Mighty Nimble
Michel & Stéphane Ogier (d'Ampuis)
La Combe de Malleval Condrieu Viognier 2019
2019 vintage. The excellent 2018 version carried slightly more weight and finished with an intriguing honeycomb flourish. The 2019 effort is no less delicious but much more nimble, flashing plenty of apricot, nectarine, pear and peach flavors. A tad more acidity and just enough unctuous/oily character gives the 2019 the nod-barely-over the 2018. Can think of worse things than a Condrieu vertical/horizontal tho. — a year ago
Domaine François Buffet
Clos des Chênes Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2017
Took 3-5 hours to really get there. Dusty cherries, earth and lovely desiccated tree bark. Enveloping and so earthy and stoney. Utterly classic. So seductive. Palate is sweet and silky with nice mineral grip and the classic CDC stoniness. Elegant and nimble but lacks a bit of stuffing to be great. — 6 months ago
Weingut Möhr-Niggli
Matthias & Sina Gubler Clos Martha Pinot Noir 2020
Gorgeous aromas. Mid season sweet cherry fruit, spices, some gorgeous sweet oak, wet earth, florals and aromas that penetrate deep in the nasal cavity. Almost some barely ripe blackberry and cassis. Really a whole world of difference than last August. Just silly good aromas. Palate is ripe and juicy with a lithe, silky texture. Awesome purity and balance and such haunting delicacy. Sweet fruit and so nimble this is shockingly great. I vastly underrated this last time. Sweet, lithe and ripe tannins. This is stunning and achingly beautiful. 9.6 for now. Let’s see what air does to this. — 8 months ago
Ziereisen
Hard Chardonnay 2019
Always so good. Opulent and incisive. Deep nose. Lots of amplitude. Huge limestone. Herbal. So complex. German Chardonnay is so awesome. What a palate. Huge core of apple and pear fruit and stacked with minerals and a malo sweetness. So long and nimble. Gorgeous wine. Almost 9.5. — a year ago
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
2000 vintage. Decanted and tasted over the course of 1.5 hours. Expected amount of sed. Chunky, unresolved nose. Medium body. Still too youthful. Would try to give it another 7-10 years if possible. Initial tree branches/greenery dipping into morning fresh water morphed into classic graphite/lead pencil after 45 mins in the decanter. There was a slight metallic streak on the finish that appeared about 20 minutes in and still hadn't dissipated after 1.5 hours. More nimble than the og bad boys from this estate ('86, '88, '89, '90) and a bit less weighty. Mostly positives along with a few (mostly) minor quibblings. A ways to go, tho, before hitting the summit this estate established four decades ago. 9.24.23. — 7 months ago
Brander
F/Red Red Blend 2019
Mighty tasty stuff! An easy drinker of a blend, soft and medium-bodied. Leads with plenty of black and red fruit notes and a welcoming pyrazine punch on the finish.
50% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 21% Cab Franc, 6% Syrah, 1% Malbec. — a year ago
Château Potensac
Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2014
Very ripe nose of cassis and black/red berries. Very intense and deep. Forgot how ripe Bordeaux can get. Some earthen mossy scents as well. That classic Medoc thing under the ripeness. Elegant and complex with substantial structure and freshness. Deep cassis and wonderfully ripe and juicy tannins filled with nimble cassis fruit. A long finish. This is really great and classy. — a year ago
Lyle Fass
Founder Fass Selections
Gorgeously floral nose. Unreal mid season cherries with such lift and clarity. Wow. So clean. Gorgeous spices as well. Palate is juicy and clean. Sappy, pure and clean. Just a great and classic bottle of Liaison. Wispy tannins. Excited to see how this develops. After 24 hours nose is so deep and has great roses and violets. High toned mid season cherry. Really pretty. Terrific spice and only a tiny VA that just adds and does subtract. Palate is juicy and lean. Clean and classic. So linear and clear. Such great mid season cherry fruit. Nimble and not as powerful as recent vintages. — 3 months ago