Ron from VA

9.2

Since I am not experienced in white burgundy, appreciating this minimalist style is a work in process for me. I will continue to age my cellar collection of these Chards. The highlight here is the fruit articulation. — 9 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.2

Harslevelu from Somlo, Hungary, made by the "Grand Old Man" Fekete Bela. Harslevelu is the supporting grape to Furmint in the production of Tokaji.

But here we have only Harslevelu, aka the "lime leaf" or "Linden leaf", which is the dominant grape in the tiny region of Somlo vinified dry.

Minimalist wine making, hand harvesting, fermentation and 3 years aging in old 1200 liter Hungarian oak casks before bottling.

I get a lot of dried apples, honey, lime citrus with and underlying powerful minerality with comparably mouth-watering acidity. The density of the wine distracts you if you don't pay attention for the mouthwatering. You can taste the air this gets with the barrel aging as it broadens the wine and deepens the complexity. Depth, density and power with a deep minerally core.

Ironically I was listening to a @leviopenswine podcast today with JL Chave and how Chave spoke about the importance of barrel aging of the white wines for the air (not the oak per se) to break up the flesh of the white wine with the oxygen...this wine made me think of that description from JL on how he makes his Hermitage Blanc.
— 10 years ago

Nick Ferrall

9.2

Minimalist approach to the winemaking. Juicy and awesome results. — 10 years ago

Gerald Montoya

9.2

Pure juicy cherry and cranberry with stony highlights. But this is all about purity of fruit. Great lift and depth which help show that it's not as simple as it seems. Feels modern, minimalist, sleek and self confident. — 11 years ago

Sergio Licea

9.8

Fresh black berries, pottery soil, iron, mushrooms, violets, clay. Silky body, high concentration. Balanced acidity/smooth tannins. Nose suggests southern rhone, drinks like an aged wine. Elegant wine, minimalist packaging. — 11 years ago

Rebecca Moore

9.8

An ideal growing season paired beautifully with our minimalist winemaking style to produce this Pinot. Rich hues of blueberry draw the eye, while lush dark stone fruits coat the palate. Velvety finish leaves you wanting more! — 12 years ago

Josh

9.0

Dark fruited, juicy, and delicious. Pair with some obscure, minimalist jazz music. — 9 years ago

Sybaritewino C.Lawrence

9.3

Bill knows great booze. He makes great wine. An original #rhoneranger This 2011 is sumptuous in its minimalist approach to joy delivery. — 10 years ago

Nicole Brace

9.1

Want to try this on tap; bottled is delicious. First whiff after pour has a green, bracing freshness (pine?) that burns off as it sits for a few minutes, so savor that first sip! Citrus and apricots, great mouthwatering acidity. You'll keep sipping. For Founders, a clean and more minimalist beer. Nice change-up from them! — 10 years ago

Debbie Petty

9.5

Bought at Earth Fare on sale! — 11 years ago

with Holly

Keith Levenberg

9.7

My oh my oh my. Let me first try to describe this as objectively as I can before I start babbling in tongues about why it's awesome. So, okay, we'll start with the color, which is somewhere between a rosé and a pale red. That's as good a portent as any for what you get when you taste it, which is this ethereal, gossamer, lacy thing that would probably flutter to the earth even slower than a feather if it were a solid object. It has a sense of freshness and light without being overtly fruity, i.e. it features the freshness and essential perfume of the fruit without the sweetness or fat. It has a minerally element too, subtle (though everything about this is subtle) but clearly reminiscent of gravelly rock pulverized to an ultrafine powder (everything about this is ultrafine). The word "finesse" is a cliché, ditto for "ethereal," but ultimately that's what's so awesome about this. I have had a lot of disappointing German pinot noir, even from highly regarded producers, and they never turn out to be what you think German pinot noir ought to be (i.e., as clear and pure and transparent as riesling, with all that cool-climate lightness). Somehow some of them turn out to be big fat Sonoma pinot lookalikes, which I will never understand. This is not like that. I am really at a loss to think of anything from anywhere to compare this to that so effortlessly pulls off such a vivid personality out of material so fine it only barely seems to have a corporeal existence, and not a flaw or seam to be seen in the way it is all put together. I can think of a Jura pinot that was in the ballpark (the '08 Chais des Vieux Bourg) and the weight and physical presence bring to mind something like Coteaux Champenois or the Dirty & Rowdy reds, but as far as I am concerned this is sui generis. There are aspects that bring to mind all sorts of things but it really needs its own frame of reference. It is profound but not in the same way that grand cru Burgundy is profound; it's a brilliant soloist, not a symphony, almost minimalist in its simplicity and tranquility, best paired with your favorite easy chair and some quiet moments. — 11 years ago

Rita Jammet

Owner La Caravelle Champagne

9.5

Paumanok Minimalist Chardonnay 2010 by Kareem Massoud as pure as they get. A beauty — 13 years ago

with Kareem

Ross Fulton

9.0

Minimalist — 10 years ago

Amanda Rehn

8.9

1965! Totally old Napa. Sandalwood, soy, umami, and still singing..... Still showed depth and layers the next day. This is a testament to minimalist winemaking. — 10 years ago

Benjamin Hickey

9.0

Very fresh with lots of acid running the whole way through. Bright fruit, minimalist winemaking. — 10 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.5

Finesse and elegance. A minimalist, retrained, and refined Chard. Simply gorgeous. — 10 years ago

Trevor Maskell

9.2

2012 Cinsault. A beauty. So structured and fine. Long flavours. Minimalist making. Cracking wine. — 11 years ago

Andrew Reetz

9.5

100% Syrah, no sulfites added. From a minimalist winemaker and wow do I love it. Dandelion, diaper, and I still love it! — 11 years ago

with Lena

Ned Gray Creed

9.7

Bacara. Still on the list. Alex and Lindsey give a thumbs up. Touch of oxidation, but I'm feeling it's where it should be. Great texture. Minimalist honeyed. — 12 years ago

Michele Smith

Sommelier/Wine Director Brooklyn Fare

10

Brilliant, elegant. High elevation, very old vines, and minimalist approach — 13 years ago