Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

The estate of Sette Ponti lies in the heart of the Chianti zone, 15 miles NW of the city of Arezzo past village of San Giustino Valdarno. A blend of 90% Sangiovese & 10% Merlot, aged in French Allier barriques. Deep Ruby with red fruit aromas and blossom spice. On the palate blackberry and cherry flavors, earthy spice and grainy tannins. Good balance lingering finish ending with some oak, earthy and mineral tones. — 5 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.5

In the zone! — 8 years ago

with Daniel Khasidy

Bassel Sommelier

9.2

Massive just delicious — 8 years ago

Raj Harb

9.6

Talk about "in the zone." Rich and voluminous but not weighty or fat. Still carries good acid and tension. Hedonistic and awesome — 8 years ago

Jordan Gianelli

8.9

Not bad for $15 on Benchmark. Richer than most, without teetering towards milky, lactic zone. Definitely went through malo and brings the toasty oak to the party. Not bad, and definitely made the girlfriend happy. — 9 years ago

Bryan Garcia

Sales Grand Cru Selections

9.4

In the zone — 9 years ago

with Ned, Grand and 1 other

Richard Steinberg

9.7

Out of this world. In my perfect zone at 25 Years. Drinking great now. — 10 years ago

with Dan

Evan Malik

9.5

04 vintage ...really special in the the zone terrific balance and laser precision — 10 years ago

Bill Ward

9.9

Right in the zone, but probably good for rest of this decade. Just big enough all the way around. Refined and robust. Still tasting three minutes in. — 11 years ago

Davis Smith

Sommelier Acquerello

9.7

Dark fruit, roasted bell pepper, tobacco. In the zone. — 11 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Medium gold. Heavy. Rich fruit forward nose. Notes of apricot, flowers, citrus, crushed stone and sea breeze. Rich and powerful in the mouth. Fat. With air, lemon creme and white stone notes dominate the amazing nose. This is in the zone and ready for business now but I would hope this could stay at a great plateau for the next decade. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The 14 Almaviva Cabernet is 68% Cabernet, 22% Carménère and 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vines are 38 years of age. The wine spent 18 months in 75% new oak. The nose shows some slight funk at first. Blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black cherry cola/licorice and dark florals. The M+ tannins are soft and a little sticky. The fruits are slightly candied in style. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark chocolate, soft leather, crushed rocks, dark moist turned earth and dark fresh florals. The structure, length, tension, balance and finish are quiet beautiful. Producer history and notes...Almaviva began in 1997, as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro. With the strengths of both families pedigree, they achieved international recognition with the the launch of their very first vintage. Their goal was to create the equivalent of Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé in Chile. Patrick Leon is their Winemaker and also makes Opus One & Mouton Rothschild. Almaviva is located in the Maipo Valley in Chile's central zone. Puente Alto has ideal conditions for growing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Almaviva has 85 hectares. The climatic features of Puente Alto include its; stony soil, cold, rainy winters, and the hot days and cool nights of its summers. Maipo is considered Chile’s Napa Valley.
— 8 years ago

Alona Felzen Vlasova

10

Sweet Amoure by @Dedustate Wine Club
#100%Saveravi#thebestkindzmarauliever#kakheti#georgia
Kindzmarauli is a red naturally semi sweet wine made of the saperavi variety cultivated in the kindzmarsuli micro-zone. It has deep garnet color, round velvet taste with long-lasting pleasant after-taste. Charaterized with strongly pronounced accentuated bouquet of ripe blackberry and raspberry aromas. — 8 years ago

Darren Guillaume

9.2

This Blanc is in the zone. 2007 is fantastic. Softer and more mellow than the 2012. — 8 years ago

with Uncle and Tim

James Cahill

9.4

David, both of these wines were right in their zone. — 10 years ago

Tim O'Rourke

9.3

Right in its zone now. Tannins have melded seemlessly w/ tons of tobacco and funk. Even a bit fresher than another btl I had recently--maybe this one was reconditioned? Regardless, a delicious btl of Chinon! — 10 years ago

Carline Bengtsson

9.5

To all wine lovers, this wine is a must have in your collection. 2010 Reserve from Tuscany's Chianti Classico zone. Smooth, rich taste with a perfect finish. — 10 years ago

Ted Raess

9.0

Rec. by Paul at Sonoma market. Delicious easy drinking perfect everyday wine. Not too fruity or tannic. — 10 years ago

Anna Sangiacomo

9.6

So happy I tried this wine, it took me out of my comfort zone of sauvignons' & Pinot Grigio's. A nice change !!! — 11 years ago

Loren Grossman

Vintner Wilde Farm Wines

9.6

So in the zone. Sleek and elegant with fine tannins. Amazing. — 7 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Pretty decent Tuesday night wine for under 15$. Balanced but not long, with some integrated earthy notes. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The QED is a blend of six different vineyards and is 69% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre and 4% Viognier. Beautiful perfumed florals on the nose of violets and purple florals, baking spices, blueberries, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum and dark soils. The body is medium as are the velvety tannins. On the palate; ripe, lean, blueberries, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries and plum. Then, beautiful spices rise off the palate gently. Red roses, violets, dark moist earth, crushed dry rocks with very good acidity and a beautiful finish. — 8 years ago

Bobby Gilbane

9.3

'90s Napa goodness. Just a delightful cab that's been in the zone for the last two years. Tremendous life ahead of this as well. — 8 years ago

Lee Bankston

9.5

Beautiful rose'! I love it! — 9 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Yellow gold color, heavy weight in the glass. Great classic nose of aged Chablis with honeyed scents plus river stones, orange peel and lemon. Expansive in the mouth with very long, tasty finish. This is in a great drinking zone. — 9 years ago

Caleb Pietrafesa

9.1

I usually stay away from anything that isn't from France, but this makes leaving the comfort zone worth it. — 10 years ago

Deborah Grossman

9.4

Dave Potter knows his Rhone varietals in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone. Counoise is deliocious. — 10 years ago

Daniel Fabiano

9.0

Funky taste to live up to the name, but very good. Wild berries up front and smooth finish. Very pleased. — 10 years ago

Melissa Helfand

9.5

For those of our customers who also enjoy Chardonnay... Some similar notes to expand your comfort zone. — 11 years ago

Erin Kelly

9.1

Thanksgiving cometh, and there’s no more versatile wine at the Thanksgiving table than a fresh, savory, light-bodied red: precisely the reason we chose this wine for this newsletter. In the most northerly and coolest viticultural zone of the Loire valley, Pascal Janvier farms three acres devoted to the indigenous, pale-skinned Pineau d’Aunis. The results are stunning. Medium ruby in color with beautiful orange highlights, Janvier’s Cuvée du Rosier casts fresh aromas of pink peppercorns, cranberries, strawberries and spicy cinnamon. Focused and bright on the palate, the wine fuses tangy raspberry and earthy cranberry fruit with spicy suggestions of Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, smoky limestone minerals and an appetizing herbal note reminiscent of agave. Fresh, crunchy and vibrant, the wine grows with aeration and finishes long, tangy and stony. This wine stuns you first with its deliciousness, and then grows and adds complexity with each successive sip. Enjoy this now and over the coming three years with roast turkey and all the trimmings, fresh chèvres, roast duck and grilled or roasted vegetables. - L&E Review — 12 years ago