Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1982 vintage. Last had on 3.1.23 from a magnum (9.4). Top shoulder fill and 100% saturated cork. Subtle nose. Not decanted. Tasted after one hour and two hours open. Color more vibrant than expected. Lean and Beychevelle thin as always. Dusty. Earthy. A modicum of plummy/kirsch flavors. Fading sense of harmony and descending from the top of the bell curve at an alarming rate. If ya got ‘em, drink ‘em. In maggie or even larger format, it wouldn’t be improving so hit in the next handful of years. 11.01.24. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1998 vintage. Top-notch fill (almost too good) and perfect cork with very little lower-level saturation. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Appropriate, chunky sediment. Last tasted 12.17.23 (9.2). Had some nice older leather, dry summer earth and ripe plum in the nose throughout with only a modicum of "funk" that blew off quickly. Medium body. Still vibrant color. Initially, the experience was front-loaded but, after 30 minutes or so, the fruit and structure began to fill in/slide back and balance out the mid-palate and finish. More consistent specimen than the one tasted almost 3 months ago. Don't feel it needs more time to knit/resolve affairs but can likely hold in this phase for 4-5 years without degradation. 3.10.24. — 2 years ago

Kevin Dale

9.3

Bright crisp fruits. Thomas Keller private label with grapes from Schramsberg. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2005 vintage. Tasted approx 2 hours after decanting. Mucho menthol nose. The usual two-fer of dark cherry and plum coming hard at the onset with the grande finishing cedar and earth notes counter-balancing the experience. The slightest promise of youthful Larcis Ducasse fleshiness at the onset. A modicum of baking chocolate tossed into the end result. Lengthy, dusty finish. Integrated and very, very, very solid, yet just missing that upper tier. Yeah, know it was a unicorn vintage for the Right Bank and a personal fave St. Émilion producer...still don't see it improving. Filled with love and holding steady at this stage for at least another 7-8 years. 3.5.23. — 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

It’s no wonder Gewurztraminer is one of the four noble grape varieties in Alsace, France. 👏👏👏 It’s uniquely expressive, perfumed, rich, and oily with youthful and pronounced aromas 👃 of lychee, açaí, papaya, mango, pineapple, also sweet spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and rose, stargazer lily, elderflower, and wet stone. 🤩🤩🤩

👁 This wine is deep gold. 👄 It’s dry with a modicum of residual sugar. It has medium acidity, a medium(+) body, medium alcohol, and pronounced flavors, consistent with the nose, including notes of lychee, açaí, papaya, mango, pineapple, also sweet spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and rose, stargazer lily, elderflower, and wet stone. The finish is medium(+).

We’ve paired this wine with grilled vegan brats and roasted zucchini.

Albert Boxler, Gewurztraminer, Vintage 2018, ABV 13.5% (on the cusp of high alcohol).

Cheers to it almost being the weekend(?)! — 5 years ago

with Deked1

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

2019 vintage. A modicum of frontal palate richness to excite and stir the blood. For the price and vintage, not close to approximating quality/QPR in the BDX region but, with the name, don't suppose they have to. 8.14.24. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2021 vintage. Magnum format. Medium body. Decently aromatic nose but not striking. Smooth draw with a modicum of raspberry and clove on the finish. Needs to drop a little bit of the oak influence which will likely take 7-10 years. 6.6.24. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Good fill, great cork. Perfect picture show sed. Vibrant color and nose. A modicum of richness up front initially but not to return. Medium body dropped down to light medium body. Thinning out meant slightly more acidity. That wasn't exactly undesirable. Currently tasting like a Napa version of LLC St. Julien (non-mountain terroir lean and mean). As it stands, will hold fast in this presentation for another 5 years. Not improving and feel it's goin' south after that 5-spot. 12.10.23. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2007 vintage. Holy bleep! Mature, mysterious nose replete with leather, must, brett, barnyard and a modicum of whatnot. The usual, candied intro long gonzo. Light, silken body. Great color. Tasted one, two and three hours after decanting. Normally, a 15+ yo CA pinot would be long gone geek but this one seemingly at the top of the bell curve and with attitude. More than surprised. 4.2.23. — 3 years ago

