Delectable Wine

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9.4

Limpid orange. Mineral-accented blood orange, strawberry, floral and succulent herb scents show fine definition and pick up a spicy nuance with air. Chewy and densely packed yet energetic and sharply focused on the palate, offering vibrant red berry, bitter cherry, citrus pith and honeysuckle flavors and a deeper peach pit flourish. The mineral and floral notes return on the very long, precise finish. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, June 2021)
— 4 years ago

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9.6

Deep, shimmering garnet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits, cherry cola, potpourri and exotic spices, all sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Deeply concentrated yet energetic in the mouth, offering sappy, mineral- and spice-drenched black raspberry, cherry, boysenberry and rose pastille flavors that spread out steadily through the back half. Shows sharp definition and finishes extremely long and appealingly sweet, with polished tannins and lingering floral and blue fruit notes. The combination of power and finesse here is quite something. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2020) — 5 years ago

Alayna

8.9

Fruity, fresh, light. Low alcohol taste. Low tannins. — 6 years ago

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9.1

This energetic pink bubbly from one of Spain’s iconic producers displays intense red berry, blood orange and floral character with a mineral flourish. Chewy and tightly focused, the 2016 shows a refreshingly bitter edge on a dry, persistent finish that emphatically repeats the floral theme. $25.00 (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2018) — 7 years ago

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9.1

(fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for a year in neutral barriques and demi-muids): Brilliant violet color. Intense, spice-accented aromas of cassis, violet and smoky mineral show very good lift and clarity. Offers spicy red and dark berry and floral pastille flavors that show very good focus and depth, along with a floral pastille flourish on the back half. The long floral-tinged finish features slow-building tannins and lingering raspberry and violet character. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, Apr 2017) — 8 years ago

jerod peitsmeyer

9.5

the 14 is odd and different than her other vintages but is changing in compelling and surprising ways - like a child that goes down strange and meandering paths only to travel themselves to a place where they flourish and become the genius that they were destined to be — 8 years ago

John Kanellopoulos

9.2

Santorini is best known as a honeymoon destination and recently acclaimed Asyrtiko white vintage Mavrotragano is a rare, elitist vine that can flourish in the volcano soil of Santorini and become the base of this unique red. Nothing like I have ever experienced among big red vines: unique depth, color, mixed flavors, color — 8 years ago

Mary Alice Smith

10

Superb - from first taste to finish. Subtle berry and hint of oak rounded with a warm flourish. Thank you Jay Lupo!
— 9 years ago

Gil Krakowsky

9.0

Deep dark raspberry fruit, and maybe ranging to red plum with a hint of veogeot-like fruit liquor, and a hint of eucalyptus. Soft mouthfeel with lovely medium to medium to medium + acidity. Finishes with a flourish of rose and brighter fruits. Very And beaune-like for an Oregon Pinot — 9 years ago

Juel Mahoney

9.1

Lovely line from start to finish - elegant flourish finish of apple and honey. Clearly expert winemaking. Tasted blind at Chenin blanc lunch.
— 10 years ago

Martinez

9.1

A minor ingredient in Bordeaux blends, Petit Verdot is one of those grape varieties that enjoy greater popularity away from home. Notoriously late-ripening, grapes can have difficulties undergoing veraison in Bordeaux, especially in cold years, remaining unusable green berries (hence its name, “little green”). While Petit Verdot often fails to ripen in Bordeaux, it seems to flourish in warmer regions, such as some parts of Australia, California and Spain, where its long-cycle offers winemakers a hedge against global warming. With over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, the region of Ronda in southern Spain has turned out to be an ideal location for Petit Verdot - which even here, doesn’t get picked until late October or early November.

