Matt

9.0

Fleshy, a denser and slightly muscular wine, you can taste the warmth of 2017, it lacks a little definition. A curious expression as always with this Gamay bottling. Muddled wild red fruit, cured meat, black pepper, wilted violets, smashed herbs. VA pokes out a touch. Elevated CO2 adds some prickle, with air it was hardly noticeable. Curious what 6-12mo in bottle will do. Day 2: some air has really helped out. More in line with the style of Souhaut’s gamay. More clarity and definition, perfumed has arrived. Still warm and joli, I quite like its open-knit structure. — 6 years ago

Shengli Hu

8.9

Cotton candy, marshmallow, white lily, lemon curd, tangerine, tart strawberry, minerality, slightly white pepper. Elevated acidity, medium intensity, medium finish. — 7 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

One of my all time favorites, the 1982 Cristal is magnificent. Fresh, nuanced and exceptionally beautiful, the 1982 remains one of the all-time great Cristals. Apricot, almond and chamomile nuances suggest the 1982 is just starting to turn the corner into its plateau of maturity. This bottle lacks a bit of excitement, but, then again, the 1982 Cristal is not exactly the sort of wine I get to taste on a regular basis, so it is possible this is not the best showing. Hopefully, I will get a chance to taste it again soon. Even so, well-stored bottles will drink well for another decade-plus. “In my opinion, 1982 is the first vintage of climate change in Champagne,” Lécaillon explains. “Sugars were higher than we were used to seeing. As a comparison, the 1981 Cristal is also concentrated, but it is concentrated by low yields. In 1982, we had high yields and elevated ripeness, meaning it was the sun that ripened the fruit.” (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2018) — 7 years ago

Matt

9.3

Incredible value, punching well above its weight class. Classic CNDP character and texture, true to form and class. There’s a deal of finesse here not often seen at this price point. To me another example of Mourvedre’s place in CNDP’s future regarding climate change. Nose is ripe and confitured blackberry, roasted black plum, Provençal herbs, mocha, hot stones. Palate confirms nose; plump black fruit framed by stony minerality, garrigue, and white pepper. Underlying savory elements of meat and smoke. Tannins are assertive yet very fine, again very stoney in character. Acid is fresh, almost has a Gigondas or elevated character to it. Pure class with plenty if soul. Will develop quite well but so delicious right now. 70 GR 30 MV — 8 years ago

Shengli Hu

8.9

Light garnet, low concentration and staining, new French oak on the nose, sweet spices, tart red fruits, elevated minerality and organic earth: rubber, sawdust, and stones. Low tannin, medium plus acidity. Medium body. 20% whole cluster, biodynamic, de-stemmed. — 8 years ago

Jeremy Epstein

9.1

Super delicious and freshly hopped IPA. A touch on the malty side for my taste but overal great floral hippiness and a delightful pint-sized can to get the buzz going. — 9 years ago

web bond

9.0

Good richness and texture and still fresh on Day 2. Within the next few years Pouilly-Fuisse will determine if vineyards will be elevated to 1er Cru, the Chateau Fuisse monopoles, Les Clos and Les Brulees, are part of the first few vineyards being considered. — 10 years ago

Gae Saccoccio - NdC

9.8

Vintage 1949 in Burgundy according to Broadbent: “..most perfect end of a decade - elegant, well-balanced wines”; Clive Coates in his book Cote D'Or: "best vintage of 40's all-perfect beauty and purity”; Robert M. Parker Jr.: “it was the best of post world war II vintages before 1959”
Henri Leroy at that time was négociant based in Auxey-Duresses, his mythical daughter Lalou Bize-Leroy in 1949 was only seventeen.
Les Cazetiers is amongst the most elevated of Premier Cru site in Gevrey-Chambertin - and indeed the whole of Burgundy.
I drank this precious bottle on Mount Etna with #FrankCornelissen and other dear friends. Uncork this bottle lead to a surgical operation. Just begun to pull it out, a light breath of wine molecule with air bubbles magically have emerged on the surface of the cork. It's been like witness the passing away of a dying old man (or Pinot Noir must be a woman?) That humanized wine had held "élan vital", hope and breath inside him for the last 66 years! A miracle of a wine still so tasty, robust, citrusy, vibrant, earthy, incredibly alive and well-preserved despite color and neck level did not bode so well.. that's what I thought and I'll remember until I die: "the wine was waiting for us to drink it up, he gave off his mortal blow to offer us life, joy and smile!" — 10 years ago

with Alberto

Shannon Marie Latting

9.6

Red, blue & black berry fruit. Purple flowers, meat, & black pepper. Elevated complexity and balancing well. — 12 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.5

Leather, game, orange peel, mint, VIOLET, clove, roasted tea leaves, sage, rose water, tart and ripe red and black cherries. Medium+ acidity, elevated+ tannins, 14.5% abv. — 6 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.1

Smoke, lavender, violet, juicy cranberry and pomegranate concentrate, tomato juice, fresh red cherry. High acidity, medium+ tannins, sweet baking spices. Elevated body. Medium+ intensity, and finish. 13% — 7 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

Grenache and Mourvèdre. Juicy red and blue berries. VA in a good way - carrot, dill. Pepper, tarragon, and dried black tea. Medium acid, medium plus to elevated tannins, 13% abv. Elevated intensity and long finish. — 7 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.1

