Chris England

9.6

This is still my favourite Rioja & vintage at present, worth £80 😍 My 10th try & still a beauty I can’t resist 👍 I exemplifies the pure essence a high quality Rioja 👏

📍 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 2001

▶️ @lariojaaltasa 🤗

🏵 96 points

🍇 95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano & 2% Mazuelo

🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Smoked oak through mashed earthy cherries covered in vanilla coconut cream, balsamic jam & double caramel choc mocha w/ red liquorice, truffle, prune, date & light spiced herbs #nosetasia

👄 Med body of rich smooth silky creamy dark & red cherry bathed in balsamic goo w/ melted mocha & earthy liquorice

🎯 Long balsamic cherry mocha berry blast w/ a balsamic linger, touch of woody oak & red berry — 7 years ago

Douglas Braun

9.0

May be the best ($14 dollar wine I’ve ever had -Costco) crushed ants (black) slight tar black cherry preserves coconut nicely aged — 8 years ago

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.2

Beautiful coconut and dill weed mixed with some sweet & sour component. Some tobacco leaves as well. Well structured and balanced. — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

Crowler from the Oskar Blues brewery in Austin TX....special delivery! Canned six days ago, this beer is amazing. Oskar Blues is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Happy to receive an official 32oz Crowler of the last keg from the Mother's Day batch! Coconut infusion! Porterligoodness! — 9 years ago

Austen Ito

9.2

Oxidized vanilla, coconut, nutty with some melon and salinity. Layers upon layers of flavors. Long finish. Medium body. Medium plus acidity. Amazing with cheese and charcuterie. — 9 years ago

Jocholla

8.9

Heavy cream, coconut, pineapple, and booze. Very complex. — 10 years ago

Austen Ito

9.1

Red cherry, raspberry. Vanilla, coconut and cedar from the American oak with some sweet spice. Med body and finish. Delicious! — 10 years ago

Amy DeCook

9.0

Super interesting! Like a Hawaiian dessert without the sweetness. Coconut, vanilla, pear, oak. So smooth. — 11 years ago

Stephen Bonner

9.2

Medium-bodied and lush with sweet Barney sugar, honey, some botrytis, over ripe pineapple, coconut, and brown sugar. Good acidity and length. — 11 years ago

Eric Hwang

8.9

Surprise, it tastes like coconut. Smooth and not excessively sweet. Sheri loved it. — 11 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.3

Always exceptional. I really admire the 2009 but I would prefer some of the vanillin/coconut American oak character to be a bit more woven into the overall picture. Pure red fruit aromas, exotic cedar and spice, sweet tobacco and a hint of balsamic herb. The freshness and silky tannins are delightful, just wait a few years for the aromatics to come together and resolve some of the younger parts. It’s going to be special. — 8 years ago

Bret Barker

9.4

Never had this wine before, it’s the second label of Vega Sicilia - its great. Cherry, vanilla, maybe a little coconut great acidity with some floral notes and a long smooth finish. — 8 years ago

with Adam

Chris England

9.4

Everyone knows I’m a fan of LRA but I’ve not had the 98 for a long time!

As I just found some @ £68 I had to try & it’s lovely for the money with lots of life left 👍

🍸 Perfect in Zalto Burgundy 😎

🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick edge

👃 Smoked dark balsamic oak in spiced black cherry w/ vanilla cocoa cream, herbs, smoke, leather, coconut & caramel

👄 Med creamy smooth body of dark cherry bathed in balsamic & vanilla cocoa w/ red berry tones

🎯 Long chocky cherry w/ touch tart balsamic thick linger — 8 years ago

Alan Doughty

9.3

Dark coconut edges fruit with bitter savory notes on an intensely expressive and dense palate. — 9 years ago

kasimir bujak

8.9

smelled of saffron, coconut oil, mint... mouth added pear and honey, crystalized ginger... good but not the most exciting sauternes... — 9 years ago

Joy

9.1

Smooth, coconut smell — 10 years ago

Jessica Holt

9.8

creamy, straw color. Honey and melon notes with vanilla and creamy toasted nuts and coconut. Fuller body with sharp finish. Almost butterscotch. — 10 years ago

Tobin Trevarthen

9.5

I never experienced a coconut flavor in a cab. A complete Mounds Bar... — 10 years ago

Lynn Gowdy

9.3

Deep golden hues typical of an older white. Aromas of apricots with a tropical fruit component (pineapple, mango), petrol and citrus. An oily viscosity, it coats your mouth lightly, tartness coming forward and lingering. Enjoyed with trout in a spicy coconut, lemongrass sauce- an epic synergy between the two two. — 11 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.8

Love this brew, all time favorite, big roasted hops, beautiful malt, notes of coconut, Outstanding — 13 years ago

Shay A

9.6

4th Friday of the month means another monthly Classic happy hour! Great wines, great people.

This was my contribution last night. One of the more profound Cali chards I’ve come across. Powerhouse! The richness and front palate power is very similar to Kongsgaard. Viscous. The notes are honeyed, but not lean...not even compared to the Aubert that was on the table with it. Not overly buttery, more just high quality chard that commands your attention. Mexican vanilla, toasted almonds, and honeyed brioche. The finish goes on forever...lots of cashew, melon, and coconut shell. No stone/tropical fruits here. An absolutely KILLER bottle, @Martin G Rivard , thank you for the intro here! — 8 years ago

with Dan, Mark and 1 other

Kristen Schott

9.9

I should buy this in bulk. It’s zingy with hints of coconut, dried coconut, and papaya. Mm. — 8 years ago

Stan W

9.7

Big red and beautiful. Vanilla, coconut, marzipan done right. — 8 years ago

Andrew S

9.4

Fairly concentrated has a nice mix and depth of dark fruit and red Cabernet fruits. The vanilla/subtle coconut on the nose has it feeling young. Lingering and pleasing finish. — 9 years ago

kasimir bujak

8.9

aromas of plastic, minerality, coconut, ripe apricot, white flowers...flavor here are all stone and tart stone fruit... lots of minerality and a little vegetation- but clean and elegant over all. — 9 years ago

Ryan Stewart

9.1

Deep tawny color. Aromas of pipe tobacco, malt, vanilla scone, apricots, varnish, leather, and coconut milk. Additional flavors of rice pudding, caramel, nutmeg, and sweet rum cake. Medium + tannins, medium finish and body. A subtle, complex, and slightly different offering from the Balvenie! — 10 years ago

Channing Brace

9.2

In terms of Chardonnay, this is the cream of the crop. Lemon curd pear and coconut on the nose. Smooth pear, buttery texture and amazingly balanced oak at the finish. Definitely the best chard I've had to date. Makes you understand what a good Chardonnay is supposed to taste like. — 10 years ago

with Ivy and Louis

Rajiv Ayyangar

9.0

Slight dill pickle and faint toasted coconut (from extended aging in used American oak). Slight savory Brett (GKruth would say “expensive Brett”), dark sour plum, and slightly pickled blackberry.
Medium body, medium alcohol, elevated acid. Soft tannins. — 11 years ago

with Tim and Cindy

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.2

Silky and elegant with the coconut notes of American oak melding with cherry and strawberry fruit over leather and wet chalkboard. — 11 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.1

Fascinating spiced beer, coconut curry with lingering heat — 13 years ago