Honey Bee

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Obaideh Merwah 2005

Double-decanted the night before; enjoyed over several hours out of red Solo cups. It’s been several years since my last experience with the 2005 Blanc. The extended air treatment ahead of service is now customary for me with the Blanc and Rosé in particular. The entire bouquet has a chance to unfurl. The wine pours a deep golden color. On the nose, the wine is vinous and recalls my previous experience with the 2005 Blanc: redolent of ripe stone fruits, some dried citrus, wild flower honey, echinacea, marzipan and butterscotch. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with slightly bitter, testa/skin coat sort of flavor. Fabulous texture. At this rate, I expect well stored cellared examples to drink well beyond my original assessment several years ago. Drink now through 2045+ — 7 months ago

Andrew, Douglas and 7 others liked this

Nicolas Joly

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières Chenin Blanc 2019

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2019 pours a pale yellow color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with intense, ripe notes of Comice pears, baked green apple, mixed fruit cup, lemons, white tree flowers, lanolin, raw almond, tarragon, a touch of raw honey and minerals. On the palate, the wine is off-dry(?) with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is waxy. I questioned the off-dry call because I actually think it’s dry but the power and ripeness of the fruit, not to mention the 15% ABV(!!), give the impression of sweetness. An utterly balanced wine despite the big personality. A wine that gives main character energy. I wish I had a week or more to track the development because this is such a wee babe. Drink now to experience its youth and enjoy through 2049. — 9 months ago

Tom, Ira and 13 others liked this
Daniel M

Daniel M

I can completely relate to your tasting note about the mouthfeel being reminiscent of that of an off-dry wine. I had the same impression when tasting a 2013 a few years back. It was clearly a dry wine but with the touch of a sweet nectar.
Somm David T

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@Jay Kline Nice details here.
Jay Kline

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@Somm David T thanks David. I just call them as I…ahem…taste them

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1996

Beautifully composed. Certainly aged with lanolin, gentle honey but still fresh, poised and beautifully balanced. Long and pure. Exceptional — 3 years ago

Bex GreenNaoko Dalla Valle
with Bex and Naoko
Bex, Shay and 18 others liked this

Big Table Farm

Honey Bees Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2016

Chamomile, lemon-lime, bright and lean ⚡️ — 5 years ago

Eric, Jonathan and 10 others liked this

Arianna Occhipinti

SP68 Bianco Terre Siciliane Albanello Muscat of Alexandria

Totally delicious. Honey, lilacs, apricot, green apple sweet and a balanced acidity, medium body — 5 years ago

Fulldraw Vineyard

Honey Bunny Paso Robles Syrah Mourvedre

Sam T
9.6

Absolutely outstanding — 6 years ago

Brandon and Allison liked this

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

5 Puttonyos Furmint Blend 2016

Royal Tokaji – 5 Puttonyos Aszú 2016
Tokaj – Hungary 🇭🇺

Overview
A classic Tokaji Aszú, made from grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), then macerated with must to create Hungary’s legendary sweet wine. The 5 puttonyos designation signals a rich yet balanced level of sweetness, around 120 g/L residual sugar. (Educational note: “Puttonyos” refers to the traditional baskets of aszú berries added — the higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.)

Aromas & Flavors
Lush apricot, honey, and candied orange peel at the forefront, layered with quince, dried fig, and lemon curd. Hints of saffron, ginger, and toasted almond bring exotic spice and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Velvety and lusciously sweet, balanced by vibrant acidity that keeps it lifted. Full-bodied yet precise, with a long, honeyed finish that leaves both richness and freshness.

Food Pairings
Perfect with blue cheese, foie gras, or fruit tarts. Also excellent with roasted nuts, crème brûlée, or simply savored on its own as a meditative dessert wine.

Verdict
A benchmark Tokaji — rich, layered, and perfectly balanced. The 2016 vintage of Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszú offers indulgence and structure, proving why Tokaji has been called “the wine of kings.” 👑🍷

Did You Know?
Tokaji Aszú is one of the world’s oldest regulated wines — protected since 1737, nearly a century before Bordeaux’s 1855 classification.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Royal Tokaji’s Aszú wines are globally sought after, and a 5 puttonyos 2016 bottling represents both a collectible dessert wine and a piece of vinous history
— 8 months ago

