Lavender Row

Domaine Charvin

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2020

Delectable Wine
9.4

A blend of 82% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and equal proportions of Vaccarèse and Counoise, the 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape spent 21 months in concrete vats. The result is a vibrant red wine, bursting with precise aromas of ripe red fruits, blackberry, licorice as well as hints of dried thyme and lavender. Full-bodied, rich and layered, it is flawlessly balanced by fresh acidity and ends with good persistence on the savory finish. (Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous, June 2023) — 2 years ago

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2018

Delectable Wine
9.4

Dark, bright-hued ruby. An expansive, complex bouquet evokes ripe cherry and black raspberry, along with pungent floral, exotic spice and earth notes. Stains the palate with sweet red and dark berry, lavender pastille and fruitcake flavors that spread out steadily and become livelier on the back half. Conveys a suave blend of richness and energy and finishes impressively long and juicy, with harmonious tannins and resonating florality. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, August 2021)
— 4 years ago

Romain liked this

Saracina

Skid Row Vineyard Malbec 2018

Really great taste, mild yet flavorful. — 5 years ago

Sandeep liked this

Pax Mahle Wines

Castelli-Knight Ranch Syrah 2018

Mixed pepper, mixed red and black fruit. Was tart to open and then evolved beautifully. This will age! Rated 2016 last night 2018 tonight (feb)... Update, (2nd bottle of 2018, now late may): Those tart aromatics are piercing, rose water, lavender. It’s an intense wine. Medium bodied with light tannins. Very little oak influence. I think the cranberry and subtle white pepper will age and this wine will be nice for a long time. — 5 years ago

Romain, Mike and 1 other liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2006

Dirt. Chocolate. Lavender. Tobacco. Cherry. Strawberry — 6 years ago

Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet (Hervé Souhaut)

Vin de Pays de l'Ardèche Syrah 2017

Lavender. This is so amazingly delicious. — 7 years ago

Joseph liked this

Mas de Boislauzon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2007

This is gorgeous tonight. Continue to find that Mas de Boislauzon is consistently one of the best value CNDP around, true to place and terroir driven on all fronts, from traditional cuvée to their prestige offerings. I think the hearty amount of Mourvedre and plenty of holdings in sandy dominated soils of the N/NE part of the appellation make for a remarkably dense, balanced and textural wine. I feel like some 07’s have hit their mark in the last couple years and this is in a sweet spot to me. Nose is meaty, lifted with smoke, hot stones, porcini, truffle, espresso bean, plum marmalade, lavender pastille. Palate is more kirsch, compote, cinnamon, licorice whip, candied bacon, woodsmoke, and stones again. Structurally theres a great interplay of moderate but present acid and granular tannin. Perfect foil for a bacon and mushroom cheeseburger 🤤 — 7 years ago

Keith, Ira and 3 others liked this

Château de Pibarnon (Comte de Saint Victor)

Bandol Rosé Blend 2020

Watermelon, pit fruit and lavender? First day the lavender more, second the fruit. — 3 years ago

Severn, Paul and 6 others liked this

Checkerboard Vineyards

Kings Row Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Deep garnet. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. Hour decant and still a bit tight but yet still very smooth and well structured. Red and black fruit. Tannins silky smooth with nice long finish. Beautiful wine! After another hour this wine was hitting its stride! So good!! — 4 years ago

Paul liked this

Chapelle St. Theodoric

La Guigasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache 2013

Pop and pour, notes from 1 hr open. Better than I remember my last btl being, but still not up to the level of that first '11. On the nose: lavender, incense, loads of garrigue, and soft red raspberry..very pure grenache. On the palate: serious acidity, hi-toned red raspberry, more herbal notes, with some salinity, almost olive brine/game, though I believe this is 100% grenache, and attenuated tannin on the finish. This has taken a very savory turn, and the tannin on the finish is slightly attenuated. Yum! — 4 years ago

Jason, Josh and 13 others liked this

Château Suduiraut

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2017

👁 This wine was medium gold with strong tearing and thick viscosity.

👃On the nose this wine had a pronounced intensity of youthful aromas. Aromas included dried apricot, ripe peach, ripe cantaloupe, honeysuckle, white blossom, beeswax, and lavender honey notes.

👄 On the palate this wine was sweet. It had medium acidity, a full body, high alcohol, and pronounced intensity of flavors consistent with the nose. The finish was long.

This was an excellent wine paired with an assortment of desserts. It has potential for further aging.

Chateau Suduiraut, Premier Cru Classé en 1855, Sauternes. Vintage 2017. ABV 14%.
— 5 years ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Byron and 27 others liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2011

Somm David T
9.2

A pre-tasting of my heavy meat red sauce in order to fine tune the spices and seasoning it before serving for 30 people for our friend’s 60th birthday party tomorrow night.

