Jordan Wardlaw

9.1

More of a fruit-forward style, approachable but with great minerality and tension. Great expression of site- classic loess top soil over primary rock. Riesling type nose with floral nuances, wet stones and honey. Solid body and frame but remains supple and light, moving across the palate in all directions. Spice character is much more subdued than your "typical" Gruner. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is their Walla Walla Cabernet not Cabernet Franc. 100% Cabernet sourced from their Anna Marie & Loess vineyards. Nose with a core of; dark currants. Soft spices, smoke, grilled meats, blackberries, blueberries, dark cherry, warm well cooked toast, baking spices and dry dark florals. On the palate; the tannins are velvety. Spices that rise in intensity on the palate. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, mocha powder, dusty dry soil, M-M+ body with good acidity and a round nicely polished finish. — 8 years ago

Gadi Karpel

9.1

91/100
Vintage 2012
Altenkirch Pfaffenwies Riesling Erstes Gewächs Trocken 2012
Producer: Weingut Altenkirch
Country: Germany
Region: Rheingau
Founded winery since 1826
Owner: Franziska Breuer-Hadwiger
Winemaker: Jasper Bruysten
Size: 20 ha, Annual production: 100,000 bottles
Terroir: gray slate, quartzite, loess
Grapes: 100% Riesling.
Alcohol: 13%., Sugar: dry.
Color: Golden light,shiny.
The aroma is intense, mineral and fruits: apple, pear, lime and grapefruit, feel a nice petrol notes and minerality.
The body: medium to full. The taste is rich, well-balanced, nice combination of mineral flavor, acidity and fruit
The finish is long, with apleasant bitterness. — 9 years ago

Rita Takaró

9.3

Perfect Christmas wine 🎄🍷. Beautiful 6 putt #Tokaji Aszú from loess terroir. Smooth, elegant, full bodied sweet wine with perfect sugar-acidity balance. Fine botrytis character with ripen apricot, orange aromas. — 9 years ago

Sabra Nelson

9.0

Great wine drink now or lay down — 10 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.0

Lovely nose. Earthy and mineral. Very aromatic. Terrific intensity. Very pure and clean. Loess soil dominates here. Terrific purity. — 10 years ago

Jeff Sacks-Wilner

10

Appellation: Kremstal
Soil: Loess
Maceration: Extended less contact, Stainless ferment

Visual: Very light yellow, almost colorless
Nose:
Mouth Feel: Very bright, high acidity, lean
Palette: Citrus fruits (pomelo, blood orange), earthy — 10 years ago

Adrienne Leistner

9.2

With Craig, Jessica, Jeff — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

86% Cabernet from Phinny Hill, Two Blondes & Sagemoor, 10% Merlot from Loess and 4% Petit Verdot from Octave. Aged in 40% new oak for 23 months. On the nose, ripe fruits infused with cologne. Blackberries, dark cherries, mix of blue fruits, vanilla, cinnamon, black licorice and pyrazines, black raspberry cola and fresh red florals. Palate has ripe fruit of; blackberries, black cherries, mix of blue fruits, plum, black raspberries cola. Black licorice, light spice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, tobacco, soft leather, dry stems & M+ dusty tannins & body. Round acidity and a candied, long, elegant finish. Photos of; their tasting room, the exterior of the tasting room that you would never know it's there if you didn't zero in on the address and their highly stacked barrels in their cramped cellar. — 8 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.1

See the last note, just add to the fact that this is pretty typical of a Loiben based wine having a warmer climate with likely more loess soils. — 9 years ago

Elizabeth Sellen

9.0

Exactly what a Syrah should taste like, lovely! — 9 years ago

Andrew Wyse

Co-owner Klima Weinhandler

9.3

Love the texture on this one. Foreal. Very refreshing and crisp with perfect acid level complemented by a very loess influenced creamy texture. — 9 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.2

Best domestic Grüner I've ever had. Lots of green, ripe citrus and orchard fruits, lees influence, and varietal savories (lentil, radish, parsnip, pea purée). 12.7% alcohol puts this in ripe, clean federspiel territory. Similar to Prager or FX in style. There's something special in the Columbia Gorge, I think. Anyone know if this is loess over decomposed basalt in the vineyard? — 10 years ago

Luke Thompson

9.5

Had a hard time putting my thumb on specific flavors. That said, robust & well-rounded, light mouthfeel, but fully coats the palate.

Smooth, great tannins, sour cherry, cedar, good longevity. — 11 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.4

Barrel sample from their estate vineyard from McQueen vineyard this is the first year that they have fruit from this estate but they do buy fruit from pepper bridge lots of black currant black cherry liqueur like fruit with smooth and silky texture already with nice balance still unfinished bit it has been bottled. Excellent. 2010 15% merlot in the blend dark black currant and dark cherry liqueur like fruit with a host of fresh earth and toasty oak spice dark as port a touch of pine and cedar sweet tobacco spice and notes of caramel and dark earth big and chewy with layers of dark spice black berry fruit this wine is a blend of McQueen, loess, seven hills, lefore and pepper bridge dark noire sweet chocolate. 2007 was the first vintage around 500 cases today there are 3000 cases produced. — 12 years ago

Iñigo Sanchez

9.0

Muy buen vino, ribera del duro. Tempranillo. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

100% Cabernet sourced from the Anna Marie and Loess vineyards. On the nose; really nice red & dark florals, baking spices, spice, core of black currants, ruby blackberries, black cherries, black plum, black licorice, tarry notes and dark florals. The body & tannins are M+ with a nice velvety mouthfeel. Blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries with cherries painting the background. Lifting spices that rise with heated intensity, pepper, violets, crushed dry rocks, soft leather and hints of tobacco. Acidity is nicely well rounded. The long, rich, polished, finish has nice structure, length, tension & balance. — 8 years ago

Paul Masson

8.9

"Sunny mountain." From the lower Ahr with a high proportion of loess giving an easygoing charm. The barrique really stands out against the slender frame of the wine, giving lots of cedar and spice. Hopefully that will integrate better with time. — 8 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.2

Old vines & while I don't understand much about Austrian terroir, Terry Thiese's words on Loess & the rich full character it can impart are on full display here. That richness is superbly balanced with acidic brightness & a mineral/pepper character. — 9 years ago

Peter Alig

Wine Educator Robert Mondavi Winery, Von Holt Wines

9.3

Best under $20 supermarket Gruner of all time. The intensity and complexity of the wine owes to the sun-drenched loess soils and terraced vineyards of Kamptal. Thanks Terry Theise for finding this gem. — 10 years ago

Russ Bus

9.1

Little more weigh from Kamptal (than kremstal).... Loess & Gneiss... 700-1500ft... — 10 years ago

Vinny Eng

9.5

Loess-wine! 70% hárslevelü, 30% furmint: 100% delicious! Professor @edanch, I did my take home test! — 11 years ago