Lawrence Bernstein

9.2

7/21 With Kurt. Flawless beauty. Soft resolved tanins with a medium to strong body and a smooth finish. High marks. 92. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.5

Gave this 2 hrs slow ox after reading prev CT notes. (The person whom I buy this from said:."uncork, place in cool cellar for 5-7 days corked, and then try"). This is glorious Meursault, and did not show tight to my palate. On the nose: soft reduction, lime, lemon oil, a hint of vanilla, apple, just so aromatically dense. On the palate: the acidity is unbelievably lively, good density, loads of minerality, lemon/lime...ok, density builds to a beguiling finish. I don't want to wax rhapsodic about this wine because the prices are already so high... — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

For all of you that drink; SQN, Cayuse & Horsepower, if you haven’t tried a well aged Rostaing, you are missing the best aspect of Syrah.

Côte de Rôtie translates in English into Roasted Slope. That’s exactly what this wine defines.

The Ampodium is a blend of 7-8 different Rhône vineyards. 2010 a dynamic vintage in Northern Rhône.

I bought this recently at auction and it has been decently stored but not quite ideally stored.

The nose reveals; roasted chestnut, stewed; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries on the high nose & backend of the fruit, used coffee grounds, soft leather, dry tobacco, savory meats, dark, moist soils, anise to black licorice, fresh sage & bay leaf with candied; dark, red, blue, purple florals in a field of lavender.

The palate is; fresh, ripe, juicy, elegant and nicely resolved. The structure, tension, balance and length are perfect. It is for the palates that love elegance & beauty, not brawn & ABV. Roasted chestnut, stewed; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, raspberries, dark cherries, juicy, ripe strawberries backend of the fruit, used coffee grounds, soft leather, dry tobacco, savory meats, smoke, dark, moist soils, anise to black licorice, light purple cola, fresh sage & bay leaf with candied; dark, red, blue, purple florals in a field of lavender. The acidity is round & stream like. The finish is in perfect balance, harmony that settled softy yet speaks volumes.

Paired with the Cardiff Chipotle Tri-tip. The best Tri-tip we’ve had. You can order at CardiffCrack.com. Not inexpensive though. The best never is!

Photos of; me in the La Landonne Vineyard, Rene Rostaing and our tour with Pierre Rostaing in their La Landonne Vineyard. What an afternoon!

Producer notes, Pierre (son of Rene & now Winemaker) uses up to 100% of the stems - believing they contribute to Côte Rôtie’s ineffable perfume. Macerations last from 7 to 20+ days, and the wines enjoy a long élevage in a mix of barrels and time-honored pièce for aging, so that no more than 15% of a given vintage sees new wood. — 5 years ago

with James and Christina

Amanda Wadeson

9.0

TJ $7, Thanksgiving 2019, high acid to cut through butter — 5 years ago

with Zach

Melanie Taylor

9.0

Sweet, cherry flavours, floral secondary aromas of violet, also tertiary leather, smokiness. Long lasting smooth finish. Medium to high acidity.

Provencal and mountainous, sunny yet cool, the quality of this superb terroir is thanks to 5 key elements that give their names to the 5 cuvees of Saint Jean du Barroux: La Source (spring), L'Argile (clay), La Pierre Noire (black stone), Le Microclimat (microclimate) and La Montagne (mountain).

Red Grenache - Carignan - Cinsault - Organic wine
Yield 30 hL/ha - hand picked - de-stemmed: 100% - maceration: 7 days - maturation: concrete and enameled tanks - corks: diam 5
Cellaring potential: 10 years - decant when young

14.5%

Gift from Robert and Tanis Gray — 6 years ago

Saman Hosseini

Writer Maison Abattoir

9.1

Chenin from high altitude vineyards on calcareous soils in Catalunya. Pours a hazy copper, with vivid energy apparent from the nose. Structured and mineral, with clear varietal definition, complimented, not obscured by microbial character, all with baffling stamina after 7+ years of bottle age. — 7 years ago

Michael Spall

9.0

When they sell a high quality hamburger blend at the local grocery market, you want a red wine that will make you feel like you are eating the finest porterhouse steak. This Argentina Red aged for 7 years fit the bill. Happy Summer 2018 everyone! — 7 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

Good God, what a sensational wine is this 2016 Geyserville field blend from Ridge Vineyards, a predominant Zinfandel cuvée with 17% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, and 3% Alicante Bouschet.

Totally hedonistic, with perfectly ripe blackberry, cassis, rich dark chocolate and steeped plum, intertwined with crunchy gravel, toasted spices and a delightful sweet tobacco note. The palate is full bodied but elegant, powerful yet perfectly poised, replete with youthful vigour, with a lingering - and totally unapologetic - sweet vanilla perfume that completes what is an exceptionally harmonious mouthfeel. It’s the sort of wine you can’t stop sipping.

