Jay Kline

9.2

It’s been about 6 months since I last checked in on the 2016 vintage of Terre Nere’s Rosso di Montalcino. I was very impressed with the wine on release and I’m falling for how this wine is developing! Popped and poured; consumed during the duration of our Tuscan-inspired dinner. In the glass, a bright ruby with medium viscosity. Medium+ intensity. On the nose, waxy bing cherry fruit, flower shop, medium-aged Manchego cheese, bergamot, and dusty attic. I could smell this wine for hours and be satisfied! On the palate, a mix of red and dark cherry fruit, Earl Grey tea, tomato, orange citrus rind, and dusty earth. The freshness of this wine is simply awesome. Loads of structure for an RdM (some Brunellos may be jealous)…but it could also just be 2016 being 2016. The finish is long and as it lingers, comes across slightly saline. A fabulous wine with a long and exciting future. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The nose reveals; sour lemons, green apple skin, green apple Jolly Rancher, lime zest to candy, pineapple juice, underripe green melon, white peach, honeysuckle, some fresh, green herbs, white spices, cream, notes of melted butter, caramel notes, hints of vanillin, cream, some candle wax, steely flintiness, saline, sea fossils, powdery beautiful, chalkiness, limestone minerals, grey volcanics, fruit blossoms, spring flowers, jasmine & yellow florals.

The body is; a touch waxy, full, rich, round, lush & gorgeous. Great viscosity, tangy & sour lemons, green apple skin, green apple Jolly Rancher, lime zest to candy, pineapple juice, underripe green melon, white peach, honeysuckle, honeycombs, some fresh, green herbs, white spices, caramel notes, hints of vanillin, cream, steely, flintiness, white spices, mint, saline, sea fossils, powdery chalkiness, limestone minerals, grey volcanics, river stones, tree bark w/ just a touch of sap, fruit blossoms, spring flowers, jasmine & yellow florals. The acidity is like a rushing, fresh water Colorado river. The long; gorgeous, sexy, polished, elegant, finely balanced finish is excellent wire to wire and persists minutes.

Beautiful wine & vintage. It’s about 3-5 years away from 94 & has 10-15 years of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.

Quite good with Lamb Chopper harder white cheese & Rustic Bakery Rosemary & Olive Oil Organic Flatbread & the Jasper Hill Willoughby soft white cheese with the Firehook flatbread crackers.

Photos of; Domaine William Fevre, their Bougros Vineyard, Winemaker- Didier Séguier and the entrance to William Fevre. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

This is hard to beat at $25.

White cheese starter.

Copying over & updating earlier notes...

The nose reveals; waxy, sweet & sour lemons, the light, good/softer aspects of lemon pledge, lime zest, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, honeysuckle, apricots, white peach, orange rind, grapefruit w/ pith, tree bark, flintiness, notes of roasted caramel, vanillin, beautifully, elegant, grey volcanics, salty, powdery, even slightly floral chalkiness, white to lightly brown spices, sea spray, oyster notes, limestone/sandstone, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies framed in a field of spring flowers.

The body is thick, rich, lush and nicely rounded. If you like viscosity, no issues here. It guides over the palate presenting no mouth arguments. Waxy, sweet & sour lemons, the light, good/softer notes of lemon pledge, green & some golden apple with skin, lime zest, overripe pineapple, honeysuckle, apricots, white peach, orange rind, tropicals green melon, tree bark, notes of roasted caramel, beautifully, elegant, grey volcanics, salty, powdery, even slightly floral chalkiness, white to lightly brown spices with some medium palate heat, sea spray, oyster notes, sulfur/flintiness, limestone/sandstone, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies framed in a field of spring flowers. The acidity is near dead on...like a gentle cool stream. The long finish is, gorgeous & sexy, elegant, rich, good balance all around and persists gently for minutes.

Just gets better & better as it warms & opens up in the glass. This Bourgogne will add another point or two when I open my next bottle in 2-3 years. Except now, I own a bunch more of this 2018. Have some to enjoy early.

