows me away! — 7 years ago

Ryan Sims

9.4

Absolutely fantastic. 100% Chardonnay and a hair from bone dry. Couldn't have guessed this was New World wine, let alone from Virginia. Super stuff. — 9 years ago