The sauce is 9 cans of whole tomato’s crushed & drained, 9 can cans of tomato sauce, 3 cans of tomato paste, 6.5 pound whole pork roast braised in diced garlic & olive oil that falls apart & shreds when done, 5 pepperoni sticks sliced, 4 pounds of meatballs (with Italian bread crumbs, garlic salt, coarse black pepper, eggs with warm water) and 14 seasonings & spices slow cooked over 36-48 hours. It’s a blend that once it’s done is magical harmony in the mouth like a well crafted & aged wine.

The wine works well but, I’ll have better pairing wines tomorrow night.

The nose reveals; dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender.

The body is medium full, round with great mouth presence. The tannins nicely, rounded, slightly tarry and baby teeth. The tension, structure, length and balance have just started to tango. Dark, sweet & slightest sour dark cherries, cherry kirsch liqueur notes, ripe, bright blackberries, baked black plum, ripe, juicy, strawberries, slightly candied black raspberries, blue fruits, mixed berry cola, medium intensity dark spice with a little palate heat, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry stems, leathery, dry tobacco, shades of graphite, soft, leaner, sweet, tarriness, nutmeg, clove, a touch of dry herbs with the most amazing, bright, red, dark blue florals, violets and shades of lavender. The acidity is nicely executed. The long finish is nicely knitted, balanced fruit and earth, polished with soft, brilliant florals and persists minutes.

Third largest Co-op in Europe and they produce some quality wines. Especially, for the volume the make.

Delectable has this @ $99. I bought it at Costco upon release for $28.99.

Photos of, the beautiful, quaint hilltop town of Barbaresco, my meat sauce, their tasting room just to the right at the feet of the clock tower with Gaja just a little further down to the right of there and the best Michelin star restaurant we’ve experienced for lunch. We dined there right after our visit to Gaja. What service, food and a day!
— 6 years ago

David, Aravind and 45 others liked this
P A

P A

@David T David Thanks Cheers 🍷🇺🇸🇨🇦
Deborah M

Deborah M

That sounds amazing
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

Habanero is Portuguese for Harmony, so throw a couple in the mix

Row Eleven

Viñas 3 Pinot Noir 2015

Wow. Doesn’t taste like a Pinot!! Great spicy notes, easy to drink but complex — 7 years ago

Domaine du Gour de Chaulé

Cuvée Tradition Gigondas Grenache 2019

Delectable Wine
9.5

Deep magenta. A complex, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes black raspberry, kirsch and lavender, along with vibrant mineral and exotic spice flourishes. Incisive red and dark berry, bitter cherry and succulent herb flavors show fine detail and spicy cut. Chewy, slowly building tannins add shape and grip to a strikingly long, nervy finish that echoes the cherry and floral notes. All whole clusters. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, January 2023) — 3 years ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2004

Stunning nose of brambly dark red fruit and black tea. Bacon fat and scorched clay on the entry followed by a broad beam of melted tannins and fig, iron, Provençal spices and lavender. 45+ second finish. Outstanding, another great bottle though now at its apogee (but likely to stick around and turn to burgundy over time). — 5 years ago

Tom, Severn and 31 others liked this
Ira Schwartz

Ira Schwartz Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@LM Segal “ Turn to Burgundy” spot on.

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc White Rhone Blend

Luscious and oily in the best way. Incredibly perfumed, honey, lavender and white flowers dominate the nose. Creamy yellow apple and pear on the palate. Fantastic. — 5 years ago

Sokol Blosser

Twelve Row Block Estate Pinot Noir

2017. Very smooth from the first glass to the last. — 6 years ago

Cannery Row

Ocean Breeze Monterey County Pinot Noir

An absolute dream. It smells like it wants to go to a campfire. — 7 years ago

Odette

Estate Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Shay A
9.5

Finally getting around to posting Day 5 in Napa, our final day. 5 years in a row visiting...hope to make it 6 next year!

A wonderful wine, with room for score improvement over the next few years. Signature SLD to me. Mocha, dark cocoa, blackberry pie and a streak of ripe/rich red fruit down the middle. Dusty. Cinnamon and baking spice finish. Very good.
— 7 years ago

David, Eric and 34 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Clive McNish : This was my first Odette, so I’m not able to compare. It’s certainly an awesome wine. I’ll have to grab a ‘15 soon so that I can try.
Clive McNish

Clive McNish

@Shay A I went 9.8 on the ‘15 it was outstanding, well worth a taste if you can find it.
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Clive McNish : Wish I could have gotten them to open a Reserve. Seems impressive.