Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

Best Rose 🌹 in the world? The 17 was quite acidic. So it needs time. But the 18 is a total blow out wow. It lacks the herbaceous character of the previous vintages. Close your eyes and you think this is red Burgundy. A Volnay? Orange rind a potpourri of red fruit dark 🍒 raspberry cranberries,....But also Mexican limes. Fresh. Spectacular and as far as I know unfortunately only available from Lyle Fass. Sells out fast. A revelation and must know for any serious Pinot lover. I hope some of you will have at some point the opportunity to try wines from E&M. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

WNH event number 3...new world Pinot. Such a treat to experience the many different variations of Pinot!

The second of two white wines to get us started from @Shawn R . After seeing the scores that this has received I’ve been curious to try...for the price, I’m impressed. Lemon tart, stone fruit and mango on the nose with a rich palate...not quite reductive...poached pear honeyed cashews. — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others

David Koenen

8.9

Little luck so far with the wines from Francois Cotat. The first bottle of this cuvée (that was years ago) was corked. The second one, opened tonight, seems to be a year or two past its prime. Still enjoyable for sure, but still. Golden hue in the glass, some sherry scented tones emerge while sniffing. Melon, wax, orange zest, roasted nuts. The taste is better, more fresh, fruity notes. Big, full bodied, ripe , pineapple, cotton candy. Nothing quite compares to this. — 9 years ago

Doug Burress

Sales K&L Wines

9.5

This far North gem is a genuine grower-producer Champagne. From the cross section of the chalk protruding from the hill out back, to the old-school basket press, this family collects and produces an excellent cuvée. Stone fruit, chalk driven finish, and a fine bead are just a couple reasons to grab a bottle. — 9 years ago

Mark Coleman

9.0

Huge but really well balanced and compelling. — 10 years ago

NI

9.0

Acceptable vintage but not comparable to 1990 vintage and far from 1982 — 10 years ago

Benoit Miquel

9.5

Always a pleasure to taste this far away from home. Although not a great year , this wine remains a great experience. — 10 years ago

Sean Genn

9.2

Nice Rutherford Cab from the people of Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel. Rich dark fruit and lingering silky tannins. — 10 years ago

Tom Kisthart

Owner Craft & Curd

9.3

Definitely about the crisp and clean. Agree with the wet stone and after rain descriptors from winery. My favorite 2013 'Cru' Soave so far. Still need to taste Pieropan La Rocca which is typically my favorite. — 10 years ago

Nicholas Livingston

9.3

A delicious nine vineyard blend from California's Central Coast. Hand harvested and fermented by ambient yeasts in open top fermenters and then aged without racking in French oak, 10% new. A richly scented but elegant Pinot Noir with a creamy texture for its duration on its lees and tart cherry and red currants with a pomegranate fruit tannin that is polished but complex and nuanced with a wisp of clove, camphor, and a trigeminal response almost menthol but more like a piney and resinous juniper berry. Would think because of its ratio between higher alcohol to fruit that this doesn't have forever but I would like to see this in a couple of years when the components fall into more balance. All the same, it is a delicious glass of wine and far more expressive than many at this tier. — 10 years ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.1

Leathery and spicy with good fruit intensity, length and texture. Bit of heat from the alcohol. Probably the best of this vintage I've had so far. — 11 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

In hills of Paso Robles, not far from Hearst castle, there is a man with a Homeric vision. His name is Daniel Daou and he is devoting his life to creating outstanding Cabernet’s. Deep red with dark berry nose, aged for 11 months on French oak (60% new). On the palate blackberry, black cherry and licorice, pepper spice with savory fine tannins. Medium+ finish ending with cacao and earthy herbs. Great value. The ‘17 is a bit richer than ‘16. Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

TheSkip

9.0

En mag and then En mag some more. This is by far the least Wagner-ized wine I’ve ever had from them.

