Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

No detailed notes as we were at dinner with friends. Three Somm’s present for dinner and all thought this was wine of the night. I was one of them.

I believe their 15 is even better than their fantastic 2010.

If you are not familiar with this producer & terroir, I highly recommend you do. It remains under most consumers radar. I should probably stay silent on it as it will only drive up demand and price. But, good wine is meant to be shared with people who know how to appreciate it. This is around $55 on pre-arrival and $70ish if not bought on pre-arrival.

Olivier Lamy left the family Domaine to learn from other producers before returning to his family Domaine. He made Méo-Camuzet for few years just before his return.

The body was thick and slightly waxy. Nice green apple, pineapple, lime, honeysuckle, fruit blossoms with excellent round acidity, texture, elegant and well polished finish.

Recommend you slightly over chill it and decant it for an hour if you drink it this young. After it hour, it really blossoms.

Photos of, the Domaine property, Saint-Aubin Vineyard, amazing Saint-Aubin Chardonnay grapes and Domaine building sign — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 8 years ago

Gae Saccoccio - NdC

9.8

Vintage 1949 in Burgundy according to Broadbent: “..most perfect end of a decade - elegant, well-balanced wines”; Clive Coates in his book Cote D'Or: "best vintage of 40's all-perfect beauty and purity”; Robert M. Parker Jr.: “it was the best of post world war II vintages before 1959”
Henri Leroy at that time was négociant based in Auxey-Duresses, his mythical daughter Lalou Bize-Leroy in 1949 was only seventeen.
Les Cazetiers is amongst the most elevated of Premier Cru site in Gevrey-Chambertin - and indeed the whole of Burgundy.
I drank this precious bottle on Mount Etna with #FrankCornelissen and other dear friends. Uncork this bottle lead to a surgical operation. Just begun to pull it out, a light breath of wine molecule with air bubbles magically have emerged on the surface of the cork. It's been like witness the passing away of a dying old man (or Pinot Noir must be a woman?) That humanized wine had held "élan vital", hope and breath inside him for the last 66 years! A miracle of a wine still so tasty, robust, citrusy, vibrant, earthy, incredibly alive and well-preserved despite color and neck level did not bode so well.. that's what I thought and I'll remember until I die: "the wine was waiting for us to drink it up, he gave off his mortal blow to offer us life, joy and smile!" — 10 years ago

with Alberto

Olga Franneck@gmail.com

9.1

This is a Brut which suits me! Not too dry neither too sweet as the rest of the sparklin g/champagne of SA! Easy to drink! Line or with friends! Love it! — 10 years ago

Adam Sabin

9.2

Fantastic Moscato. Not my favorite grape varietal, but it definitely fit the bill for my friends who love it. — 10 years ago

Bobby Linsley

9.2

I really wanted to enjoy this wine but it fell flat. One of my friends told me you should never drink aged cabernet expecting it to be a crowd pleaser, he was right. It is a brilliantly made wine in terms of structure and acidity but still too tannic and grippy on the palette. Maybe it's indicative of the wine's superb structure but not my bag at all. Definitely seeing how cabernet is the thinking man's wine... — 10 years ago

Bernard Rethore

Owner, Fion Wines

9.1

Back in 2006, I had the good fortune to invest in a box of the Neal vineyard designated bottlings pre-release. They have been sleeping in my cellar ever since. Last night, Tony the Fish, who is a frequent contributor to these pages, arrived with a bottle of the 2010 Neal cab sav. It was a solid effort and Mrs Fish quite enjoyed it. As we finished the bottle I remembered I had some of the 2003 vineyard designated wines in the back of the cellar and figured it was time to check in on them. We started with the Second Chance from Atlas Peak. Generally I am a mountain fruit guy, and like the volcanic soil that yields low yielding structured wines. There was plenty of stuffing left after 11 years, and a nice contrast to the 2010 cab sav blend. We then moved to Chafen. Another mountain- Howell this time, slightly lower elevation vineyard. This wine was bigger than the Second Chance with mouthfuls of ripe cassis, berry fruit and coffee- almost a cocoa powder character to it. The final wine of the night - and best of show - was the Howell Mountain Estate. Dark rich tannins with intense velvety chocolate cake flavors. This was a fun night going from the 2010 blend to the all 2003 single vineyard designates. Most of us aren't patient enough or buy them as a group so you can taste them altogether at once. Everyone should do this from to time. It reminds me at least of how different climate and soil can be in the same year. It's even better with friends. Thank you Mr Fish for the inspiration. — 11 years ago

with Susan

Bryan Kesting

9.4

A few friends got together to drink a couple Cayuse “Armada” wines. One was a 2005 library wine purchased over the summer and the 2012 I had. The biggest difference between the two was the long finish on the 2005. I do feel if you give the 2012 a few more years it will be the overall better wine. I felt like it had more going on. The 2012 was fresh and lively just without the long finish. — 7 years ago

Mike R

9.4

1993 mag - big bold and beautiful - one hour decant was needed and frighten when cork was cracked when pulling but man this big boy was singing

