Monte Tokaj

Bodegas Riojanas

Monte Real Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2016

Buen rioja, aunque no creo que esta cosecha nos de esta textura y bouquet. — 5 months ago

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

Bought at Pine Orchard 11/25 $70 after tasting at Ridge in 10/25. Less expensive here. The 2023 is rated at 100 pts. Absolutely delicious. Floral aromas, lightly crisp, subtle oak, smooth finish. — 5 months ago

Bodegas Riojanas

Monte Real Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2005

Cedar, fruit in the background, coconut?. Mature and delicious — 6 months ago

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

5 Puttonyos Furmint Blend 2016

Royal Tokaji – 5 Puttonyos Aszú 2016
Tokaj – Hungary 🇭🇺

Overview
A classic Tokaji Aszú, made from grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), then macerated with must to create Hungary’s legendary sweet wine. The 5 puttonyos designation signals a rich yet balanced level of sweetness, around 120 g/L residual sugar. (Educational note: “Puttonyos” refers to the traditional baskets of aszú berries added — the higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.)

Aromas & Flavors
Lush apricot, honey, and candied orange peel at the forefront, layered with quince, dried fig, and lemon curd. Hints of saffron, ginger, and toasted almond bring exotic spice and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Velvety and lusciously sweet, balanced by vibrant acidity that keeps it lifted. Full-bodied yet precise, with a long, honeyed finish that leaves both richness and freshness.

Food Pairings
Perfect with blue cheese, foie gras, or fruit tarts. Also excellent with roasted nuts, crème brûlée, or simply savored on its own as a meditative dessert wine.

Verdict
A benchmark Tokaji — rich, layered, and perfectly balanced. The 2016 vintage of Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszú offers indulgence and structure, proving why Tokaji has been called “the wine of kings.” 👑🍷

Did You Know?
Tokaji Aszú is one of the world’s oldest regulated wines — protected since 1737, nearly a century before Bordeaux’s 1855 classification.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Royal Tokaji’s Aszú wines are globally sought after, and a 5 puttonyos 2016 bottling represents both a collectible dessert wine and a piece of vinous history
— 8 months ago

Andrew, ESF and 2 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Chardonnay 2017

Big tropical fruits, lemon curd, luscious, yet retains acid in the end…maybe too much vanilla cream (oak) for me, but overall delicious after dinner and segway to whiskey around the fire…. — 5 years ago

Michael LongRyan McClellan
with Michael and Ryan
Bill and Mike liked this

Seghesio Family Vineyards

Monte Rosso Zinfandel 2014

So great. Loads of ground, smoky sandstone, ripe blackberry, maple syrup. Rich, structured, so good, so balanced. My favorite Zin plot of land. — 6 years ago

Severn, Josh and 9 others liked this
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

MR is the best Zinfandel site IMHO.
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

@Severn Goodwin - Agree. Howell Mtn. a close second.

Romano Dal Forno

Monte Lodoletta Amarone della Valpolicella Corvina Blend 2017

Despite a 17 pct alcohol level this wine is perfectly in balance. Blood sausage, long afterburn rather sweet. — 5 months ago

Andrew, Brecht and 1 other liked this

Romano Dal Forno

Vigneto Monte Lodoletta Valpolicella Superiore Corvina Blend 2013

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and no obvious signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and some dried fruits: bramble berries, slightly stewed black cherry, dried herbs, stony earth, baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The alcohol is high.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Grenache-based blend, Corvina-based blend or Sangiovese-based blend from France or Italy. I felt the combination of slightly stewed cherry and spices ruled out what I would want from a Sangiovese blend. Which, left me to decide between Southern Rhône or Valpolicella. I liked this wine…the oak treatment was interesting. I was getting a French barrique. Hmmm…

So, for my final conclusion: I’m calling this a Grenache-based blend, from France, from Southern Rhône, from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2017, from a more modern leaning producer using a good portion of barrique. I’ll be damned! I don’t hate my call but I gotta get better at distinguishing these wines from Southern Rhône. I probably just need to drink more of both, lol. Tasty stuff! Drink now through 2039.
— 5 months ago

Mark, Douglas and 6 others liked this
Zach D

Zach D

That’s a super tough blind tasting. Good deductive reasoning. Cheers

Oremus

Mandolás Tokaji Dry Furmint Blend 2021

Vintage 2021 — 8 months ago

Dave, Tom and 4 others liked this

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

The Oddity Dry tokaji Furmint 2018

Brilliant golden hue.
Gunpowder and flint on the nose.
Upright acidity lime and pear palate.
— 3 years ago

Tom liked this

Chateau Dereszla

5 Puttonyos Aszú Tokaji Furmint Blend 2013

Yellow delicious apple and white peach. Very honeyed as well. This is exactly how I like my morning granola. It's been twenty years since I've been to Hungary. This is a great reminder that I've got to get back. — 6 years ago

Anita Beishuizen
with Anita

Suavia

Monte Carbonare Garganega 2016

Outstanding Italian White. Remarkable balance of minerality, acidity and fruit. Very pure. Apples and pears. Wine is bright and fully open right out of the bottle. Best white of the year so far. Nice!! — 7 years ago

John Pacailler
with John
Hermes and Paul liked this

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

Tokaji Furmint 2017

Finally opened this one at the right time of year. Mom’s Christmas gift a few years ago from my homeland. Ripe peach, dried apricot, golden raisin, honeysuckle, mandarin zest and orange. Volcanic edge. Very nice acidity on a sweet wine. Great for holiday desserts. — 5 months ago

Karen, Anthony and 4 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Blend 2018

Excellent cab! Always great from Ridge, this one is full bodied, nicely aged (still has room to age more, but wonderful right now!, wish i had a couple more) — 6 months ago

Monte Bernardi

Retromarcia Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2022

Nice. Old school not very funky but nice — 8 months ago

Disznókő

5 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú Sweet Furmint Blend 2013

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2013 Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, aged for 20 months in oak barrels, has a perfumed, honeyed bouquet with mango and yellow plum. It doesn't quite have the complexity of the 2014. The palate is well balanced with a pure entry, a keen line of acidity, orange zest-tinged honeyed fruit and nougat and hazelnut notes on the finish. The palate has a tad more complexity than the aromatics, but overall, it is very fine, if not the long-term prospect of other vintages. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
— 2 years ago

Severn liked this

Bedrock Wine Co.

Monte Rosso Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2012

Decanted for 2 hours. Still big, no signs of fading. Did not drink enough before it was consumed to review properly, but seemed a touch sweet. — 3 years ago

Bott

Csontos Tokaji Furmint 2017

Komplex och koncentrerad med riktigt fin textur. Nötig, rökig, mogen citron, vitt te, nektar och gula plommon. Bra vulkanisk vingård norr om Tokaj, den klart bästa från WineWaves tokaj-låda. — 6 years ago

Fabian liked this

Louis M. Martini

Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Vine Zinfandel 2011

The Monte Rosso was outstanding in every way- expressive nose of dark red fruits and layers that touched all parts of the palate. The flavors complimented a wonderful dinner. 8 years and still getting better. 100 year old vines that show how good Zinfandel can be when grown and tended to reveal their sense of place. Outstanding 🍷🍷🍷 — 7 years ago