Mad Violets

Château L'Evangile

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Wow. Kaleidoscopic wine. Dark cherries, dark chocolate, tobacco, roses and violets, a precise, pure, elegant and complex wine that is great now but will stand the test of time. Tanins are polished as can be and the wine is long and same time subtle. Great stuff. Highly recommended. Get one bottle and see for yourself. — 3 years ago

Adriana Pagliano
with Adriana
Adriana, Ira and 16 others liked this

ONX

Mad Crush Grenache Blend

Excellent blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo instead of Syrah. Works very well. I saw this described as “dusty fruits” which I take to mean earthy, and just slightly subdued. Relatively smooth and opens up nicely with air time. Will keep the other bottles for a while to see how the evolve. Another good effort from ONX wines out of Pasa Robles. Cheers — 5 years ago

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

Somm David T
9.5

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

2016 is such a beautifully, ripe and elegant vintage. The 16 stands tall from the other vintages we tasted.

The body is rich, bold and thick. Beautiful dark fruits of ripe, ruby; blackberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries and amazing blue fruits shine as it sit on the palate. There is more balance in the 16...fruits and earth. Saddle-wood, tobacco, leather, dry soil, dry & moist clay, dry stone, rich dark earth, lead pencil, bright, fresh, red, blue, dark flowers with violets. Very nice acidity with a beautiful finish.

Don’t even touch a bottle for 15 plus years. This nice now but, you will only be cheating yourself out of a very special wine 15 plus years from now.

Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet.
— 6 years ago

Ryan, P and 22 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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Ok, you touched this and should know better. I'd expect that @Paul T- Huntington Beach is sipping next to you.
Somm David T

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@Severn Goodwin Tasting are different. Someone else’s bottle not mine.
Severn Goodwin

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The best way to taste young.

G.D. Vajra

Dolcetto d'Alba 2016

2016 vintage. Black plum, black raspberry, black cherry, violets, little bit of sanguine-iron, dusty tannins. — 7 years ago

Ira and Courtney liked this

Château de Pibarnon (Comte de Saint Victor)

Bandol Mourvedre Blend 2010

Seems to be in a good stage of development- nicely softened tannins. Juicy blackberry, game and violets. Drink this with bloody steak or by a winter fire. — 7 years ago

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2014

Funky delicious raspberries. Med-light body, sour cherry and violets. And funk. — 8 years ago

Severn and Drew liked this

Alain Graillot

Crozes-Hermitage Syrah

K J
9.3

Spicy Fruity. Violets. At Frenchie wine bar — 9 years ago

Vietti

Castiglione Barolo Nebbiolo 2011

Lavender and cranberry. Very fine tannins. Violets Violets violets. Delicate and very approachable. — 10 years ago

Vietti

Perbacco Langhe Nebbiolo 2008

Do red w/ brick edges; nose of sweet red licorice, violets, and sweet tobacco; silky attack of dusty ripe cherry, with a drying but pretty fruit finish that lingers. — 10 years ago

Xabregas

Mad Men of Riesling Devolution Riesling 2012

Mad Men of Riesling 2012 great southern Australia — 11 years ago

Paul liked this

Domaine Tempier

Bandol Mourvedre Blend 2004

Floral nose, with apple skin, blackberry, and violets, leather adds to the palate as this is drinking really well right now with youth and maturity playing tug of war with the palate. Best Mourvèdre ever for me so far! — 12 years ago

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2006

Oh sooo elegant. Blackcurrant, licorice, dark cherries, and a hint of violets on a dense and concentrated Pauillac. Accessible from the beginning but lots of tension showing the wine still requires a few years in bottle. To revisit in 2026. Great bottle !! — 4 years ago

Adriana Pagliano
with Adriana
Adriana, Ron and 6 others liked this

Comm. G.B. Burlotto

Vigneto Monvigliero Barolo Nebbiolo 2014

This needed some air to open showing lots of floral & spice with notes of red cherry, strawberry, plum, orange peel, dried herbs, leather, tobacco & violets. This will need a few more years but should be another great vintage for this wine. — 5 years ago

Severn, Daniel P. and 23 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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Oooh, Monvigliero 👍

Beaulieu Vineyard

Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1996

Somm David T
9.4

The BV Tapestry doesn’t show its real self and value until it approaches 20 years. When you open these inside 10 years, it’s an average to very good wine depending on vintage. I’ve said it many times, you simply can’t get this kind of elegance and flat gorgeous complexity with any amount of decanting. You cannot fake or cheat long bottle evolution.

The one quality I get from this bottling at this age is Cognac with deep caramel flavors.

The nose reveals, dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie, poached strawberries, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, dark spice, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. Floral heaven and then some!

The body is round & full. The mouthfeel is gorgeously sexy. The tannins are round, soft but, still show some teeth & tarriness. The structure, tension, length and balance are exquisite and still has at least 5 years of life ahead. It’s magnificently on the other side of its peak. Dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie with golden crust, poached strawberries, kirsch cherries, figs, prunes, dates, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, dark chocolate, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, deep, dark spice with shades of palate heat, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. The acidity is flat out perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced fruit & earth, elegant, gorgeous, sexy, silky, ripe, lush, captivates the whole body, persists until you go to bed and even intrudes on your dreams.

