Jay Kline

9.2

This bottle of 2010 Roberto Voerzio “Brunate” was generously provided by a friend who wanted to share this with me after service along with a few others from Tasting Group. Opened, splash decanted and consumed over three hours; served side-by-side with the 2010 Pecchenino “Le Coste”. The Voerzio “Brunate” was a relative hermit. Even after three hours in the decanter, it remained a bit of a wallflower while the Pecchenino was a whirling dervish on the dance floor. The classic structure of 2010 and the austerity of “Brunate” made for an impenetrable fortress, keeping the fruit under lock and key…and behind a moat and a drawbridge and stone walls with soldiers and trebuchets for that matter. Despite all of that, one does get the sense there is a deep core of high quality fruit recessed underneath the surface. It’s dark and mysterious…and simply hard to access at this moment in time. For what it’s worth, Voerzio’s holdings in “Brunate” come from the western portion of the MGA, on the La Morra side, right next to Oddero’s holdings. Frankly, this is going to need a long, long time in the cellar before it shows really well. If i had any in my cellar, I wouldn’t touch again until 2030. — 3 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2018 vintage. At the time owned by the Bouteiller family ( Château Lanessan), but recently all the Bouteiller holdings were bought by Australian giant Treasury. Easy-drinking, charming Haut-Médoc. Terrific value too ( 9.99 euro with a 2,50 euro promotional discount in a supermarket!). — 3 years ago

Bill Donaldson

9.1

Great l, simple, grape red wine — 4 years ago

Brent Clayton

9.2

From the Count's holdings, this did not disappoint. Extremely ripe and youthful. Evolved a bit over the night but this is certainly a ripe, concentrated style of wine. — 5 years ago

Adam Kincaid

9.1

Sho-nuf I like my chateauneuf! Wild, floral, but muscular and strong.

Usually, I try to pay attention during wine tastings, but honestly a lot of the time I am just imagining how well I would do in American Gladiators. Especially the early 90s version. (When I was a young and impressionable kid.)

I thought Malibu was an idiot and I knew I could take him out in the jousting competition, though I was certain Nitro would bash my head in with a pipe pretty quickly. Diamond... she scared me. The intense lipstick reminded me of some horrible creature of the night in search of blood. I preferred Lace. In fact, I really preferred Lace. (The first version: Marisa Pare. Not the later Lace played by Natalie Lennox Merritt.) I imagine the reason I have a penchant for wild tangled hair now is because of my infatuation with American Gladiator Lace when I was 4-7 years old. When I was younger, I would often imagine battling with Lace. As the events got more intense she would throw herself on top of me in frustration and we'd roll down the gladiator pyramid, making out in a heap of sexual energy and wild animalistic thrusting.

But I digress.

This wine smells like Lace. — 6 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

As usual, this is the one dry Hexamer wine to perpetuate the tradition of Prädikat, and that is done solely to satisfy the Norwegian importer who takes all of it. (All to one country, yes; but this has become a high-volume cuvée by estate standards.) The fruit comes from the Eisendell as well as from a site known as Grosser Stein for the huge stone that marked the boundary between the holdings of the Rheingrafen (counts) and those of the Disibodenberg monastery. Picked nearly a month earlier than was the highly-impressive 2016, this weighs-in at 11.9% alcohol, and that shows in an attractive sense of levity and spring vis-à-vis Hexamer’s other dry Rieslings of this vintage. Fresh lime, apple, piquant aromas as well as a juicy, crisp-edged and pip-tinged presence on the glossy palate serve for penetrating. Subtly bitter but cooling and stimulating notes of melon rind compound the sense of crunch and piquancy while lovely, bittersweet inner-mouth perfume adds allure. The combination of vivacity and refreshment with floral and mineral intrigue renders the buoyant, bell-clear, seriously-sustained finish next-sip compelling. (David Schildknecht, Vinous, April 2019) — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Ladera Sagrada has the largest holdings of vineyard land in the Valdeorras appellation, and the bodega makes wine using only the best 20% of its grapes, rest sold in bulk to other producers. Aromas of citrus and stone fruits and slight spicy notes. On the palate peach, lemon and crisp melon flavors and sweet pepper spice. Medium finish, generous acidity ending with mineral character. Nice value. Tasting Sample. — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Selected off the list at Boiler Room. Giacomo Fenocchio’s holdings in the Bussia MGA reside within the sub zones of Bussia Sottana (of which they enjoy some of the best parcels) and that of Munie. Opened about 30 minutes before service; no decant and no formal notes. The 2014 “Bussia” from G. Fenocchio starts off a little shy, but it gains weight and significant aromatic character with time in the glass. Bright cherries, slightly on the more tart side with tar over roses. The body seems a little demure early on but it eventually fleshes out and becomes almost chewy! The structure I want and expect from Barolo is there too with lovely acid and stiff tannins. The finish is long and savory. Last sip was the best. This was quite a lovely example of 2014 and a fine accompaniment to bone-in pork chops and Morgan Ranch beef cheeks. Drink now with some patience and over the next ten or so years. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Tonight, this bottle of 2010 Fenocchio Barolo “Villero” gave a masterclass on the character and virtues of the Villero MGA. I have always felt that massive patience would be required for the 2010 vintage since the wines are so structured. However, the Villero fruit, as it so often does, showed through with aplomb. The most prized parcels are located in the upper portions of the vineyard and this is where Giacomo Fenocchio’s holdings reside.

