Severn G

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony director) is leading SCHOENBERG (Friede auf Erde, Opus 13 (Peace on Earth), for unaccompanied chorus) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).

The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive moving piece, with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 250+ singers, conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one.
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!'

Nose of warmed pear, light toasted brioche and wet limestone.

Palate has warmed lemon curd spread on lightly toasted bread, chalky-saline mousse and honey over yellow apple. Finish is med-long, a beautiful effort.

Disgorged 7/2017, blend of '13/'14 with a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. Noted improvement with some additional bottle age since our prior experience (same disgorgement). — 6 years ago

Michelle

9.0

Easy drinking, $17 Dan Murphy — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this evening with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading just one wonderful piece, MAHLER (Symphony No. 3), accompanied with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

We're revisiting some producer bottles from our late Spring France vacation earlier this year.

Pinot Noir biased on the nose and palate. Chalky limestone notes persist on the nose, followed by red fruits grated into the same mineral. Palate has bright red fruits with mineral dust, medium finish. Not as good as getting to enjoy it in the private tasting room at the Taittinger cellar, but close tonight.

Photos of one of the Comtes cellar areas, Methuselah's of Brut Reserve where some enthusiast has expressed their love of that wine and our bottle of the evening. — 7 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.4

2009 Domaine Du Bel Air Bourgueil “Clos Nouveau” and The Versatones on a humid Wednesday night. An overlooked 1950’s R&B/Doo-Wop Band which grew from the legendary Leonard Du Paur Infantry Chorus. If you are reading this and enjoy late 50’s/early 60’s Soul, seek it out. The wine is more concentrated than one might expect from the appellation, but is a ripe smoky cherry glass of delicious. Great things made better together! — 7 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.1

I got Beaujolais'd only yesterday and I'm looking to score more. A deafening chorus of red fruits seem to battle with smooth spice to come to the forefront of the palate, all the while gently stroking your tongue muscle. It may be a half bottle, but it was full of light red wine enjoyment. — 8 years ago

Al Doyle

9.4

A chorus of angels 👼 — 8 years ago

with Lulu

Rich Reader

9.5

Celia Welch's next legend blends Sauvignon Blanc 2:1 with Sauvignon Musque. Smell it long and lovingly before devouring the dried white peach, Jasmine, and flinty oyster shell chorus. Organically grown in the Prescott-Ashe Vineyard of Oakville. Selectively harvested (8/21/2015) at 24.2 Brix, whole-cluster pressed, settling for 72 hours in new French Oak (30)% and stainless steel for fermentation, sitting sur lie for 4 months with biweekly battonage prior to bottling with acidity at pH 3.45 and ABV 14.2% in April 2016. — 9 years ago

with Guadalupe

Andrei Shustov

9.3

This one won't give you its soul easily; give it time in the glass and keep caressing it. And then it blooms! Big Cal cab! Fruit, oak, alcohol - all sing in great chorus! Great job Montelena!! — 10 years ago

Jon Fine

9.2

Adding my voice to the chorus: yes, awesome. apples, salt, sand, earth. delicious. — 10 years ago

Severn G

9.2

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this final afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony director) is leading SCHOENBERG (Friede auf Erde, Opus 13 (Peace on Earth), for unaccompanied chorus) and BEETHOVEN (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125).

The 9th by Beethoven is always bittersweet for us, as it marks the end of the official Symphony and Pops season for the BSO at their Summer home. It is a wonderful and singularly emotive moving piece, with the full force of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus at 250+ singers, conveying the message of a divine spark of joy that makes all people one.
'Freude, schöner Götterfunken!' / 'Joy, beauteous, godly spark!'

Nose has ripe yellow apple, lightly oxidized green apple peel, baked phyllo dough, partially aromatic white flowers and damp rocks. I always get a natural wine vibe here, without the vinegar-like profile, but it seems alive!

Palate has baked green and yellow apple pastry, crisp acidity yet dense, candle wax begins on the finish and ends with dry granite. Great balance, very lengthy finish, clean and not cumbersome, superb vintage, long life ahead. We love you Jean-Jacques. — 6 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Ripe red raspberries and blooming hibiscus nose. But there’s so much more crescendoing below the surface. With this many varietals kitchen-sinked into one bottle, the aroma tornadoes through fifty flavors of red. An orchestra of bright, bright, brilliant red fruit chorus across the entire palate. So many grapes harmonizing in the fruit forward melody, with a gracefully succinct and soft finish. Packs perfectly spiced panache to pair with robust acidic Italian red tomato sauces across your favorite starch! — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.5

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this evening with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading just one wonderful piece, MAHLER (Symphony No. 3), accompanied with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

We're revisiting some producer bottles from our late Spring France vacation earlier this year.