Cortijo Los Aguilares’ Tadeo is one of Ronda and Spain’s most recognized Petit Verdot bottlings. Sourced from the estate’s El Calero plot at 900m (nearly 3,000 ft) elevation in Ronda, in the province of Málaga. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak for 15 months. Dark ruby color with purple rim. Fragrant, very attractive, complex nose with layers of black fruit (bramble), smoke and graphite, herbal notes, sweet spices, vanilla and violets. Full-bodied, structured, powerful tannins. Impressive. — 4 years ago

Marla Frederick

9.0

So delicious! Snippets of happiness in the form of cinnamon, butter, crisp apple. Feels like an Autumn wine, a season we are all hoping will come. One must search for small pockets of air in which to expand and flourish in times of grim despair, and I think I found it in this wine. NH Liquor. — 5 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

8.9

Funky and herbaceous, peaty forest floor character. Good mid palate core and a finish that shows some mineral flourish. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured. This is in a much more fun spot than last year. The nose is a big bowl of blackberries and a bit of sandalwood which I found very intriguing and quite delightful to be completely frank. Delicious wine with dense dark fruits and some spice on the palate. This bottle did not come across hot like some notes from others have indicated. Tannin is still a touch firm but it's definitely well within the range of enjoyment at this point. Finishes with a flourish, lasting for 30 seconds. Again, the Alexis Establet comes through as a consistent and overall wonderful representation of 100% old-vine Grenache from the appellation. Drink now or enjoy over the next 3-5 years. — 8 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

Limpid ruby-red. Smoke- and spice-tinged red and dark berries, cola and violet on the deeply perfumed nose. Sappy and broad on entry, offering sweet blackberry and licorice pastille flavors that slowly tighten up and become spicier on the back half. The spiciness carries into and drives a long, focused finish that features silky tannins and a repeating cola flourish. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, Dec 2016) — 8 years ago

Andy Presland

8.9

You can taste the garrigue, giving warm spicy interest to the fruity flourish. For €10 (if you can find it) you can't go wrong. — 8 years ago

Marla Frederick

9.3

Fantastico. This wine has converted me from Valpolicella-phobic to Valpolicella-philic. Sono molto entusiasta di questo vino (questionable spelling and grammar, here). Makes me think of a leather-bound journal containing Italian poetry written by hand with a flourish. Romantico. Vino di Vino. Buy again and again and again. — 8 years ago

Yuri

8.9

Good flourish. — 9 years ago

Matthew Phillips

9.3

Attractive colour and nose, nice balance of nectar and zing, and a touch of spritzig as a flourish. — 9 years ago

with Sophie

Dan Kim

9.8

Huge. Amazing bouquet. I am sure this will flourish for next decades. — 9 years ago

Antoinette Di Ciaccio

9.0

Glad I saved this baby. Although I prefer Gewurztraminers with more of a floral flourish, I think this is reflective of the warm 2010 vintage in the Finger Lakes: orange & quince on the palate and yeah, lychee all the way. Orange blossom on the nose too. Lovely! The body is pleasantly oily and the finish long and smooth. #hermannjwiemer #flxwine #flx #gewürztraminer #gewurztraminer — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Meat sauce night part II. Always even more complex after it refrigerates overnight.

The nose expresses, ruby, lush, floral fruits of; blackberries, both black & regular plums, dark cherries, black raspberries with strawberries & creamy raspberries along the edge of the glass. Still a good presence of toasted barrel, anise to black licorice, vanilla, dark spice, nutmeg & clove, sweet tarriness, French expresso roast, mixed berry cola, used leather, dry & fresh tobacco leafs, sandstone & limestone, black pepper, herbaceousness-sage dominate, graphite, shades of menthol & mint, underbrush, dry clay, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich, turned, dark earth with bright, fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red, purple framed in violets & a field of lavender.

The body is round, juicy, clean & full. Wire to wire beautiful on the palate. The tension, structure, length and balance have hit second gear but, still needs more time in the bottle to flourish. This is bottling that will long haul to 30 years plus with proper storage. I will be saving at least one bottle to that age. The tannins are still sizable & meaty. Ruby, ripe, lush, candied/floral fruits of; dark currants, blackberries, both black & regular plums, slight sour/tart dark cherries, black raspberries with strawberries & creamy raspberries. Still a good presence of toasted barrel/shavings, anise to black licorice, dark spice with heat, sweet tarriness, French expresso roast, bright mixed berry cola/licorice, caramel, dark chocolate, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, used leather, dry & fresh tobacco leafs, sandstone & limestone, black pepper, herbaceousness-sage dominate, graphite, shades of menthol & mint, underbrush, dry clay, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich, turned, dark earth dry top soil with bright, fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red, purple framed in violets & field of lavender. The acidity is a cool stream & light on its feet. The finish is well balanced, elegant, nicely kittened that goes from ripe & juicy into dry tannins, earth & spice persisting endlessly.