This is the Venn intersection of Pinot, Cabernet and Syrah. Very crowd pleasing. Went well with thanksgiving, since wine pairings are impossible. — 7 years ago

David Gallagher

9.2

If you want a Pinot noir that's far from boring, this is the one — 8 years ago

Erik Nordman

9.0

First time trying the '15s and it's as great as always. This is definitely a decent amount more brawny and ripe than the '14s but still identifiable as a Lapierre wine. That said, I'm still not the biggest fan of most of these '15's so far, they are too hot and ripe and don't really fit the profile of what I want from most Beaujolais. This is still pretty good on its own merits though. Day 1 it was closed and not giving up very much but on this morning, Day 2, it's come around and opened up quite a bit. Ripe, juicy strawberry and raspberry red fruit, tart rhubarb, wild violet, smoky gravel minerality, with a nice briny, almost gamey salinity underscoring things a bit. Nice medium (+) acid, medium (-) body with a great, soft texture. Just a touch of fine, supple tannic grip. There a bit of brett and VA but they're in balance rather than being a faulty distraction; the VA helps give a little extra lift, if anything. Will try another bottle after some more time has passed because even though it's good now it honestly still needs to come together a bit more; it seemed almost still slightly bottle shocked when I first opened it yesterday. If you're opening one soon I'd recommend giving it a little air to let it unfurl. — 9 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.6

Another Jayson Woodbridge masterpiece! Opulent dark fruit., a nose you can smell from across the room and what a full lush mouthfeel. Winner., winner chicken dinner! Or all by itself would be just as good!! — 9 years ago

with Christine and Tara

Martin G Rivard

9.8

2013 scored 99. How the Pro-rating can be 8.8 is beyond my comprehension. Incredible wine. By far the best vintage that I have ever tasted from this winery whom I love. It's a phenomenal Opus at 1/4th of the cost.
I just picked up another case at $95 per bottle and they are In short supply. I advise everyone to get it while it's still available! 👍it's absolutely beautiful and elegant. Let me know what you think once you've uncorked one.
enjoy!! — 10 years ago

with Christine

Landshark 626

9.6

A gift from boss. By the far the finest bottle of alcohol that I've ever opened. — 10 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.6

One of the best wines tasted from 2010 so far. Love it! — 10 years ago

Jay Svoboda

8.9

I'm going to come clean, I'm not a huge Caymus fan. It's by no means a bad wine - far from it - but I've always felt they blend their Cab with too much Zin. I could be wrong on that account, but I don't think I am. Still, a nice brooding nose of dark red and blue fruit, with a touch of candied fruit and wet earth. — 10 years ago

Bryan Garcia

Sales Grand Cru Selections

9.2

So much 🐴🍂✏️🚬 ! Nice to have an "off vintage" in pristine condition. Far from a blockbuster but delicious, soft, and very easy to drink. #birthyear — 11 years ago

The Savory

10

Oh my gawd dawg! I tried this at the California Wine Festival and loved it so much that I took it away from the crowd and had a quiet moment and a wee whisper with it. It's really wonderful when you drink some average to decent wines and suddenly throw an absolute stoater in there for perspective.

I can't really do it justice with my ham-fisted tasting notes, but believe me when I say that this is a delightful wine that reminds you how wonderful Napa can be. - Ross Gardiner — 11 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.2

Absolutely stunning against a normal crowd, but not as brilliant as I would expect were it from Rhys Santa Cruz. — 6 years ago

Garrett Parker

9.0

Another solid Chardonnay from Far Niente. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 8 years ago

Victor Hwang

9.3

Savory, tobacco tones on a core of red fruit. Smooth, medium bodied and so very far from being over the hill at 20 years. Delish. — 10 years ago

William Murray

9.2

From 1.0 ltr, always a crowd pleaser... Prob the wine of the night for 3/5 ppl — 10 years ago

Michael Januszeski

9.4

A cab from one of my favorite Napa wineries. This 1997 Silver Oak has done exceptionally well over the past 18 years. I'll plan to tap his brothers over the next few years to see how far this vintage can go — 10 years ago

Michael Ducker

9.5

Perfectly balanced rose. Drinkable and delicious — 11 years ago

with Jordan

Levi London

9.1

Far from ready. — 12 years ago