Ground Control

J. Hofstätter

Alto Adige-Südtirol Gewürztraminer 2017

Phenomenal at this price. Parma violets on the nose, lychee and floral aromatics throughout the palate. Some awesome turpene control going on at Hofstätter. Balanced acid and scarily drinkable. — 7 years ago

Kongsgaard

The Judge Napa Valley Chardonnay 2010

Cult chard tasted alongside a 2010 Aubert Lauren Chard....this one lost by a unanimous vote (and it wasn't even a blind vote either). I think everyone WANTED the Judge to win, but there was nothing to Judge here. At least for THIS COMPARISON, in 2018, the Aubert was the winner. BUT, this Judge chard did have more acidity up front than the Aubert, and IMO this wine has more aging potential than the 2010 Lauren Chard, which was pretty much right on the top of the hill tonght. Hard to beat a wine in its prime window, but goes to show you that Aubert makes chards that will compete with this kind of opponent. Lots of acid up front. Stone ground fruit entry, mineral-rich middle. I think that I was getting more pear than anything else here, but there was a hint of youthful butter and some dates. Finishes with actually a really nice fruit/nutty/almost gritty/tannin character for about 60 seconds, which is the one thing I will say that I give advantage to the Judge. Bravo! — 7 years ago

Dan FitzgeraldShay AKeith Fisher
with Dan, Shay and 1 other
Shay, Eric and 35 others liked this
Norman

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Two great wines. Not a fan of pear but generally love Kongs
Benjamin Keator

Benjamin Keator

Who opened this?
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Benjamin Keator : I think it was Al

My first “Judge”. Incredibly inviting and a wonderful entry and mid palate. Great weight. Mark mentioned notes of pear which I agree with, alongside a pineapple purée. Impressed at where this was 8 years in and think this probably has a few more years of prime drinking.
9.4

Ground Effect

Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Ripe fruit gives way to baking spices baking spices baking spices. Jammy but not overly so. This is a unique little number, very interesting and agreeable — 8 years ago

Joshua liked this

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Bolgheri Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Big nose with concentrated notes of dark cherries, licorice, forrest ground, leather, coffee and bitter chocolate. Very big body, massive but still elegant fruit, complex aromas, potent tannins, well balanced, long aromatic finnish. — 9 years ago

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 1975

In English and French.

What a luck !

- A magnum Hermitage La Chapelle 1975 from Paul Jaboulet Aîné.

Bottle opened 24 hours before drink.

The wine is brown and trouble.

A big density, the bouquet offer lot of spicies, cinnamon, dried grappe, old cherry in alcool, date fruit.

The palate :

Full of spicies, deep. Again the cinnamon followed by date fruit and dried grappes, smooth and elegant, a long and fresh finish on the ground aromas like mushroom an old and luxury wood.

Not so old ! A great wine. Loved it.

Around 1200 - 1700 €


- Chance incroyable !

Degustation autour de ce magnum de 1975. Rare. Bouteille ouverte 24h à l'avance.

Sous sa robe usée, trouble et marron, ce vin cache une ceritable fraîcheur.

Son bouquet s'ouvre sur les épices, cannelle, fruits secs, raisins secs, cerise à l’eau de vie et dattes fraîches d'Iran.

Un grand bol de fruits secs, d'épices, de dattes, beaucoup de matière et de tendresse. Un style tout en élégance.
Une longue finale sur des notes tertiaires de mousse, champignon, et de vieux cèdre.

Très beau. J'ai beaucoup aimé.
Attention, le goût de vieux vins est toujours particulier !

Autour de 1200 - 1700 €.

À bientôt.
Florian.
— 9 years ago

qiyuchen liked this

Pierre Gaillard

Malleval Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2009

Some of the best damn Côte Rotie I've had. Love this producer. Aromatic intensity with no shortage of ground pepper and bacon fat aromas. — 10 years ago

Molly BrooksAdam JesbergerJenelle Cook
with Molly, Adam and 1 other
Molly, Serge and 13 others liked this
Chuy Galvan

Chuy Galvan Influencer Badge

Shoukd have showed you the ones I had. I had his collabo with Cuilleron and Villard. Amazing wines
Christanna Honer

Christanna Honer Influencer Badge

@Chuy Galvan well now you're just teasing me!!