While 94, no ordinary 94 with its age, complexity & beauty. It’s a WOW wine that rocks your mind, body & soul if you are deeply passionate about wine as I am. You want to slowly sip this all night.

Photos of, all the amazing scenery in and around BV...a Napa pioneer & legend.
— 6 years ago

Ryan, Shay and 23 others liked this
Ming L

Ming L

One of the best Napa Bordeaux blends money can buy. Cheers David!

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Somm David T
9.4

The 14 Insignia out of 750ml.

On the nose, very dark currant/cassis. Expresso roast, nice backing spices; vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Dark spice, black tea, red florals, violets, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dry crushed rocks, black, rich soil, volcanic minerals and some black licorice.

The body is full. Tannins are big, rounded, sticky/chewy with a dusty dry long palate set. The fruits are ripe and less dark than the nose. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, cherries, dry crushed rocks, black, rich soil, volcanic minerals, black licorice, expresso roast, backing spices; vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Dark spice, black tea with bright red florals & violets. Good waterfall acidity. The structure, length, texture and balance are well executed. The finish is beautiful, floral fruits and lasts minutes.

The wine is starting to close down and should slumber for 15-20 years.
— 7 years ago

Daniel P., Shay and 28 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2003

Michael Gallegos
9.1

2003 is still 10+ years young. Plenty of tannins from both oak and fruit, and gobs of ripe black fruit. A "manly" wine and has some metalicism, iron, plums, blackberries, violets, and pepper. — 8 years ago

Mark, Greg and 4 others liked this

E. Guigal

Brune et Blonde de Guigal Côte-Rotie Syrah 2009

Black berries, savory, smoked meat, violets, M+ intensity. M+ acid, complexity and finish. M tannin. M+ acid. M body. A bit tart. Very fresh and elegant. Just awesome! — 9 years ago

Serge, Hermes and 2 others liked this

Mad Violets

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Purchased in Bend, Oregon from local wine shop. What a surprise! Very smooth and light....not jammy at all. — 10 years ago

Carpineto

Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Sangiovese 2007

Delicious! Violets and berries. Hints of vanilla, intensely good — 11 years ago

Domaine Faury

Vieilles Vignes Saint Joseph Syrah 2011

Violets, aroma that jumps out and grabs you — 12 years ago

Marcel Lapierre

Morgon Gamay 2018

This is killer. Slow to reveal its perfume, really needs a decant or slow ox actually. But berry liqueur and violets emerge, some baking spice, then palate has supple texture, super fine and gentle tannins, really nice acid. Truly a wine of pleasure. This wine, like the best from the vintage, combines perfect ripeness with classic elegance and lift. — 5 years ago

Severn, Diane and 35 others liked this

Hewitson

The Mad Hatter Shiraz 2012

Wonderful! — 5 years ago

Jeannie Epps
with Jeannie
Bree, Florrie and 10 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 1999

Wild strawberries, tart red cherries, raspberries and pomegranates enveloped by fully bloomed red roses and violets. Some iron and red clay, cinnamon and nutmeg, black tea. Med plus acid, med tannin, med plus finish. So expressive. — 6 years ago

Ira and Paul liked this

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2011

Dark cherry, kirsch, earth, wild herbs, black olive, pepper & violets. Still somewhat primary that is approachable now but still needs more time. — 6 years ago

Ira, Ryan and 4 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Somm David T
9.4

The nose reveals, ripe, brightly floral dark & red fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, prune notes, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, allspice, used leather, limestone minerals, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets.

The body is medium to full. The tannins round, nicely softened but still a little tarry. The structure, tension, length and balance are are harmonious and starting its climb to their peak. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and sexy. Brilliantly, bright, laced; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, dark medium spice with heat, allspice, used leather, some sweet tarriness, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets. The acidity was very good and the finish showed it’s Saint Julien elegance. It’s a beautiful wine now and over the next 15-20 years.

Photos of, Chateau Leoville Barton, the “Gentleman of Medoc”, Anthony Barton, harvest work of their Merlot and their barrel cellar.

An hour and a half in decanter.
— 6 years ago

Shay, Sofia and 35 others liked this
P A

P A

@David T Great post Thanks Cheers 🍷
Somm David T

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Happy Sunday Phil. Thank you very much for your kind words. Stay warm up in BC!

Domaine Faury

Saint Joseph Syrah 2014

Very good. Crushed violets/roses in the nose. Smoked meat with tea leaves on the palate. Would like to see it in a few years — 9 years ago

Steve liked this

Mad Duck

Lodi Zinfandel 2013

Great wine - smooth, robust, affordable! — 10 years ago

Michelle and Amanda liked this
Amanda Kleinman

Amanda Kleinman

I just bought the 2014...

Olga Raffault

Les Picasses Chinon Cabernet Franc 2010

Christian Broder
9.0

Compost, pulverized stone, fresh violets, spruce, bell pepper, cranberry, black plum. Really lovely. — 10 years ago

JohnQ liked this