Chris Zitzman

9.4

Tried the ‘21 Gaps Crown, this bottle being a good six months from last we tried - and it is clearly rounding into form. From the looks of it- the how is a Cab. As in: ‘did I open the right bottle?’ Kind of double-take. But the second you breathe it in and take a few sips, well; you’ll find yourself back at the same question that you have an inclination has so-far gone unsolved. This is the third bottle we’ve opened of the same wine & vintag; some three months apart. To put a fine point on it: it’s from high-end stock that’s starting to come into its prime. And what a prime is be. — 15 days ago

with Beth

Raul Puga

9.2

A tad too sweet but still very good — 6 months ago

Lindsay N Jason Larsen

9.0

Love it. Mild and flavorful — 6 months ago

Jess

8.9

Medium-deep ruby color.
Aromas of dark fruit, herbal. Faint.
Dry. Flavors of stewed black plum/cherry, black pepper, spice, cinnamon, licorice, clove

Intensity: 3/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 9 months ago

Lindsey Goetz

9.3

From Jose Morfin - berry notes, full-bodied. — 5 days ago

Ron R

9.1

Winemaker has recently announced that he’ll no longer make this. It’s well behaved and shows its vineyard pedigree. A good rosé bites the dust - Bivio, Montclair. — 3 months ago

Shay A

9.4

I’m scoring as is today, but I really think this inches upward a bit over the next 5-7yrs.

This fell victim to curiosity (as well as a ‘21 Modus Operandi UV-Laguna Pinot). I’ve had a few of Lato’s entry and mid-level offerings, but this was my first Pisoni from them. Loved it.

Profile wise, this is similar to Dumol (not as big as Aubert, but not a lean style either). A very pretty down-the-middle style. While the aromatics here were lovely (honeysuckle, faint lemon cream, citrus and sweet baking spices), the texture of this wine was a standout. Sports much more depth than initially expected (yellow fruits, peach, apricot, pink cotton candy, limestone)…not quite a lees-y style, but close, while remaining elegant and light on its feet (good acidity). Oak is there but plays a supporting role. For being so young, this was a supremely balanced wine. I need to consider buying more. — 6 months ago

Raul Puga

9.1

Very enjoyable — 23 days ago

Shay A

9.4

I’m a fan of the Modus wines and Jason, but think he excels when he experiments (like his Antithesis red). What makes this unique is the transferring of their single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from barrel to tank for bottling, then combining the yeast lees from all 10 barrels back into two new French oak barrels from the vintage. Then, it’s reintroduced to the newly homogenized wine from the tank into the barrels with the 10x yeast lees for an extra 1.5 years of aging.

Almost three years since my last one, and not much has changed. The signature of this wine is the creamy mouthfeel. This is in the vein of many “Super SauvBlancs” but where it differs is that it doesn’t go too overboard in how tropical/sweet it is (still has a tropical vibe though). White peach, underripe pineapple, honeysuckle on the nose. Great texture on the palate with salted lemon cream, pear, and a vein of mineral/limestone poking through with the acidity. Mouthfeel goes on even after the last drop. Will cruise for a few more years, but this is in the zone right now.

His ‘20 is on sale at the moment…for $45, it’s a wonderful QPR. — 2 months ago

Ron R

9.5

Outstanding example of Cali Pinot. Even more so since this is 2012 vintage. Overripe cherries and coffee notes explode on the nose. The palate displays crunchy black fruits along with syrop de cassis. Superb grainy tannins combine with bright acidity. A reference point in Sonoma/Cali.

Here are my top 2023 tastings by type. Let me know what your favorites are…

2023 Wines of my Year
Sauvignon Blanc - Modus Operandi (2021) - $45
Chablis - Domaine Genot-Boulanger Puligny Montrachet (2020) - $85
Chardonnay - Kongsgaard (2020) - $120
Pinot - Aston Estate (2012) - $70
Cabernet - Sinegal (2019) - $75 &
Cabernet - Lewelling (2019) - $59 — 7 months ago

with Anne-marie