Edmunds St. John

Higher Ground Syrah 1997

Austin Ferrari
9.2

Dog fell asleep on this beauty! — 11 years ago

Kit HBrian GrzybowskiJohn Donaghue
with Kit, Brian and 1 other
David, Anthony and 1 other liked this
Kit H

Kit H Premium Badge

This had its ups and downs. Graphite, garrigue, olive tapenade, menthol.

Ground Effect

Rock Garden Red Blend

A standard for Grenache/Syrah blend — 11 years ago

Real Companhia Vinicola do Norte de Portugal

Vintage Porto 1847

The year when Kristianstad burned down to the ground. A mind blowing wine. Room filling bouquet, vigorous, balanced and an infinite length. Decanted 2,5 h — 12 years ago

Victor Appelqvist

Victor Appelqvist

Fantastic to have tried this!

Château Giscours

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

One of my of time favourite Margauxs & this toop vintage @ £65-£85 is a great price for the top quality 😉 good now but great in 5 more years 👍

🏵 93 points with more potential

🍇 71% Cabernet Sauvignon & 29% Merlot

🍷 Opaque blackened ruby

👃 Rich dark creamy blackcurrants through soft smoked oak, soggy earth & dark plum w/ minerals, gooey cocoa, broken pencil lead & melted liquorice

👄 Med body of silky goo mashed blackcurrant in an earthy mineral infused mocha liquorice splatter w/ a touch of fine dry tannins

🎯 Long rich dry bitter ground mocha liquorice dark fruit boom 💥
— 7 years ago

Chris, Eric and 32 others liked this
Stephen Pierron

Stephen Pierron

One of my favorite wineries @Chris England !!! Beautiful property and nice B&B too!
Ron R

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I love this wine. Reasonably priced, too!

Domaine No Control

Rockaille Billy Gamay

No control — 7 years ago

Sion and _groke_ liked this

Feudo di Santa Croce

Primitivo di Manduria 2010

Wow, what a deal at < $20 / bottle
Wine spectator says
#69 of top 100 of 2014.
A burly, brambly red, underscored by tarry smoke and underbrush notes, offering flavors of blackberry coulis, herb-marinated black olive, grilled mushroom and ground spice. This shows muscle that recommends it to short-term cellaring, made accessible by integration and balance. Drink now through 2024. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
#69 – 91 points
— 8 years ago

Château Angélus

St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Ron R
9.7

Look, most of the crew came to play, as you can see. They brought the Napa cults in spades. We wanted to spoil the U.S. party, so we dropped this into the mix.
It was a change of lanes, but the Angelus was on cruise control. Different genre in relation to the Napa penis extensions, but it held its own. I suppose, as a European, I would characterize this as an intellectual wine. Donald Trump may not appreciate this... 😊
— 9 years ago

Martin G RivardMike RDavid L
with Martin, Mike and 5 others
Martin, Mike and 35 others liked this
Bill Bender

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Please raise 2 @Ron R.....you may have heard that I like pairs....
Ron R

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@Bill Bender, solid gold...
Mike R

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Thanks Bill
9.7

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

Sweet ceder, ground coffee, sweet dried meat coated in a distant vanilla molases sauce, fresh moss / distant moss, med, lean, — 9 years ago

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2001

2001 developed well in in the glass. Definitely found some coffee ground notes in addition to the currant and tobacco. Medium body. — 10 years ago

Hallowed Ground

Proprietary Red Blend 2014

Delicious tart cherries and vanilla finish. Love it, great sipper on its own — 11 years ago

Ground Effect

Gravity Check White Blend 2012

Jon Bonné
9.2

2012. Really happy to see a new vintage of this appear. — 11 years ago

Julia, Sasha and 9 others liked this

Arianna Occhipinti

SP68 Bianco Terre Siciliane Albanello Muscat of Alexandria 2012

Peach jolly rancher wrapper with a hint of ground cherry. Creamy, yet bracing. Super nice! — 11 years ago

Matthew liked this

Bruno Debize

Morgon Gamay 2009

Deliciously pure black fruit 09 flavors wrapped up in granite and ground pepper. A blast to drink.. — 13 years ago

Viña Errazuriz

Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Somm David T
9.4

The 2015 quality producer reds out of; Puente Alto, Maipo, Pirque and Aconcagua are strong considerations for your cellar or temp & humidity control cabinets. The fruit is sensational and the acidity is beautiful.