Stunning nose of pineapple core, wildflower honey and wet stones, I'm not sure I can actually describe all the magic happening in this glass. Palate is evolving with each sip, under-ripe pineapple, over-ripe pear, watery honey, light oak touch and wet slate dust. Just amazing!

Photos of beautiful late Spring (2018) biodynamic vineyard rows in Saint Aubin, my winemaker crush Jean Jacques Morel giving us the low down inside his living cellar and our bottle of the evening.

We only enjoyed about 1/3 of the bottle, saving for a day or so to see where this goes, notes will be updated. — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.0

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Our conductor Andris Nelsons is leading MENDELSSOHN (Symphony No. 4, Italian), BEETHOVEN (Piano Concerto No. 1) with Yuja Wang on piano and BERNSTEIN (Chichester Psalms) accompanied by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

Lime-Cherry-Strawberry, Cherry-Lime-Strawberry, Strawberry-Cherry-Lime... Take your pick all notes apply to nose and palate. Good, but still not as good as '16. Plenty more to go, so maybe in a year this will be better? See my prior notes. — 7 years ago

Marla Frederick

9.0

Black cherry with a hint of black spice, and some lingering caramel. This is that wine that brings disjointed flavors together and somehow makes them sing a perfect chorus. Very nice, very cultured, very melodious. — 8 years ago

Doggfather

8.9

Great value for a relaxing Friday at home. Pairs well with Italian. — 9 years ago

Lindsay Parks

10

Very drinkable. MUST buy more. — 9 years ago

Jena Bryan

9.0

Very sweet but delicious — 10 years ago

with Austin

Vern Lalonde

9.3

This is actually the white blend from Stoneboat called Chorus. Fantastic easy drinking wine! — 10 years ago

Austin Wilson

8.9

Better than the red
— 11 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.1

It’s a lovely Oregon Chardonnay. I liked the smokey, toasty reduced character which seemed a voice in a chorus of preserved lemon, tangerine and green apple. Nice acidity - refreshing and complex — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Decanted ~5hr.

Color is brown ruby, unfiltered.

Nose has cedar infused cherry-red raspberry, rose-violet florals, touch of alcohol, bright potpourri and wet soil. Nose is quite tight!

Palate has strawberry juice, orange peel, under-ripe cherry, dried herbs, blackberry jam and great (high) acidity. Finish is medium at this point in a young life.

Soo young, but very elegant! Future bottles should be 2023+

Lightly cloudy on the double decant for service this afternoon. Part of an epic E&M based afternoon plan as we sit by the chimnea on a beautiful early Spring day. The Cardinal's and Chickadee's are now singing the background chorus. — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.0

Our first Ft. Ross! Over ripe rasberry and oak chips, delicious! Enjoyed along side wonderful the wonderful company of Carla and husband Jamie this afternoon at the Tanglewood season finale, Beethoven's 9th, a stunning work of strings and chorus, makes the hair on my arms stand up, so amazing! — 7 years ago

with Carla

Ron from VA

9.0

This was a delightful chorus of midweight emotion and balanced verve. The Chambourcin indeed adds a front/mid palate variation to the routine Bordeaux blending recipe. A touch of Rhône is revealed! — 7 years ago

Joseph LaPanna

9.5

Dark purple core reaching all the way to the rim. A dazzling array of ripe fruit fly out of the glass; blueberry, black plum and bring cherry with hints of mint and espresso. The mouth is full and rich, weighty with the texture of glycerine. The tannins are grippy with black tea like bite. There is an endless chorus of ripe, juicy fruit and a finish that never fades. Can't wait to try this in 10 years! — 7 years ago

Marissa A. Ross

Wine Editor, Bon Appétit

9.0

Evokes images of honeybees bustling around fresh citrus blossoms. Cloudy-dandelion in color, the Lapati Kidev Erti Chinuri smells and tastes like orange trees in the spring with wafts of cantaloupe, honey, and fresh laundry. With sudsy bubbles and bright acidity, pop it and you will be singing along with the chorus of Kendrick Lamar’s “Yah” in no time. — 8 years ago

Jared Evans

9.1

Young but drinks well. Out of the bottle wet slate dominates the nose...opens into cranberry and tart cherry. Light on the palette. earthy soft tannins and light acidity. More peppery notes add to the chorus as the bottle opens. Great bottle...regardless of the $20! C'est très impressionnant — 9 years ago

with Jana

Ryan Mullins

9.4

When a PYCM cork is pulled a needle should fall on phonograph and the hallelujah chorus should blast — 9 years ago

Doug Cook

9.3

Singing a high-pitched chorus like Etna Bianco syncopated with Gemischter Satz. — 10 years ago

John Lenart

9.4

Absolutely deliscious Cab blend. Amazing value. — 11 years ago

Bryant Bickel

9.1

Yahoozers! Polished yet very expressive! Lovely layers and depth, true treat! Thanks Michealis — 12 years ago