Con Nicolaides

9.0

Easy drinking, lovely body, full flavour. A real delight. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.4

🎄 Advent Halfy Calendar Day 09 🎄

🎅 Santa says “Opulent, Exotic & Spicy are also words Mrs Claus uses to describe me 😊 it is that Erotic 🤔 ”

📝 I say a wine I’ve been dying to try for donkeys years & it sure delivers but it’s darn expensive Ho bloody Ho - at least it’s not over syrupy like many from here 😉

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Nyetimber Brut Rose NV

📍 Kistler Vine Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2014

🏵 94 points

🍇 Chardonnay

🍷 Golden rich yellow

👃 Soft melon & pineapple driven tropical exotic fruits, honey & vanilla w/ a touch of mineral, citrus, green apple, cut grass & a light smokey spiced oak & date backbone

👄 Med+ body of waxy opulent creamy tangy citrus & green apple through punchy tropical gooey fruits in med acidity w/ a fine mineral & honey touch

🎯 Long mouth coating citrus & tropical honeyed fruits linger w/ a touch of dry lime, green apple & minerality linger
— 5 years ago

Chris England

9.2

🎄 Advent Halfy Callander Day 01 🎄

🎅 Santa says this is so cherry like my cheeks when Mrs Claus is cleaning my cherrys in the shower 😊

📝 I say one of the best Montelina Cabs I’ve had as others have been too sweet

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Gosset Grand Rose - pic on Instagram

📍 Chateau Montelena 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

🏵 92 points w/ a touch more potential

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon

🍷 Deep dark ruby

👃 Dark cherry & plum in blackcurrant through light smoke & blueberry w/ an undertone of red & purple potpourri, touch of raspberry liquorice & violets

👄 Med body of creamy dark cherry w/ blackcurrant, plum, sweet red liquorice, blueberry compote & more cherry

🎯 Med+ cherry dominant linger w/ a red liquoricec& blueberry tone
— 5 years ago

Brooke Long

9.1

2012 cherry goodness. — 6 years ago

with Stephen

Severn Goodwin

9.0

Zweigelt, Zwhy not? Yummy aromas of cinnamon, black pepper and cherry, some dirt thrown in for good measure. When you can find a nice one, celebrate it. — 7 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.5

First, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and his name is @Martin G Rivard. Second, wow! First time trying this wine and I am blown away by the aroma, the flavors and the mouthfeel. A dark purple/red in color, there is so much going on with the nose. The dark fruits explode on the palate and mix with vanilla and cassis. Silky smooth and mouth-coating, this is amazing. But the ABV is making day drinking a challenge (or NOT 😉). Just wow. Thank you Martin for this and introducing me to Beau Vigne (you should get a commission!!). — 7 years ago

markus gould

9.6

bit too young, bit too alcoholic, but mindblowing already - a statement of austrian red wine! — 8 years ago

markus gould

9.4

needs an hour.
apple core, pencil wood, dark cherry fruit. elegant and vivid! — 9 years ago

with Marcel

Vinny Eng

9.3

(2/4) I believe in Zuni Claus! Stony Hill, what a beautiful California classic. — 9 years ago

with Eric, Jasmine and 1 other

Chris England

8.9

🎄 Advent Halfy Calendar Day 13 🎄

🎅 Santa says “I was going to make a joke about this wine but I got a slap from Mrs Claus 👋”

📝 I say if you like dessert wines this is a fabulous nicely balanced drop for the money I’d sure have again with rich cheeses 😍

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Duval Leoroy Brut NV

📍A Sticky End Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2016

🏵 89 points

🍇 Sauvignon Blanc

🍷 Rich golden yellow

👃 Peach & pineapple driven tropical fruits

👄 Med+ body of sweet syrupy and sticky rich chewy honey & sugared tropical fruits w/ a green toffee apple caramel undertone, apricot jam & a citrus spank

🎯 Long long long sweet gooey creamy buttery honeyed tropical fruit fest w/ apricot, apple & citrus — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.2

🎄 Advent Halfy Calendar Day 07 🎄

🎅 Santa says this lovely wine would make him dance like the chap on the label, but naked of course for Mrs Claus 🤶 Ho Ho Ho

📝 I say this £42 halfy is at prime drinking & darn quafftastic 😍

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV

📍 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Chateau d'Armailhac 2004

🏵 92 points better than rated by “pros” in 2007 😉

🍇 Cabernet Sauvignon 58%, Merlot 25 %, Cabernet Franc 14%, Petit Verdot 3%

🍷 Deep dark ruby

👃 Smokey oak, pencil lead, gravel & minerals through earthy blackcurrant & dark plum w/ herbs, raspberry liquorice, leather & mocha

👄 Med body of creamy ripe rich blackcurrant in cocoa w/ dirty liquorice, plum, red berry tones, blackberry & minerals