The nose is ripe, ruby floral and show slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, blueberries, dark cherries, black raspberries. Some creamy raspberries, black cherry licorice/cola, dark semi-sweet soil, nice baking spices, cedar and fresh red & dark florals.

The body is gorgeous and full. The tannins are rounded, firm and gluey. The fruits are ripe, slightly candied and fresh. blackberries, blueberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, some creamy raspberries, strawberries, black cherry licorice/cola, dark, nice herbal notes, semi-sweet dark soil, dry loamy top soils, dry stems, chewy leather, lighter baking spices than the nose, cedar and fresh red & dark florals.

Photos of; their tasting in the old Viña, two vistas from their property and the newer more modern Viña.
— 7 years ago

Sofia, Shay and 12 others liked this

T-Vine Cellars

Hallowed Ground California Red Blend

Chocolate and cherry on the nose, lots of depth both in the glass and in this poetry reading @amysaulderby #wizardtower — 7 years ago

Stuart, Ron and 14 others liked this

Domaine No Control

Bullette dans ta tête Gamay Blend 2016

A hazy, pale red in color, juicy raspberry notes, lovely acid and a clean dry, finish that make this Pet Nat perfect for a rich meal or just to cheer you up. — 8 years ago

Le Vieux Donjon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Lovely nose. Covered dark fruits; not too bright. But taste is fresher fruits. A tad too fruity for me but balanced. Tannins present but under control. Would like to try in 5 years. — 9 years ago

Higher Ground

Monterey County Pinot Noir 2014

Great, smooth but interesting Pinot. Terrific price. — 9 years ago

Patti and Lizette liked this
Patti Pontrelli

Patti Pontrelli

Fruit forward, loved it.

Azienda Agricola COS

Pithos Rosso Vittoria Nero d'Avola Frappato 2014

Brent Mayeaux
9.1

2nd day open with leftover lasagna. There is bret, but it really seems integrated if you can imagine that. It just seems to accentuate and lift some nice character. Pretty levels of VA as well. Bright aromas of sour cherry/candy, dried flowers/rose. Same on the palate with some herbs just yanked out of the ground with dirt still on them. Moderately tannic but with mouth-moistening acidity balancing it out.

Structure and fruit profile actually reminds me of a Langhe or northern Piedmont Nebbiolo... But with bret.

I had kind of been down on COS and Occhipinti recently, but this was nice.
— 9 years ago

Anthony and Michael liked this

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona

Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2001

This wine is out of control. Peak bomb.com. Wow — 10 years ago

Lyle, Jim and 1 other liked this

The Ojai Vineyard

50% Roll Ranch Vineyard 50% Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah 2000

An opaque red/purple, the '00 Ojai Syrah '50% Roll Ranch 50% Bien Nacido' is richly scented with black raspberry, ground pepper and dark cherry notes. Powerful mouth-coating flavors of ripe black fruits with spicy cracked peppercorn accents then flood the palate. The fully-rounded and well-integrated tannins make the lingering finish lip-smackingly delicious. — 10 years ago

Martin, Matt and 3 others liked this

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2013

Austin Ferrari
9.4

Ground breaking! Thanks to one of my best buddies.. Happy Thanksgiving! — 11 years ago

Anthony Lynch
with Anthony
Anthony, Alishia and 4 others liked this
Anthony Lynch

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Glad you liked it!! cheers!!

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1999

Paul Kaan
9.4

1999 Vieux-Telegraphe ... Brett is under control. Super complex, layered, yummy, textured happiness in a glass! — 11 years ago

David, Matthew and 2 others liked this
Matthew Gray

Matthew Gray

Looking forward to when I crack open my bottle!
Paul Kaan

Paul Kaan Influencer Badge

Jealous, was my last one Matthew. Looking good now, plenty of life left! I'd hang off a few more years.