Ridge’s Geyserville holds a very special place in my heart. The 2000 was one of the first experiences that really sparked my love for wine as a young waiter around a decade ago. At ten or eleven years of age, that wine was truly memorable. I’ve been hooked on Zinfandel since, though I don’t drink nearly enough of it. This 2016 is the first Geyserville I’ve had for many years, and it has exceeded my high expectations. I cannot wait to try this in ten or fifteen years’ time. — 4 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.0

This entry level Galante red is still holding up well 7 years later. The nose is leather, cranberry, menthol, and cigar box. Tart blackberry, tart raspberry, cranberry, tobacco, leather, black pepper, and black tea on the palate. Medium to medium plus tannins, medium alcohol, and high acid. Excellent bang for the buck. — 5 years ago

with Susan

Shay A

9.5

After a couple months of hiatus, the Friday City Club group was able to get back together (albeit a smaller, more spread out group) for an epic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine, all served blind.

The first of a monster lineup of 5 incredible red wines. For the first 10-15mins, this was actually my favorite. Very high toned and lifted. Bright. Rich red fruits, spicy black fruits, kirsch, sage and potpourri jump from the glass. On the palate, it was the most elegant of the five with Black Forest cake, mulberries, cedar, dark chocolate shavings and baking spices. I called this 7-10yr old Napa cab (but it certainly seemed a bit of an outlier compared to the next 4!) — 5 years ago

with Jid, joe and 3 others

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

What a freak show of a nose. Gorgeous spice and berry. Super high toned. Grapey and confectionary with a big aromatic spectrum. Big earthiness as well .Palate is gorgeous, sleek and ripe with terrific cutting Dolcetto tannins and dynamic freshness. Terrific grip and concentration. Ripe and juicy tannins that suggest 5-7 more years ahead of this. Terrific wine. — 5 years ago

Chris A

9.0

An interesting blend of tastes here - like a classic naval battle on the high seas, but played out on your palette: Big, luxurious oak as you might expect on an Californian red, but on a delicate Sicilian red. Well balanced, fruity and a great oaky meets plum and ripe red fruit finish. Pair with an Italian dish and your passport is stamped without the flight. Good stuff, this! — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Time for my #FridayCabernetfix . Here's a beautiful one from Israel.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Nice nose of black currants, blackberries, cherries, vanilla, earth, wood, vegetables, dark coffee, herbs, tobacco leaf, spices, graphite and peppercorn.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, bell pepper, cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, dark chocolates, coffee, peppercorn, earth, black tea and spices.

Long finish with fine tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon is always enjoyable. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel and nice complexity. Tastes like a blend of old world and new world.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show its tannins and complexity, but good right out of the bottle also.

Wine Enthusiasts 90 points.

This 6 year old is very tasty now, and will age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Grapes are grown at a high elevation and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Kosher for Passover.

14.5 % alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$35. — 6 years ago

Lucas Medola

9.8

A piece of art!! Dark purple with dark/ripe berries, herbs, pepper and subttle mineral aromas. In the mouth, full bodied, crispy with high acidity, well balanced tannins, complex, fresh end and very well rounded tannins. Amazing bordeaux blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 12% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. — 7 years ago

Brandon Ford

9.5

Neat refreshing, great tannins, medium to high oak (7 on oak scale) — 4 years ago

"Odedi"

9.6

This is a delicious sweet wine from France. Showing great complexity with a great mouthfeel.

Sweet and nicely balanced.

Showing honeysuckle, citrus lemons, yellow apples, spices, herbs, minerals, sea salt and white pepper.

Sweet on the palate with high acidity, enough to balance it out.

Tangy finish with Indian spices and lemon peel.

This 7 year old is so delicious. A great wine to sip on all by itself.

Rich, opulent, exciting and sweet. Just plain yummy. A great after dinner wine.

13% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

375ml — 4 years ago

Ronda Fraley

9.5

Golden color, day bright. Aromas of pastry, baguette, marzipan, honey, almonds, yellow apples, lime. Brut, high acidity, medium alcohol, creamy mousse. Excellent champagne for every occasion. NYE pick. NV. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Some friends of ours brought this to our backyard dinner last night. This is not a producer I buy. So, it was nice to revisit and nice of them to share.

The first thing I would say, is this is a well made Pinot Noir. Having said that, I don’t buy it due to its pricing. If you are buying this from the winery, its price point is still too high for it’s quality and gets worse yet when you go to the secondary markets which, many do, due to its limited production & wait on their list.