Now all that said - this wine was absolutely ready to be enjoyed - if sitting on this one better drink it

Color was darkest red and smell had it all with the taste of black fruits and the finish was not the longest but definitely satisfying

Good friends and good wine equals great smiles — 8 years ago

Norman

9.7

Hard to go wrong and to enjoy this with this many friends bumped up the rating. Incredibly generous by @Jason Cutrer to bring a bottle of this and the 12. Who does that?!?! Super special. I’m putting this above the 12 and the 23 we had later in the night. Atmosphere had a lot to do with it. And to the attempted photo bomber Sherry - #fail!!!! — 8 years ago

with Jason

Scott Cowan

8.9

Delicious. Drink immediately as I don't think it will age any better than it is and might have reached its peak last year? Full of several layers of flavors but I get the sense that there might have been a bit more poignancy to the spices and a longer finish at its peak. Maybe it never reached as high as the bottle last night hinted it could?
Excellent with beef or lamb. Medium bodied. Perfect for friends at an informal dinner — 9 years ago

Eric Gardner

9.0

I'm a softy for this winemaker. They are beloved by the cats who run Enotecca Piti Gola in Florence, where they sell old vintages of it by the glass. Every year they send some to me in the States. For me, when I drink it, I'm drinking good memories and it brings me back to a lost time. — 10 years ago

laura Sidney

8.9

Needs to open or better with food. But who am I to complain?! I'd drink this wine anytime it was poured in my glass. — 10 years ago

with Jim

Jim McCusker

9.5

Wow. Anyone who says a viognier can't age is just WRONG. This is fantastic. Doesn't have the florals that you might expect for a viognier, but after 5 years this wine has evolved to something truly special. Jeff, you would love the petrol character of this wine. Complexity that it did not have upon release, this wine has layers and flavor profiles you would never expect from a viognier. Just goes to show that John Alban (along with Manfred Krankle, Cris Cherry, and Anthony Kinero) are the masters of white Rhones in the central coast. This is an absolute privledge to drink. — 10 years ago

with Vanessa

Madalyn Kissel

9.0

I thought this was a lovely wine. Very smooth and slightly sweet, it was easy and pleasant to drink (though it followed a wine I liked less). Drinking at home with friends over during a grilling night on 10/27/15. — 10 years ago

Harry larson

8.9

Ok simmer down. If you want to be a wine snob it's not that great. If you want a great summer drink that's also a wine... It's fantastic! Drink it on the deck with friends !! — 10 years ago

Andy Paynter

8.9

Great cab franc. Very simple but well balanced. Good dark red fruit and an acidity that lends a juicy tone to a fairly well structured wine. If you can get it for less than 20 bucks do it. But drink it soon and with friends. Grabbed the 2012 vintage from chambers street wines. — 10 years ago

CynCon

10

Waited over a year to drink this wine.. Bought it in Paris during our honeymoon and was slated to be uncorked on our first wedding anniversary... Until, that is, Vivian came along! Good things come to those who wait! — 12 years ago

Shannon Jones

10

I bought this lovely wine from a lovely Frenchman who said I spoke French very well. I was supposed to save it for friends but I opened it up after work instead. It is meaty and spicy on the nose with notes of black pepper and allspice. Tart with red fruits. — 13 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I’ve had at least two cases of the 97 over the last eight years or more. Our friends Jeff & Hedy brought this bottle of 97 to dinner tonight. It’s the best bottle of this wine I’ve had. We drank our last bottle roughly two years ago. The wine continues to improve. Tonight it’s so lush, ruby, elegant with blue & dark & mid red fruits. Great balance of fruit & earth. So beautiful & easy to drink. The 97 vintage was one no one wanted to buy as it was critically panned. I have said this many times, “in every difficult vintage, there are always producers that make good wine.” In the case of the Potensac, it took 15+ years to fully spread its wings and it continues to improve with another 10 years left ahead. No critic would have told you in 98 & 99 when the initial reviews came out to buy this wine. Potensac is made by the same technical team as Leoville Las Cases. Always follow good producers, even in difficult years. K&L bought 5,000 cases of this wine 10+ years after the fact. They are Masters in Bordeaux wines for this kind of value. Clyde took the shipments in two blocks of 2500 cases and sold through them in about a year or less at $24.99 a bottle. It remains the bargain of a lifetime! @Shay A This is the wine you want to buy to keep you from opening your 09’s & 10’s too early. So delicious tonight!!! Photos of; Potensac, concrete tanks, fruit near harvest and their barrel room. — 8 years ago

David Gillespie

9.4

A gem I don’t want anyone else to know about. Buying a case and putting it away, a light red for people who don’t like light reds, and far more interesting than most of what those who do will drink instead. — 8 years ago

Justin Molis

8.9

Been holding this wine since day one. Glad I got to drink it with good friends. Still plenty of fruit a d good tannic structure. — 8 years ago

Nate

9.0

Very nice flavor. Easy to drink. Friends love it. — 9 years ago

Biagio Distefano

9.6

Who said you need to bet a lot to drink a fine wine?
Beautiful and complex, multilayer of fruit and evolution, tougether with a perfect acidity, Couldn't stop drinking it. — 10 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.8