Little staining, moderate plus to elevated concentration. Bright ruby with a garnet rim. Rosemary, clove, thyme, game, leather, and sanguine. Cinnamon & nutmeg, tea leaves, and a tough of mint. Iodine, agave/syrup on the palate. A prolonged sweet and savory finish of elevated acidity and moderate smooth tannins. — 8 years ago

with Dylan

Shengli Hu

8.9

Light garnet, diminished staining, jammy and dried red berries, basil, green and white pepper, earthy bacon, toasty, smoky, sappy, moderate minerality and body. Elevated acidity, medium minus tannins. Similar to Alsacian spätburgunder :D — 8 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

Family is home, but this solo dinner of arugula pets and baby potato pizza and Carignan, is spot on. Deep purple, slightly elevated (VA? Hints) aromas of mulberry, bramble fruits and distinct leathery old world bent. High-ish acid. — 9 years ago

Ryan Sims

8.9

Just off-dry, balanced by moderately elevated acidity. Big petrol and crushed apple on the nose. Palate shows grapefruity citrus and green apple. Loving it at current vintage, feeling like it could lay down for several years at least. — 9 years ago

Erik Pohl

Sommelier/Beverage Director Gull Lake Golf Resorts

8.9

Black Cherry, plum and fig finished with hints of dark chocolate. Bit elevated RS to help balance 14% stated ABV. One of the better value wines i've come across in a while. — 10 years ago

Rajiv Ayyangar

9.2

Medium plus ruby-purple to a ruby rim.
Tightly wound, tight and dense nose. Blackberry - perfectly ripe and muscular. Slight smoked meat savoriness. White pepper. Unlike rhone there's a tone of super-intense jammy, almost syrupy fruit. But there's so much complexity here as well. Sweet vanillin toast - well-integrated French oak. A hint of menthol/eucalyptus.
Medium plus body, high alcohol - 15%. Elevated acid, and medium tannins. Persistent, concentrated, and refined.

This is really good - not the most complex, but the fruit character is so friggen good. — 11 years ago

Dana Belber

9.4

Proof that Syrah belongs here. Elevated. Light on it's feet. — 11 years ago

Kell Mc

9.1

Slight fruit up front, dry finish — 12 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

Base wine from 2016. 100% Pinot Noir. Mushroom, cream, Brioche, strawberry, pink peach. Medium+ acidity, elevated finish/intensity. No malo. <4 g/L RS. All Ambonnay. — 7 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.3

This review is for the pierre paillard oenotheque bouzy grand cru 2002 en magnum. 5 g/L RS, moderate acid, disgorged late Oct 2019. 50/50 Chard/Pinot Noir. Bread dough, Meyer lemon, gooseberry, peach, and apricot. Elevated intensity and finish. — 7 years ago

Ian Staub

8.9

Nice little Natty BDX blend from Veneto. Fruit is ripe and suave but it’s got an earthy mineral edge. Acid and tannin both elevated, this was an absolutely perfect foil for a rich homemade pici pasta with sausage, pesto, and farmers market tomatoes. Forgot about it in the fridge for a couple days, mousy on day 3, so drink quickly. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

8.9

Really digging this producer. I'm also really digging this 2017 vintage of Ventoux. Elevated acidity, however plenty of fruit to balance it out. Red cherry, red plum, potpourri, white peppercorn, and dried herbs. Went surprisingly well with spicy thai food, though it doesn't have much residual sugar which is what I'd normally go for. 12.5% alcohol, almost Pinot Noir in feel.

Looking forward to opening some of their Gigondas, which is what they're known for. — 7 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.2

VA and oxidation upon the first sniff. Dried cherries and blackberries. Roses 🌹, (maple syrup,) pepper/rosemary, clove, and nutmeg. Honey, saffron, game, tar, and smoke. Elevated acidity, minerality, and sweet tannins. Full throttle. — 8 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

95% Sangiovese, dark fruits, jammy, tomato leaves, mint, savory herbs: thyme and oregano. High acidity, elevated tannin and body. — 8 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.5

That was a beautiful wine in taste and in company. Proof for me that a wine can get elevated by the moment. — 9 years ago

Rajiv Ayyangar

9.8

Botte 47. Phenomenally complex and constantly evolving. Initially savory with some animal fur, toasty honey (aged semillon) notes, slight star fruit. Then it evolved into dried flowers, mushroom, and dark fruit - reminded me of a young Barolo. Then black tea, green tea. Then strong dried spearmint, honeyed toasty complexity like the '81 Lopez de Heredia. Medium bodied with slightly elevated sparkling acidity. Not intense, but persistent on the palate. To borrow a phrase from Veronelli- It burrowed into my memory. I hope it made me forever better. — 10 years ago

with H, Bjørn and 1 other

Shane M. Nicholson

9.0

Listen......Malbec , for all its gratuitous idiosyncratic ways, should celebrate its pleasurable simplicities. Why hide the fact that you have a hot body and make young men weak in the knees?! Valle Escondido. One of the hidden treasures of Mendoza. One of the highest elevated vineyards in the DO. This is a friggin steal!! $9.99 are you outaa your mind?! Yes.......You're welcome — 11 years ago

Cory Fierro

9.1

2012 vintage. Tart, juicy red plums and red currant on the nose with what I determine to be a candied pomegranate quality. It's sweet and has a sheen at the same time. The palate has a zesty acidity with elevated alcohol and some firm tannins. A well done grenache that shows vibrancy and verve. — 11 years ago

with Liz