I say this because I have had countless examples of Sonoma & CA Pinot Noirs that are as good for $75 or around that price point give or take a little. The Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is a similar style and for me, is better than this Marcassin. The Hendricks is $75 on futures buying.

Our friends that brought it, whom we share a mutual friendship with another Sommelier. He told them they had to drink this as it was getting old. I can tell you that is simply not the case. This wine has another 7-10 years of fine drinking ahead. These statements happen when your consuming wine regiment is based on a steady stream of always drinking wines young...It just happens.

The wine shows beautiful mid & dark candied, floral fruits, heavy baking spices and too much cinnamon stick for me. Beautiful, dark, red, blue and purple florals. It is well balanced, lush, elegant, polished with nice round acidity.

A very nice wine just overpriced IMHO. You can do just as well for less and you would only lose out on the fact you are feeling good about opening a cult name Pinot for yourself or to impress others. Not a dig, just the wine psychology that experience has led me to through the devotion of studying wine and consumers feedback. Not all, but enough to call it what it is. I myself have fallen prey to those emotions & I’m sure will again.

Photo of, Marciassin Winery, Helen Turley-Co Owner, Ryan O'Donnell-Winemaker and a Sonoma vineyard they source fruit. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Whenever I have a really older bottle of wine, I think, what was I doing in this case 1989?

About this time of year, I was walking into Candlestick Park for the Bay Bridge World Series while this wine was fermenting. I was walking through the parking lot when the 89 earthquake hit. It was like Godzilla was a Gopher tunneling under my feet. The stadium erupted with a resounding cheer. Earthquake during the World Series...yeah! It wasn’t until an hour later that hard reality set in.

This Chateau Lynch-Moussas is a recent direct purchase from the Negotiant. 89 was a pretty good Bordeaux year. So, why not see how a 5th Growth producer wine evolved over 30 years. It’s a treat to enjoy wine with this much age.

While Lynch-Mousses has improved vastly in more recent vintages, back in the day, they made some nice wines but, not great. This wine shows beauty & elegance but, it lacks fundamental elements of high quality. However, its fruit and structure have held up nicely over the years.

The nose reveals a fair amount of; barnyard, mushrooms, ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & strawberries on the edges of the glass. Black plum skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, black earth, stones, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals.

The body is still full and round. The fruits are still ripe & slightly candied. The wine is still holding an interesting drinking window, it’s on the decline. While that sounds not good, I find them in this phase infinitely more interesting. Ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & some strawberries. Black plum with skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, vanillin, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, forest floor, mushrooms, stones, touch of limestone minerals & crush rocks, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals with violets. The acidity is round & excellent. The long finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced & intergraded with long drier but, very floral persistence.

Excellent with our steaks. Still has another 5-7 years of good drinking ahead with excellent storage. I also miss the 12-13% ABV of the 80’s Bordeaux’s.

Photos of; the entrance view of Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland and Chateau founded in the 1800’s, the owner/operator since 1961 - Emile Casteja and their barrel room.
— 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

It’s usually a good sign when the winemaker can articulate what the wine is about like this: “Ceras is Botanica’s counterpoint. Its color is more purple than red. It is more about minerals and herbs than fruit and flowers. It is a focused and elegant distillation of rock rather than an opulent cascade of fruit. It is an expression of the geology that lays beneath our land, the tart blue fruits of the coast range and the tender herbs that one finds amongst the trees and mushrooms of the Northwest forest.”

Her 2013 Ceras is yet another example of Maggie Harrison’s sorcery over the vines at Antica Terra. The focus and intensity of flavor is off the charts, yet it maintains an almost ethereal weightlessness, only emphasizing the layer of silk that separates you from the wine. The pungent rock is so on point and distinctive it instantly reminded me of the scent of lichen growing on rocks, which I experienced in Colorado when I was 7 or 8 years old. This sets the stage for the level of complexity exhibited. The fruit has both an extraordinarily high level of purity and yet the woven tapestry of herbs and spices and even fruit blending are impossible not to notice. The key being that nothing is forced.

The nuance of complexity only being noticed when desired is nearly an impossible feat. I can’t help but recall James Conaway quoting Andy Beckstoffer in his recently released book: Napa at Last Light: America’s Eden in an Age of Calamity. “If a wine was a model with a chipped tooth, you’d have to give her something to compensate with. If she needs better shoulders, better breasts, give her some. But her real charm is in how she carries the defect.”

After reading his book, I can tell you I’m definitely not certain whether you can accept his quotes verbatim. One thing is certain, though, Maggie Harrison’s Antica Terra wines carry the defect like no other. — 7 years ago