Andrew, ESF and 2 others liked this

Domaine des Baumard

Savennières Chenin Blanc 2020

Pale lemon color with ripe white fruits and wet stone aromas. On the palate flavors of ripe apple and peach, very complex, lively acidity. Long finish ending with mineral and sweet honey character, will short-term age well, tasting great! — 9 months ago

Daniel, Tom and 3 others liked this

Idlewild

The Bee Flora & Fauna White Blend 2022

Very floral but full bodied — 3 years ago

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 1988

@derek's. Honey colored, few bubbles, tasted more like an apple cider than wine. — 4 years ago

Herman Story

Milk & Honey Tempranillo Blend

Besides having a great, cool label - Herman Story wines are so spectacular. This is not your standard “red blend” & the Tempranillo/Petit Verdot give a great complexity. Easily paired w/ a huge range of food. — 5 years ago

Domaine François Raveneau

Clos Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 1988

Light gold. Looks young. Took 5 hours to open up and show its stuff. In hour 6 this was cruising. Saline and sea shells, wispy lemon fruit, some honey, some white stone. The guesses from the fellas were 2002 Rav Clos and 1996 Rav Valmur. Shows how these properly stored aged Raveneaus can age effortlessly. — 6 years ago

Jan, Eric and 21 others liked this
Michael Herzog

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That’s impressive

Donnafugata

Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria Zibibbo 2015

Shay A
9.5

Jack & Arden put together a wonderful evening of delicious food and great wines, and a few of us attendees contributed some bottles to enjoy as well. Great night!

My contribution. Wow! The aromatics here are some of the most intoxicating I’ve come across. Ripe pineapple bathed in honey butter, apricot preserves, orange marmalade and honeycomb. Light on the palate with zippy acidity. Fantastic!
— 7 years ago

Arden BarnettJack ThompsonDan Fitzgerald
with Arden, Jack and 3 others
Jack, Ira and 31 others liked this
Sharon B

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@Shay A is this a dessert wine?
Shay A

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@Sharon B : Yes, it is. One of Italy’s finest. Can’t recommend enough!
Sharon B

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Sounds wonderful!

Domaine Huet

Le Mont Demi-Sec Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2018

Vintage age 2018 | yesterday tasted with Coravin, today with more air. That gives the wine an extra dimension - so eventually decant it. Smell: Turkish Fruit, hay, impression of honey and melon. Well balanced taste, well rounded taste ( in Dutch: mollig) high in bitters. Became a real treat with a sushibol as first course and Cantonese cabbage with shrimps afterwards. — 8 months ago

Brian, Bob and 22 others liked this

Moulin Touchais

Coteaux du Layon Chenin Blanc 1994

Apricot, honey, super concentrated and intense. — 9 months ago

Tom and Rob liked this
Tom Casagrande

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I love Moulin Touchais “stickies.” Haven’t had one in many years unfortunately. I have to change that soon.

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 1985

Amber in color, limited bubbles. Pretty stuff- apricot, honey, some sherry notes. Toasted brioche. Definitely aged but lovely and balanced. Probably would have been oak a few years back — 3 years ago

Tony GarciaDavid Schachter
with Tony and David
Douglas, Shay and 8 others liked this

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1981

#sauternes so sweet and balanced. Third of three bottles for my wife’s 40th birthday. We saved the best for last, as it turns out. Honeyed layers as this gently warms in a Burgundy bowl - caramel, marzipan, toasted almonds, some petrol, apricot jam. Tastes exactly how it smells with the acidity taking a step back from the honey sweetness swirling around a luscious oily mouthfeel. Touch of orange pith bitterness on the finish - lovely wine. Indeed it pairs well with Indian food but the force of this wine could have easily matched even spicier dishes. Beautiful wine and what’s amazing is it seemed this wine could easily go another 20 years. Good Sauternes is ever youthful. — 5 years ago

Neil and Chris liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Butteaux Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1996

Medium gold, heavy in the glass. Awesome aged Raveneau nose. Notes of citrus, kimmeridgian white stone and light colored dirt, some honey, some spice. Great mouth feel, with acidity that powered up over 4-5 hours. Awesome with some angel hair pasta and shrimp, looking out over the Kohala Coast. — 5 years ago

Alex, Jan and 22 others liked this

Château Climens

Barsac 1er Cru Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2010

Cathy Corison
9.3

Apricot jam. Flowers. Honey. So viscous. — 6 years ago

Noah FieldsGrace MartinWilliam martin
with Noah, Grace and 2 others
Ira, Alfonzo and 6 others liked this