The only faults that stick out to me is the ABV (a little hot) & believe they could dial back the amount of new oak & barrel toasting level. These do calm some with more time in the decanter but, not enough. — 5 years ago

Beau Henderson

9.0

Not bitter at all. Val really liked it. Beau didnt have it. — 6 years ago

.

9.0

Gave it an hour of air and it was really showing a nice balance between the dark, mildly spicy fruit and the herbal flourish on the back end. A touch of warmth in the finish, but certainly not ‘hot’. A nice value zin for ~$20. — 7 years ago

James Gourley

9.2

Dark berry fruit with a little shoe polish accent. Decent intensity through the mid-palate, and finishes with a little grainy, mineral flourish. Certainly no CdP but pretty tasty. — 8 years ago

Justin Hart

9.0

2010 is bright/acidic cherry flavor, rose petals, red plumb, and medium body which make for a strong initial flourish in the mouth that doesn't linger terribly long. Cool year, go figure. Very good, but not anything to get too excited about. — 8 years ago

Rajiv Ayyangar

10

This is a knockout wine, a stunner, a pitch-perfect expression of love for wine in general, and Loire Cab Franc in particular. It's wild in all the right places, and impressively refined where it counts.
Medium ruby color. Arresting and straight-up delicious nose that has a certain choreography to it. Specifically it reminds me of Jiří Kylián - finding freedom within a melange of classicism and visceral impetus. Exuberance in wine is rare enough, but exuberance with such focus and intention?
The classicist bent was my first impression - a correct nose of stewed bell peppers and coffee grounds (pyrazines), earthy dog fur with slight clove (brett), and a savory blackberry-cherry fruit compote.
Tasted blind, you would guess Loire, but you might wonder at the shifting nature, at how occasionally the bretty flavors rear up in a flourish, only to be overshadowed a second later by a warm, pure fruit. There is something haunting about the fruit here - it seems to contain memories of many different wines. The wildness is complex - dried leaves, dog fur, toasted mushroom, spiced clove, moist earth. The pyrazinic aromas have uncommon depth and character - stewed bell pepper, coffee, and nascent tobacco.
On the palate, the wine dances with an elegant 12.6% alcohol frame, vibrant acidity, and satiny tannins - the medium on which the finish is printed. There is a moment, mid-palate, where the individual components come together seamlessly - a strong argument for structural-aromatic integration in the Clark Smithian sense. On the finish, the flavors subtly unravel, then persist like a vocal ensemble with synchronized vibrato.
Get this. — 8 years ago

Chris A

9.5

Might be the most perfect Pinot N. I've enjoyed. Soft yet bold, mature red fruit that is slightly jammy and finishes with a grand flourish. Wow. — 9 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

Fruit takes a back seat in the 2012 Elk Cove Roosevelt Vineyard Pinot Noir. This is a portrait in savoriness. Aromas of Spanish roof tile, sun dried tomato, cigar box and sage seamlessly merge into tart cranberries and dried cherry notes. Firm, dusty tannins hem in high-toned red fruit and taught acidity that terminates with a flourish of dried herb and bay leaf. This is the sort of Oregon Pinot Noir that will reward patience. I've love to revisit it in a decade or so. Sample — 9 years ago

Nicholas Livingston

9.1

Loads of fun and an absolute pleasure start to finish -the never ending finish. That said: I think I might be a more of a traditionalist than I thought as I like classic cask regiments where the kiln and grain speak for the house with less flourish and fragrance. Granted I could take this to sea and never wish for another whisky. — 10 years ago