Opened and simply allowed to breathe for about an hour before dinner. In the glass, the wine pours a luminous ruby color with a transparent core. No staining of the tears. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is expressive with notes of dark cherries, sandalwood, anise, fresh red roses and tar. On the palate, the wine is bone dry and the structure, in typical 2010 fashion, remains monumental…even at 12 years of age. In fact, the tannin seemed to build as the hours went by. That being said, the fruit was still abundant and full of class: cherries, forest strawberries, dry earth, spiced meat and minerals. Juicy and textured at the same time and the finish was hedonistic. While this is already drinking so well, this will have a long life. Drink now with patience and through 2040. — 3 years ago

Nathan Mjos

9.5

Bright and crisp. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.3

WNH white burgundy theme.

The domaine's holdings in Forets is made up of two parcels, totaling just under 2 hectares. The older parcel is of 60 year old vines and is right next to Vincent Dauvissat's holdings. The second is made up of younger vines (25 years old) and is next door to Raveneau's parcel of Forets.

Chablis is hit or miss for me, but this was a total hit. What made this special for me was the weight in the mid palate. Obviously youthful, but from a great vintage. Aromatically, it showed honeysuckle, citrus, and grilled lemon rind. At pop, the mid palate was hollow but it gained a lot of weight after two hours. Golden delicious apples, limestone, more citrus and a touch of honey. The entry shows good acidity but the star of the show is the mid palate. As expected, temperature made a big difference here...slightly above cellar temp seemed best as a touch more fruits showed up (added pear). Paired wonderfully with truffle marcona almonds. — 5 years ago

Jeff Hasmann

9.0

Love me some Lirac! From The Brechet family’s (owners of Vaudieu in Chateauneuf) holdings in Lirac comes this super concentrated, fruit forward wine. Ripe black fruit, pepper, and licorice. Beautiful ripe fruit attacks the mid-palate leading to a silky, opulent finish. Not complex, but really enjoyable - tremendous value. 2016 vintage on Aug 2, 2019 — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

The Northern Rhône example in our little, impromptu North/South face-off during Christmas Eve dinner. This is a European bottled version of “Les Journaries” which is labeled there as “La Maestria”. Most of the grapes are sourced from Levet’s holdings in La Landonne. The bottle was opened about two hours prior and probably would have benefitted from being opened two days prior in retrospect. That being said, this was stunning...and positively feral. Underbrush, herbs, brambles, flowers, meat, anise, and cinnamon bark on the nose and on the palate. As striking as this is right now, the best is yet to come and these will deliver even more joy in 10-15 years. These wines are a beautiful little secret. If you must, drink after a rather protracted decant otherwise stash these deep in the cellar. For those wondering, we paired a 2009 Domaine de Beaurenard “Boisrenard” as the Southern Rhône example which, while massively different in style, was stunning in its own right. — 7 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.0

Savory impression, bready, smoky,
Nice as a new year’s starter.
Older, 2012, 2015,2016, holdings. — 3 years ago

Martinez

9.3

Blend from the family’s holdings in the Geisberg and Osterberg grand crus in Ribeauvillé. Pale gold color. Complex bouquet with aromas of yellow apple, candied citrus, crushed stone, beeswax and a hint of hazelnut. Full-bodied, rich, quite concentrated. Lemon flavors. Long, complex finish — 3 years ago

Martinez

9.0

Riesling from less than one hectare on a hillside overlooking the village of Riquewihr, Andrée Trapet’s hometown. Like all their holdings in the Côte de Nuits, all plots here are farmed biodynamically. Fermented in tank, aged for 10 months in neutral oak barrels and concrete eggs. Elegant, precise nose with citrus, floral and stony notes. Dry, pure, quite refined. Nice tension, subtle minerality — 3 years ago

Byron Hewett

9.6

6th of 6 RSVs at this dinner. 3rd of 3 Arnoux RSVs. This was smoking good and it was clear the 2 2001s were the red wines of the night. Strong similarities between the 3 Arnoux wines and the Cathiard. The Cathiard holdings are adjacent to those of Arnoux. Intense core of focused sappy red fruits. Plenty of tannins and acidity that makes you salivate. — 4 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.5

Sadly the last commercial vintage from the “pope of Arbois.” (I guess “Puff Daddy” was already taken). Excited to try some of the newer releases from Domaine du Pelican who acquired a lot of Puffeney’s holdings. As for this wine, it’s exceptionally beautiful and I’m just going to enjoy it rather than pick it apart. Elegant, vivacious, soulful, just really captivating and only gaining in intensity with time in the glass. — 6 years ago

Paul Hackett

9.0

2016 the perfect blend. Absolutely gorgeous! — 7 years ago

Matt

9.5

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