David Leiman

9.7

Amazing ripe raspberry and heavy cedar notes. Great wine — 4 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2016 vintage. Second bottle in the last month. Still playing a bit of hide and seek. Spearmint, dust, wet earth, mushrooms, dark plum in the nose. All that jazz in the tastebuds with some Earl Grey tea component casually strutting into the scene. Still light/light medium bodied. Finishing super-dry without any modicum of plushiness currently. Improved attitude vs the last recent bottle. Need to pick up another and taste again in six months since this wine is high-maintenance and still going through some personal “issues” but likely worth the long-term investment. — 5 years ago

Frank Kuo

9.4

Color of light clear burgundy. Nose of ripe berries, ripe tangerine and banana, oak, spice, and a bit rose. Taste is very close to full body. Nice acidity, flowering note, strawberry, a bit cherry, a bit peppery and spicy sweet, nice berries, lemon zest, and a bit rind. A lot of flavors. Aftertaste is modicum with some more rind flavor, with more berries note. A full body Pinot noir full of flavors. — 6 years ago

Peter Hladun

9.4

375ml...perfect with the steak frites at Bouchon! Nice work TK, well balanced wine, proper acidity and right where it should be. — 7 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2019 vintage. From a 375 ml format. Amongst what passes for the ne plus ultra in Napa cabbage these days. Rich. Overtly sumptuous. Modicum of umami on the finish. Restrained/polite company version of a fruit bomb. Too extracted/manipulated without representative tannins for this old-school Dunn/Diamond Creek/Mayacamas/Montelena guy but still verry nice for this style. Dunno where this settles in twenty years but that's someone else's problem down the road. 7.7.24. — 2 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Needs 30 minutes for the modicum of oak to blow off.

Nose: white flowers. Hint of elegant richness.

Palate: white nectarines. Light for a viognier. As it opens juicy. Almost a silkiness. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2017 vintage. @ Mister A’s Restaurant, San Diego-Les Caves de St. Charles CDP dinner. Initially, an absolute ballbuster. Massive tannins with a modicum of velveteen fruit at the end of a long tunnel. After two hours? Surprise! Change partners and the nearsome, fearsome tanninfest coalesced into the velveteen fruitfest. Remarkable concentration, tho, from start to finish over the course of the dinner. Best newer-vintage CDP, out of roughly 200, that I’ve had in the last two years. Just a remarkable chameleon. Supposedly 50/50 Grenache/Syrah. Worth the hunt. 11.16.23. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2021 vintage. Silken and ethereal with a strawberry/raspberry duo in the lead and a modicum of rhubarb tailing behind. Light medium body and unexpected, subtle concentration that seemingly lingers forever on the finish. Would love to slap this into a blind Grand Cru Burgundy tasting and see where it settles. Just might gain a few converts. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2014 vintage. This is the red. 65% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot, 5% PV. Nose opened up after 45 mins with some sea salt, allspice, currant and cherry notes. Medium to medium+ body. Fairly plushy and cushioned on the finish. Tannins are there if you want ‘em but that Petit Verdot really steals the show at the end. A modicum of mint + baking chocolate make an appearance as well. Still clinging to a small paunch of baby fat which should fall off in another two years. The tumblers are clicking but the combination isn’t totally there just yet. Give it another 3-4 years but pretty dayum delish right now. — 5 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.2

A lot like champagne aromatically, but on the austere side. So mineral! A strong suggestion of crushed granite and rocks, with just a modicum of green apple and brioche. Really lovely. Even better with air. Killer value. Thankful for my first Fass Selections shipment. — 5 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Ohhhhh blendy blend. I mean this is mostly Viognier but that saucy Roussanne kicks in with its sense of at least a modicum of balance that is well-employed. Down with this Viognier-strong blend. It says: random herbs, sprinkles of cinnamon bark shards and canned tangerine all...in a gelatine mold? I’m not sure (having not eaten gelatin since before vegetarian days) but something sorta unctuous but fresh, ripe but..also new. I’ll just chill here happily with the bottle. But I should probably go to bed. — 7 years ago