Scott Taddeo

9.1

Garnacha and Carignan. Olive, leather, stewed red fruit, animale, cedar, char, toast and even some oregano. Med plus acid and tannin, formidable. — 8 years ago

Michael Phillips

9.5

Formidable! — 8 years ago

Åsa Bjurholm

9.5

In Aix at a table outside at Le Chastel, this rosé taste formidable. — 8 years ago

Christine Havens

9.2

A lively conversation ensued around the Jean Vesselle Bouzy Champagne Cuvée Friandise Demi-Sec Rosé, a debate centered not on this wine's formidable 32 g/l dosage, but rather it's dark crimson color, which Delphine Vesselle insists is pink. Wafting aromas of cherry clafoutis, raspberry purée, rose petals and a faint smoky edge. The attack is more delicate than I'd imagined, with red fruit at the center, carried aloft by a fine mousse and pleasant savoriness. Lot 30854 | Sample — 9 years ago

Tom Balamaci

9.0

Formidable. Chewy and delicious. — 10 years ago

Irina Bukatik

9.7

AQ with Sandy — 10 years ago

Stuart Robinson

9.2

Excellent wine: depth of Mataro with an excellent suppleness, silken tannin and formidable length. — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

My first wine from the Galilee appellation in Israel. It’s a mountainous, stony terrain, but for all the stress I imagine vines go through in this formidable environment, Galil Mountain’s 2012 Bordeaux-style blend is stunningly pure, with almost pillowy-plush aromas of black currants, blackberries, violets, spice box and anise. Aged 16 months in French oak, the tannins are ultra-fine and evenly distributed. Elegant and nuanced on the palate, the only detractor is an ever so slightly hot finish. It doesn’t quite hide its 15.5% ABV Sample — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 8 years ago

Saman Hosseini

Writer Maison Abattoir

8.9

Bittersweet dark red fruit, cocoa, tobacco, charcoal, formidable tannins acid. Worth a bit of cellar time. — 10 years ago

Robert McCall

9.2

Dark cherry with a lively spice/sassafras kick which pushes this baby to a formidable lengthy finish. Lovely all around. — 10 years ago

Charlotte Bennett

10

Fin de Dry January - donc c'est formidable! — 10 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.2

Sorry for being AWOL. But I bring tidings of great joy. The 2014 is out! (So is Bogle Phantom. More later! I just kiss on the first date!) I love Le Fiacre du Pape. Hands down one of the best values -- and most under the radar -- wines on the market. Brought to me many vintages ago by Señor Haro, a formidable presence in the wine world. The 2014 has great fruit, with a nice meaty backdrop. Lots of bacon fat and mushroom. Awesome. Unlike past years a bit tannic. Needs to breathe! Always one to have on hand. — 8 years ago

V M

9.7

Gorgeous nose of warm berry bramble. Big mountain berries palate with vanilla and an amazing mineral finish that ends with a kiss of chocolate covered cherry. This is really great juice. Will get better with age although the formidable tannins are approachable now. Nice hidden gem. — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

Lovely earthy nose speaking of its terroir in volumes. Similar in style to neighbouring Brunellos but with more depth of flavour. This Sagratino was a WOW Wine for me. The often formidable tannins of this grape have been tamed and this is just a gorgeous savoury dry red with medium + intensity. Must purchase more Montefalco Sagrantino. — 9 years ago

Ryan Rozycki

9.5

An instant no-brainer as to how this wine won "Best of Class" for dry white wine in the 2016, but for myself and the rest of the cork-dorks, the amazing part of this wine winning Best in Class is that the grape is a lesser-known but equally formidable Alsatian grape called "Auxerrois". Peaches and pears galore on the nose, with a vibrant acidity bearing star-fruit, gooseberry, and even some pineapple on the palate, along with the peaches and pears. Don't be fooled by the label, this isn't wine made in some guy's garage, as the look of Fontaine's label may suggest, it's the real deal. This unoaked wine will leave you desperate for more as you try to unravel it, layer by layer. — 9 years ago

Cyril Hijar

9.1

Un formidable vin avec de l'équilibre et de la saveur — 10 years ago

Doctor No

9.4

First of all, too young. Explosive, spicy, chocolate, lilac, cassis and definitely on the Purp side of what I enjoy. Still a balancing acidity and formidable tannins that sneak up on you like a Barolo and end up hitting you square in the face and saying "don't you dare, you smug SOB". This is going to be my favorite wine in a decade or two and I'm going to wish I bought more. — 10 years ago

Eric Guido

9.4

The bouquet was remarkably fresh yet formidable with dark ripe cherry, raspberry, floral undergrowth, rich dark soil and mineral tones. Soft textures were offset by tart red fruits, inner florals, earth tones and sweet herbs. It finished fresh with crush cherry, minerals and a hint of lively tannin. — 10 years ago

Michael Phillips

9.9

Formidable! As good as it gets! — 10 years ago