Excellent with our soft, white cheese...Jasper Hill Farms-Harbison. If you can find this cheese, it gets one of my highest recommendations. Bought it at Whole Foods but, you can always check JasperHillFarms.com if N/A where you shop.

Photos of; Masion Henri Boillot, Owner/Winemaker Henri Boillot, tasting room that looks into the barrel room and his Bonnes Mares Vineyard. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Finally a night or weekend we weren’t working on our rental, rushing to get some Christmas shopping done or getting ready to entertain holiday guests. It’s a night for us to chill out. That’s a good thing. It is also our final night to enjoy all our Christmas candlelights before we pack up tomorrow. 😔

We didn’t even enjoy any of one our very favorite N/V Rosé Champagnes over the holidays.

Tastes really good tonight. Showing shades of carbonated Dreamsicle or Creamsicle. However, you remember them growing up. Rich, ripe, candied & lean; black cherries, strawberries, cherries and summertime leaner watermelon. Baguette, grey volcanics, sea spray and finely powdered, razor sharp chalkiness with candied, pink rose pedals. Perfect, crisp, lively acidity and long, rich, well polished & balanced finish with persistence.

Hope you all have had a great start to 2020! — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 1961 Brane-Cantenac is a wine that I have been lucky enough to taste three or four times before. It’s a wonderful 1961 that comes racing out of the blocks, displaying vestiges of red fruit, autumn leaves, mint, chlorophyll and blood orange on the nose. It just feels multifaceted and more complex than the 1959, even if it does not quite reveal the same vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and impressive concentration. It is maybe a little rustic in style but certainly shows more depth and concentration than the 1961 Rauzan-Sègla that I tasted a month earlier. There is a touch of Earl Grey and tobacco lingering on the finish. Maybe this is in gradual decline, since it does not match the stellar bottle tasted back in 2010, yet it remains a great Margaux. Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, January 2019) — 6 years ago

Karie Butler

9.0

Delish but strong flavor, have with food — 7 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.2

Raspberry and spice flavors up front, followed by floral and earl grey tea. Silky, medium-long finish. Solid. Easily has 5 more years. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Well...this was one hell of a week. There is only one way to wind it down. Reach for an excellent bottle of vintage Champagne.

My first thoughts are how delicate this is on the palate. Further, how unbelievable it will be with another 8-10 years in bottle.

The nose shows; slightly sour lemon, the good parts of lemon Pledge, lemon meringue, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, brioche, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanilla, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies.

The body is light on its feet and dances on the palate. Delicacy abounds. Its soft, gorgeous mousse right there with the best money can buy. Slightly sour lemon, lemon meringue, green & with more bruised golden apple, white stone fruits, pineapple fresh with lots of juice, grapefruit, lime pulp, touch of apple cider, honeysuckle, soft, haunting caramel, ginger ale into cream soda, brioche, nougat, toffee notes, lighter nuts without skin, limestone & slightly, dirty, grey volcanics, saline, sea fossils, sea spray, bread dough, vanillin, marzipan, white spices-light ginger with spring flowers, mixed floral greens & lilies. The acidity is mellow yet lively, gorgeous and as good as it gets. The finish is all luxury. So well knitted & balanced, elegant, rich but not overpowering and gently persisting several minutes.

Photos of; The House of Taittinger, their caves so chalky white and built on the famous Crayères Cellars of Reims: 2.5 miles of tunnels (they own 1/4 to 1/3 of it) cut out of chalk by the Romans, the portrait of Thibaud IV who was a king, lord, manager, singer, conqueror, explorer & 11th century Crusader all rolled into one from which, this Cuvée was the catalyst creation and part of the 600 plus hectares they own in Champange.

Some producer notes; Taittinger's history can be traced back to 1734, when it was originally known as Forest-Fourneaux, founded by Jacques Fourneaux who worked closely with local Benedictine monks to learn how to produce wine. They were just the 3rd Champange house.

