Hence Cellars
Mauro Vannucci
Il Sasso Carmignano Sangiovese Blend 2015
2015 Piaggia “Il Sasso” Carmignano. Made with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. It’s dark ruby red in color, rich & plump in flavor. Aromas of lavender, spice, & tobacco please your senses. Firm tannins here hence plenty of life ahead. A very dark fruit-driven wine. Cheers🍷 — 3 years ago
Cortijo Los Aguilares
Tadeo Serranía de Ronda Petit Verdot 2017
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. — 3 years ago
Iota
Pelos-Sandberg Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011
A personal favorite producer of mine from OR. Very small lots - hence the name. Ages well, this is the 2011 vintage. Hard to find this level of quality at the price point. I think I paid $45, they usually have a Berzerker Day deal (if you don’t know what that is, Google it, and thank me later lol). — 8 months ago
Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou
Les Quartz Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2017
Another fabulous wine at Estiatorio Milos. Are you ready? Apparently the reason it’s called Quartz, is the stones in the earth absorb the sun’s heat, keeping the roots of the vines warmer during cooler night temps! Hence this delicious wine! Love learning these nuggets - pun intended — 2 years ago
Jam Cellars
Butter California Chardonnay
Very buttery hence the name. 🤣 i like it! — 3 years ago
Cantina dei Produttori Carema
Riserva Carema Nebbiolo
Less fruit than the Classico, a bit more brooding and one more for the future perhaps. Today I’d rather drink the Classico, hence the higher score. — 3 years ago
Domaine Louis Moreau
Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Chardonnay 2017
I’m on vacation so I broke my mid-week fast!
In my mind, this is another top drawer French producer. No perceptible fault lines on the nose or palate. Think about the number of producers in France producing Chablis and you realize that it’s a struggle to innovate within that market, but Moreau pulls it off.
This is laser focused and tense. Unsure if this sees oak, hence the focus. Notes of wet stones, peach and lemon. The mid palate displays zippy acidity and a deftly balanced mouthfeel. If you like French chards, you’ll enjoy this. — 2 years ago
Dassai Sake Brewery
Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo Yamaguchi Sake
Behold, the Desai 23, my favorite of them all. Abv 16%. The numbers designate the amount of polishing of the rice - the remaining amount of the original kernel. Hence lower is better, and hence the price difference. — 3 years ago
Vignobles Bodillard
Cuvée Alexia Morgon Tradition Gamay 2017
I love dime. Absolutely love it. It’s been a pleasure to explore it beyond the village level. Wonderful lush and freshness of strawberry and hence a peppery radish and excellent floral notes throughout. We had this with some smoked Gouda and triple cream brie and it was amazing how each cheese brought out different flavors inherent in the wine. Could not have enjoyed it more. — 3 years ago
Delectable Wine
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The 2021 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru was bottled the previous May. It is still obdurate and backward on the nose with touches of yellow fruit and a hint of white peach. The palate is taut and fresh, very saline, but perhaps it doesn't quite deliver the knockout finish I expected from barrel, hence my slightly lower score. Still a serious Chablis, though. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2023)
— 7 months ago