Martinez

9.0

One of the most respected names in Alsace, Albert Boxler holds a total of 14 hectares in and around Niedermorschwihr, approximately half of them in the Brand and Sommerberg grand crus. Within the Sommerberg, they vinify each of their parcels separately and produce multiple Riesling bottlings from different lieux-dits, discreetly indicated with capitals on their labels.

The Sommerberg D comes from a southeast-facing plot with 70+ year old vines on granite soils at altitude of about 250-290 meters (820-950 ft) in the Dudenstein section. The Sommerberg E comes from a very steep and stony plot with 45+ year-old vines higher up in the hill at about 400m (1,300ft) in the Eckberg section. The “regular” Sommerberg is sourced from two different plots with 40+ year-old vines at an elevation of 320-330 meters (1,000 ft). Additionally they produce a JV Jeunes Vignes (aka Réserve in the US, pictured here) with the youngest vines or declassified fruit from these sites as well as their late harvest/Vendange Tardive VT and Sélection de Grains Nobles S.G.N. depending on the year. — 4 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.2

Nose has mashed early season cherry, (light) moist loam soil, ripe cherry, moist leather, decaying rose and dried-sweetened cranberry.

Palate has lightly tart cherry, under-ripe raspberry, wet cedar, (light) anise notes and wet granite pebbles.

Smooth tannins, but this wine took a little bit to come to life again in our glasses this evening, delicate, maybe too delicate. I can't tell if this was a should have been enjoyed 5 years ago wine, or needs 5 more years wine...

Decanted ~4 hours, then double decanted for servicing tonight at dinner. Our first Volnay (lieux-dits) from Meursault, just the opposite side of the road from Volnay, but not Volnay! — 6 years ago

Stephen Osgood

9.6

Rare bottle, different from the 1990 Gentaz Côte Rôtie Côte Brune.... this wine is comprised of 2 lieux dits: La Landonne and La Viaillère. It does not contain any of Gentaz’s small parcel in Côte Brune that was adjacent to the subplot that is now known as La Turque. For this reason Côte Brune does not appear on the label of this particular bottling. — 6 years ago

Sylvain Rhainds

9.3

Champagne très intéressant! Hors norme! — 7 years ago

Stas Medvedev

9.0

Light golden color. Expressive deep aromas of honey, candied fruits, brioche. Palate with medium body, good acidity, flavors of brioche. Mineral, honey and fatty, soft finish. Good millesime for white Burgundy. Age of vines: 30 years. Les Charmes is one of Meursault's largest and best-known 1er Cru vineyards giving vibrant and honeyed wines with rich, nutty characters and floral overtones. This part of Meursault has some of the best terroir on the Cote de Beaune for white wine. Charmes is split into two lieux-dits, and (as is often the case) the top part (dessus) is favored by critics.
Domaine Antonin Guyon is a leading, and sizable, Burgundian producer with 48 hectares of estate vineyards spread across 15 appellations of the Côte d’Or. Rating 4,0/5 — 8 years ago

Alex Krause

9.6

Very interesting and delicious showing how far one can push and still have freshness even with a fairly oxidative style. Cool. — 10 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.8

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.9

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.9

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Martinez

9.0

Blend of Grenache (80%) and Mourvedre (20%) from 6 parcels in the Palastor, Bois Dauphin and Cabrières lieux-dits, located around the road to Orange in the cooler, northern part of the Châteauneuf du Pape AOC. From 60-80 years old vines Gradassi inherited from his grandfather rooted on sandy and clay soils, with few galets roulés (round river stones). Whole-bunch fermentation in cement vats. Aged for 10 months in older barriques. Intense, complex and fabulously aromatic, with aromas of dark fruit, garrigue, licorice and an edge of graphite/gunpowder. Big and powerful (14.5%) yet balanced. Earthy, leathery qualities and some chewy tannins. — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 'Cuvée 1911' is an absolutely thrilling bottle of Champagne from winemaker Jean-François Clouet. Composed of 100% Pinot Noir, this wine was sourced from Clouet’s ten best lieux-dits in the Grand Cru villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay. This Cuvée is a blend of vintages, primarialy consisting of the 2008 vintage, with ’07, ’09, ’10 vintages rounding out the blend. The wine spent more than 6 years aging on its lees before its disgorgement in November, 2017. This non-vintage Champagne is simply remarkable, as it displays great intensity on the nose, with aromatics of Pazazz apple, toast, florals and kumquat all instantly drawing you in. Even more captivating is its combination of weight, tension and gorgeous textural compisition. Wonderful flavors of orchard fruits and citrus continue to impress as they come together with a beautiful salinity character which persists through the pretty finish. This is an absolutely striking Champagne, which will continue to evolve gracefully for decades. Drink 2019-2035- 95 — 6 years ago

Keith Herrick

9.2

Pull back on that oak please!!! This is very well made but it cannot handle the 100% new oak that still dominates the palate. Curious if they still use 100% new oak or if this was just a growing pain? The fruit was focused and very gevrey. The plot is just below southern champeaux, so a pretty good spot for a lieux dits. — 7 years ago

Andrés Solís Lira

9.0

It's all about structure! Wonderful tannins and magical fruit mixed with something that might be undergrowth. I'm no expert whatsoever but I feel that drinking this Hauts Poirets at this stage would be something close to infanticide LOL. I'm kinda attracted by all this "minor " lieux-dits, where you can find an amazingly terroir-focused wine with remarkable value @WineTraining #burgundy #nuitsstgeorge — 10 years ago

Thierry POUSSIN

9.2

2011 - Terroirs et Lieux Dits de Loire- Les Poyeux — 10 years ago

with Christophe

Kevin Yen

9.8

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.5

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.7

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.5

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago

Eric Vishria

9.4

Had this and the 2004 Cristal. Special treats. — 5 years ago

Mira Rodgers

8.9

Floral, cheese rind, hazelnut on the nose. Burst of brown baking spices and baked apple on the palette. — 5 years ago

with Gianna, Kamee and 1 other

Kelly Seiler

10

Wine club selection October 2019, tastes like a crisp cold fall day - nice tannin, rich with a light peppery dark fruit taste — 6 years ago

Paul Wright

9.0

Slightly effervescent. Natural unfiltered taste. Light with slight strawberry. Very delicate. Chill a bit first. — 6 years ago

with Caroline

Sergio Licea

9.4

Kirsch, black raspberries, iron, clay, rust, maitake mushrooms, cloves, forest floor. Rounded acidity, minimal smooth velvet tannins, plush satin texture, medium bodied, earthy, slight smoky finish. From 3 lieux-dits Beaune side, 1 in Prémeaux-Prissey, 30% new oak. Polished, elegant, bright fruit, back palate hints at excellent complexity with 5 more years in bottle. Exceptionally well made Village. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 7 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.5

2014/6/5@Les Climats et lieux-dits de Bourgogne（Taipei） — 11 years ago