The estate was bought by the Taittingers – a family of wine merchants – in 1932, and thanks to the great depression and subsequent low land prices, the family also picked up huge swathes of vineyard. From 1945-1960, Francois Taittinger established the cellars in the Abbey of Saint-Nicaise, and after his death in 1960 his brother Claude took over, pushing the estate into a Champagne house of world renown. Such was the status of the label that the Taittinger family soon expanded its business into other luxury goods. However, this eventually led to financial difficulties, and in 2005 the Taittinger brand – including the Champagne house – was sold to the American owned Starwood Hotel Group. The sale was badly received by the Champagne industry, with many fearing the new owners – unfamiliar with the culture of Champagne – would put profit ahead of quality.

Just one year later, Claude’s nephew, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, who had always been opposed to the sale, negotiated a €660m deal with the Starwood Group, and the Taittinger family resumed ownership of the company.

In 2017, Taittinger planted its first vines in England, near a village in Kent, for its venture into English sparkling wine. The first bottle will be ready in 2023.

1/8/21 — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy Valentines Day!

If you have not looked for this wine on WineSearcher.com or other, you should. Dan Standish has no American Importer. However, you can mail order off his list. Good luck with the Australian/United States import costs. Very prohibited.

Most quality Barossa wines take 15 years in bottle to show their ultimate beauty. Dan’s wines are no different. His Estate vines are 100 years old and produce 500 pounds of fruit per acre...very concentrated. Contrast that to extremely expensive & high quality Napa fruit, those Napa producers are at 2,000-2,500 pounds per acre.

We visited Standish in April 2017. We found Dan to be extremely talented & definitely marches to his own drum. He is salt of the earth and has traveled & worked in many of the world wine regions honing his craft and landing as Torbreck’s Winemaker in Barossa before starting, “The Standish Wine Company.”

As good as the 04 is tonight, it has 15 years of good life ahead...properly stored of course.

The nose is very intoxicating. It is a nice blend of purple, black & blue fruits. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, medium dark spice, black pepper, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender.

The body is full, rich, ripe, lush and creamy on the palate after a two-hour plus decant. The structure, tension, length and balance are a little short of its peak and will hold there for 5-8 years. It’s a glorious glide on the palate. The fruits are ripe & lightly baked. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, cherry kirsch, red & black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, the dark spices are heavier on the palate & bring just the right amount of heat, sweet, dark tarriness, black pepper, used, dark expresso roast grounds, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone, moist clay, with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender. The acidity is round, flush & perfect. The long finish is a unique even balance of; lush fruits, spice, herbs and earth that persists on the palate for minutes.

Photo on the left of Sofia’s 2 dozen long stems. Love you so much!

@Oswald — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The fruits are ripe, ruby. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries & strawberries. Dark rich soils, dark spice, crushed dry rocks, black licorice, tobacco, soft leather, graphite, Great balance fruit and earth. The body is velvety and statin. The structure, length, tension and balance are just coming around. The texture is gorgeous. The acidity is round and excellent. The finish delicious and persists nicely.

Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Jen & Will

10

This was the 1999 Barton Family Reserve zin. Not the big bad wolf. Couldn’t find this in the DB. Amazed it held up. Very soft for a zin, closer to a Pinot, plum, cloves, earth, apricot. — 7 years ago

A. R.

8.9

On the nose, black cherries, black tea and orange peels. In the mouth, black cherries, earl grey tea and high acidity. Good mid-palate. Medium-long finish. Very smooth and very modern. Great QPR for a Pinot at this level, however it is not my preferred style. — 8 years ago

Paul T HB

9.5

Just in from Jersey, $22.00 no tax free shipping. Buy it by the case all day long. Skip the Bevan & buy this
Retail notes,

There’s a sweet-spot for domestic Sauvignon Blanc found in a special part of Bennett Valley that experiences a strong maritime influence as it flows through the Petaluma Gap to Sonoma Mountain. Within that funnel of cooling coastal air, the Dry Stack Vineyard is in a prime location at 550 feet elevation at the base of Mt. Taylor. I’m continually drawn to Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Stack and the vineyard produces fruit with detailed notes of fresh guava, rocky minerals, ripe tangerine and mineral infused citrus. You might be familiar with Russell Bevan’s version from Dry Stack, and Grey Stack has been a pillar on our tasting list in Yountville.