🎯 Long touch dry mineral infused plummy dark fruit mocha liquorice linger
— 5 years ago

Amy Nafe

9.2

Ordered from Dry Farm — 6 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Yes, Virginia, there is a reason Gaja is...well, Gaja. And I ain’t Santa Claus, but the kind somm who brought this by as a gift gets that moniker. Ethereal nose of dried, dirty mushrooms, light tar and asphalt. Meticulous layers of cherry tea, dried strawberry and old leather. Despite a few angles this was silky, sensual. Years to go. — 6 years ago

Bob Colman

8.9

A bit gamayish, a bit pinotish, nice sourish notes. — 7 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.4

Beautiful wine. — 7 years ago

Alexander Reshetilov

9.2

Сверхлегкий физз, мутный темнозолотой цвет. Лежавшие яблоки, благородный сероводород, известняк, крапива, апельсин, можжевельник. Супер приятно и вкусно, но нет динамики и драмы. Иначе был бы идеал. — 8 years ago

John Stangel

9.1

Wine we had at Claus anniversary. Try to find — 8 years ago

with Claus

Marc On

Writer Originalverkorkt, Lobenbergs Gute Weine

9.3

This is Claus Preisingers "Erdeluftgrasund reben" Blaufränkisch which he presented on the RAW fair in Berlin yesterday. A wine with a lot of depth and structure. — 8 years ago

Sivasankaran Chandrasekar

9.0

At Santa Claus beach in carpinteria. Gorgeous December day... — 9 years ago

Kyle Volluz

9.4

An unusual winner. Hope that I can find if again someday. — 11 years ago

Chris England

9.2

🎄 Advent Halfy Calendar Day 11 🎄

🎅 Santa says “what’s Mrs Claus after giving me this lovely festive juice on a Tuesday 😊”

📝 I say this is drinking well young but I’d leave 5-20 years 😉

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Pommery Brut Royal NV

📍 Chateau Langoa Barton 2010

🏵 92 points w/ more potential

🍇 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc & 17% Merlot

🍷 Deep dark blackened ruby

👃 Smoked oak through blackcurrant & dark plum w/ a touch of raspberry liquorice, cocoa, black cherry, light blueberry & minerals

👄 Med body of rich ripe punchy blackcurrant w/ dark plum, cocoa & raspberry liquorice

🎯 A long blackcurrant driven dark fruit bomb with a real raspberry undertone & blueberry tickle
— 5 years ago

Chris England

9.2

🎄 Advent Halfy Callander Day 04 🎄

🎅 Santa says “More fruit in here than Mrs Claus plump Mince Pies 👋 ouch”

📝 I say a lovely balanced wine with no oak

⏩ 🍾 Mrs E got Tsarine Cuvee Premium Brut

📍 Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet 2016

🏵 92 points

🍇 Chardonnay

🍷 Light golden straw

👃 Lovely soft mellow tropical fruits w/ citrus, vanilla, green apple, white flower, crushed almond & light minerality

👄 Med+ body of creamy buttery green apple compote through minerals & vanilla w/ tropical tones but green apple persists in med balanced acidity

🎯 Long green apple slight dry creamy citrus linger w/ a touch on tropical fruit & a honey kick
— 5 years ago

David L

9.5

@Martin G Rivard I think we have had about a case of HDV in the last year or so. Courtesy of Santa Claus himself. Love you man. See you soon! Thinking this wine would be a bit better in a year or so. Most of consumption of these wines are consumed a little early . IMO — 6 years ago

Tara Rowland

9.3

Pure lean clean delicious — 7 years ago

Alberto Cdm

9.7

Stratosferico. Annata calda?! Bravo Claus! — 7 years ago

Erik Leenaars

9.0

Claus Preisinger, young biodynamic winemaker from Austria. Expressive 50/50 zweigelt and blaufrankisch from Austria, supple like merlot, light like Pinot noir. Light chill, perfect summer red. Great value. — 8 years ago

Jun Nakajima

9.2

Skin makes this fruitful — 8 years ago

John Stangel

8.9

Had it with Claus Bonaire 2016.
Like it would buy in the states. — 8 years ago

with Claus

Claus Von Jaffa

9.1

So there is a reason this was the last bottle on the shelf in an other wise crowded section of Australian in my ole pal Gary V's shop. This was a real nice bottle. On the nose it's very vibrant fresh like an evening in spring with the elderly neighbor still burning wood. The fruits are dark and tight, a hint of eucalyptus and definite real licorice, not twizzlers, possibly Smith Brothers. I always know I enjoy a bottle immensely when I am alone and after a few sips, I point to the bottle and say, that's a good f ing bottle, then realize I am talking to myself. It's all good. 2010. I am Claus, in the house. — 9 years ago

Alexandre Calvi

8.9

A serious wine with different layers of black fruits aromas — 9 years ago