Hello friends and wine lovers. This is another wonderful California Cab from NAPA. Gamble Family Vineyard has done an amazing job with this wine. The cork was perfect. The color is a deep dark purple and the legs are long but not very thick. It's 13.9 %. The bouquet is ripe fig trees loaded with figs.The initial palate is blackberry and earth. The finish is dry with no sour hint at all. WOW. Leaves me thirsty for the next sip, and a sip of water for the dryness. I can drink this all night with no regrets. If it were 14% and darker, I would feel it the next day! Its light but much heavier than a pinot. I love this wine!!!!!!!!!!! — 10 years ago

Christopher Bates

Master Sommelier, Owner/Winemaker Element Winery

9.9

Well. I've thought a lot about this, and what to say. Drank same night as the drc I posted the other night. This is the bottle I have wanted to drink for almost a decade. I hoped to drink it the night I passed the masters but could not afford it. I've dreamt about it, searched for it, and boot strapped for it. While tasting blind is a wonderful way to evaluate wine purely on its content, this acts as an ultimate reason not to. I wanted to taste the wine, but more, I wanted to be a part of the story. I wanted to be a part of the time and the place. To make this only months after finally being released from a pow camp and finding vines that had gone wild on your return. To feel the joy, and despair of that year! It amazed me. And to share that story, that struggle through wine is amazing. I actually think I cried a bit (and now). Either way, it was an honor and a pleasure to finally get to open this and share it with some of my dearest friends. Oh, and story aside, it's one of the greatest wines I've ever had in my life. With story, I'm not sure I will ever get to taste anything so good again. — 10 years ago

with Isabel

Megan King

9.0

I'm not the biggest rosé fan. Too bad coz I live in rosé climate. This however was a delight. My friends parents insisted we drink it as its from Bandol an area of Provence known for their rosé. It was dry without the boredom and more structured with a bigger body and tannic without the tart on one hand or sweet on the other. It's a cosmopolitan rosé- enjoyed in NYC, holding its own with political debate or high fashion outfits — 10 years ago

markus gould

8.9

what a special drink!
ancient recipe of piedmont winemakers using barolo, china-bark and plenty of (partially medicinal) herbs.
curing your upset stomach after a heavy meal, and it's said that it may heal emerging flu if taken in time...

who needs more proof that alcohol is remedy..? — 10 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.5

Amazing Merlot!!! Pure pleasure - an extraordinary mix of power freshness and complexity. A masterpiece. Those who know me, know that I don't easily grant 5 stars. But here each star is well deserved!!!

My score 95, drink 2014-2028!

The wine is almost black in color, the nose is seductive and essentially you fall in love with this wine from the first sniff. The aromas are rich and concentrated, plum, black cherry, sweet spices, licorice, coffee, chocolate, blueberry jam and much more. Body is full, chewy, rich intense , rich and extracted, a rare combination of fruit forward and freshness, the tannins are round, smooth and caressing, the light acidity keeps you addicted. The finish is long, and addictive.. Impossible to stop drinking it — 11 years ago

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.3

Jou Jou Vin 2011 Mossik Cabernet Franc from White Rock Vineyard, Napa Valley. It's always difficult when tasting friends wines to remain objective, and while I want to shout this wine from the hilltops (Radio-Coteau style!) I also want to be I also aspire to eliminate personal biases - positive or negative. Jou Jou you should know your wine received much conversation towards a mostly positive frame. The touch of brettanomyces was dually noted, there were comments on carbonic maceration, but I found balance throughout. I jested about the wine being topped with Baudry La Croix Boissée but the fact is, this wine has a strain of brett that works well with the fruit. The brett adds a spicy, wet earth, or mulchy wet tobacco leaf component that lends itself to wines of Chinon or Bordeaux. Is that replicable? Future vintages will tell. Will it grow in bottle? I plan to drink many more for my own recognizance. First day had some notes of carbonic maceration and brighter red fruits, along with that leafy Cab Franc character, fine dense tannins and moderate acidity with a slight sour note likely a proponent of brett. Day 2: I'll be damned. This is some damn good shit. It's worth that $250 dollar price tag! ;) But truly, the leaf/mulch quality is intact and integral, the darker berry fruits come out but there is still a pleasant sour cherry mid-palate that combines with the albeit softer yet still dense/fine mouth filling tannins. I realize part of the reason this wine was the talk of the blind tasting was that the brett, while in balance, set it apart from every other wine tasted. It was unique, it spoke of an older world style, it crept up in conversation because it lent something else to talk about. Kudos Jou Jou. The wine was made from 12 year old CF vines farmed organically (uncertified) grown in a layer of white volcanic ash. Grapes are fermented WC with ambient yeast in open top macro-bins, gently foot tread, native ML, pressed dry into 75% neutral FO and 25% Stainless Steel. 50 ppm SO2 added post ML, 10-15ppm added before bottling, racked once to bottle in June 2012. 25 cases produced. Good luck finding some! — 12 years ago