With Grey Stack, everything begins in the Vineyard with exceptional quality fruit, but from there, the wine is given a voice by winemaker Patrick Sullivan, whose experience includes making wine at Peter Michael, Paul Hobbs, Lewis Cellars and Rudd. This is absolutely one of the finest examples of California Sauvignon Blanc with its superior focus and incredibly vivid, distinctive flavors. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, or better yet, even if you don’t… Try this one and you’ll probably never look back. — 5 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

This is a beautiful Carménère, all earthy and full of savory minerality. The blackberry and black plum aromas creep through the smell of that dirt with tar, forest floor and tobacco all over them. A hint of vanilla sweetens the sniff a bit. On the palate, the dark fruit is draped in sweet oak spice, and you’ll find a bucketful of tannins until the glass has been sitting for awhile. This is a steak wine, intended for a big, juicy piece of beef. — 5 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.3

This wine is dark and savory. The black fruit comes along with cedar, vanilla and a chalky earth tone. Nothing like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, but more in line with Paso Robles. Lots of South American minerals having a bit of roughhouse here. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Four day weekend. Gotta get it off to a good start. Been awhile since we had our 375ml of Ruinart.

The nose shows, ripe, slightly candied; black cherries, strawberries, kirsch cherries, rich, summertime watermelon, touch of orange citrus family blend, pomegranate juice, hints of fruit roll up & haunting apricots. Sea fossils & spray, a little bread dough, grey volcanics, chalky powder, orange, spring flowers with fresh & withering, red & pink rose pedals.

The palate is full & touch gummy/candied. Fruits are well extracted, deep, ruby; black cherries, blackberries, strawberries, kirsch cherries, rich, summertime watermelon, touch of orange citrus family blend, pomegranate juice, hints of fruit roll up & haunting apricots. Ghostly, not quite fruit brandy or fruit liqueur character, sea fossils & spray, a little bread dough, not quite medium, white spice with hints of palate heat, grainy, grey volcanics, chalky powder, orange, spring flowers with fresh & withering, red & pink rose pedals. The acidity lively and crisp. The round, well balanced & polish finish is always consistently satisfying and lingers for minutes.

Photos of; the House of Ruinart, Dom Thierry Ruinart, nicely light caves and rolling, hillside, Grand Cru Vineyard.

Not quite sure where “D” gets $83 when you can buy this all day at just under $65. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Champagne is for celebrating, not that I need a celebratory reason to open a bottle as I am hooked on champagne. 💉

However, after installing 27 solar panels and waiting an additional seven weeks for my Tesla, I/we have almost erased our carbon footprint. Finally picked it up today. I believe we all need to do our part to save the glorious vines that bring so much happiness to our lives. 🍷🥂👍

As for the Baron Fuentes, the is a very good Champange and is perhaps the best QPR out of Champagne at $24.99.

Bright lemon, lime, grapefruit w/ sugar, bruised red apple & pear, touch of ginger & cider, bread dough, baguette crust, sea spray, white spice with some palate heat, sea fossils, grey volcanic minerals, spring flowers, lilacs and yellow lilies. The acidity is bright, crisp and lively. The finish is smartly polished, well balanced and persistent for minutes.

Whoo hoo! So close to carbon free! 🍾🥂 — 6 years ago

Konrad Ziegler

9.1

At The Grey in Savannah — 7 years ago

Alan Gibrán

8.9

Un Syrah qué hay que dejar respirar una hora para obtener lo mejor de él, amarrado olor a barrica — 8 years ago

Arun Raniga

9.1

Smooth and soft 2012 vintage on 1 Sept 2017 — 8 years ago