Raun Kupiec

9.0

Minty, tight, herbal. Limited fruit but not yet into complicated secondary flavours. Tannins not as integrated as I would have expected. Frankly, a bit disappointed. Maybe it’s just not in the right place this year. One of my favourite wine producers and this didn’t live up to expectations. Still have 5 more bottles, will try again in a year or two. UPDATE: Well, didn’t finish the bottle last night (rare occurred) and the last 2 glasses sat in the carafe overnight. Wine is much more open and floral today. Really thought an hour and a half in the decanter last night would have been enough. Obviously not. Softer and more round today, and more complex secondary flavors present. Tannins still not integrated enough, though. — 4 months ago

Carlo Maria Rossotto

9.1

Tried the limited edition of the Barolo Marchesi di Barolo last night with my friend Vasilis. Paired it with roasted lamb and saffron rice and nuts and Dutch duck pate’. — 4 years ago

Brian Kaufman

9.0

The nose on this was incredible from the start - cassis, baking spices, and chocolate- exactly what I was craving tonight. But the wine really needed a lot of time to open up. Luckily, it's a Friday night and I've got nowhere to be! An hour and a half after decanting, the Cab Franc that had been very pronounced upon opening the bottle had mellowed and integrated nicely with the rest of the blend. — 5 years ago

Timmer McCarthy

9.1

Enjoyed the ‘13 so much last night, figured the ‘11 would be a perfect bottle to open on the train to Paris! — 7 years ago

with Laura

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I had this a number of times but, have never written notes. 🎶Tonight’s the Night!🎶

The nose reveals; lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, vanillin, light ginger, cream soda, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens.

The body is; full, round, rich and slightly creamy. Lemon custard to candy, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, light stone fruits, green melon, lychees, cream, beeswax, vanillin, light ginger, white spice with some palate heat, cream soda, touch of caramel, toffee notes, nougat, marzipan, mixed nuts, bread dough to baguette crust, light green herbs, beautiful, powdery chalkiness, sea shell fossils, volcanic minerals, yellow lilies, jasmine with mixed greens. The acidity is crisp and sharp. The long finish is; rich, polished, elegant, nicely balanced, delicious and persists endlessly. Very good at its price point.

Photos of; the House of Piper Heidsieck, the train cave ride as Champange caves can run for miles and miles, artful cellar entrance and one of their Grand Cru vineyards. — 7 years ago

Donald Andersen

9.3

Very nice night cap, made for a great accompaniment on the train today. Unique Cab blend. — 8 years ago

with Lauren

Danny Martinez

8.9

And our final bottle of the night; last crew of the family over before their train to the suburbs needed a night cap. Would drink again. — 9 years ago

sasha

9.1

W. Fruity with limited complexity the first night, quite different the second with muted fruit, earth and tannins — 2 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

Not particularly impressive in the blind - blocky, lacking elegance, and clearly Italian. Had an inkling it was a Brunello given the group I was with. It did eventually reveal some delectable elements by the end of the night. Red-fruited and saline with some oaky spice, yet I felt its energy was drained by too much dry tannins, plum-ish and earthy characters. One to revisit, though my limited experience with this producer so far has been rather lacklustre. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

The final wine at the Downs Club Filipino Dinner on Wednesday night - the mystery wine. This was a rich full bodied red from Coonawarra ( atypical for most Shiraz from this region) and I incorrectly picked McLaren Vale. This had a closed latent brooding nose and should have had a longer decant I feel. Ripe black fruits with some liquorice and plenty of tannin. This has a long way to go to achieve some nuance and detail. A whopper for a Coonawarra Shiraz. — 5 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

I’m not sure what to make of Selvapiana yet. This, like the 2 other young examples I’ve had recently, showed some green flavor notes, alongside good fruit and good length. (I don’t recall anything like that in the few older ones I’ve tried.) interestingly, this bottle was more vigorous on night three. So, limited data, but seems these want both age and lots of air. — 6 years ago

with Sarah

Corson Fidler

9.1

Romantic night and an amazing wine! — 7 years ago

with Kelly

S.S. Mandani

8.9

Picnic basket, raspberry jam, cherry pie in the bouquet.

Well rounded. Subtle spice, reminds me of cinnamon & black pepper.

Extremely drinkable, friendly to the palate.

This one is special because my girlfriend brought it over from Ibiza. We had been saving it for a special occasion, and decided a Sunday night, together, was special enough.

With only 13,000 limited production, bottle 741 is down for the count. — 7 years ago

Melissa Kingman

9.3

Drinking the 2012. Took one sip when we first opened the bottle. Didn’t love it. As it opened up through the night it mellowed out, got smoother and is really fantastic. Bold and smooth. — 8 years ago

with James

Scott Rowe

9.5

Thursday night feels, train hard, drink smart. — 9 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.1

“Remarkable when good. Almost always rustic. Let’s see how the bottle opens up tonight.”

DC’s comment pretty much sums up my somewhat limited experience with the wines of Lorenzo Accomasso, and evidently this bottle has done little to change our opinion. While it was certainly the most complex number of the night as it was constantly evolving with air, the level of volatile acidity in the 13’ Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata was really testing my limits. Having said that, if my more extensive experience with the wines of Musar is of any relevance, this is bound to do a Benjamin Button and freshen up with another decade in the cellar.

Opened some 5 hours before our tasting session, it was all dark and brooding in the first pour. Plums, mocha, spiced meat, and leather aromas, all enveloped in a rather pesky sheen of acetone. Subsequent pours seemed to bring more elegance with aromas of dark red cherries, licorice, dusty rose petals, and even hints of iodine developing. The acetone note was somewhat tamer later in the night, though still very much discernible. The palate mirrors the nose - all dark fruits, leather, tar, sweet spices, and a touch of VA warmth at the start; more red-fruits, licorice, and heaps of black tea by the end of the night. Concentrated and beautifully textured, with fine yet austere tannins. Overall, a bottle I’m grateful to drink and ponder, but best to keep others under locks for another decade. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Some friends of ours brought this to our backyard dinner last night. This is not a producer I buy. So, it was nice to revisit and nice of them to share.

The first thing I would say, is this is a well made Pinot Noir. Having said that, I don’t buy it due to its pricing. If you are buying this from the winery, its price point is still too high for it’s quality and gets worse yet when you go to the secondary markets which, many do, due to its limited production & wait on their list.

I say this because I have had countless examples of Sonoma & CA Pinot Noirs that are as good for $75 or around that price point give or take a little. The Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is a similar style and for me, is better than this Marcassin. The Hendricks is $75 on futures buying.

Our friends that brought it, whom we share a mutual friendship with another Sommelier. He told them they had to drink this as it was getting old. I can tell you that is simply not the case. This wine has another 7-10 years of fine drinking ahead. These statements happen when your consuming wine regiment is based on a steady stream of always drinking wines young...It just happens.

The wine shows beautiful mid & dark candied, floral fruits, heavy baking spices and too much cinnamon stick for me. Beautiful, dark, red, blue and purple florals. It is well balanced, lush, elegant, polished with nice round acidity.

A very nice wine just overpriced IMHO. You can do just as well for less and you would only lose out on the fact you are feeling good about opening a cult name Pinot for yourself or to impress others. Not a dig, just the wine psychology that experience has led me to through the devotion of studying wine and consumers feedback. Not all, but enough to call it what it is. I myself have fallen prey to those emotions & I’m sure will again.

Photo of, Marciassin Winery, Helen Turley-Co Owner, Ryan O'Donnell-Winemaker and a Sonoma vineyard they source fruit. — 6 years ago

Cheri Saez

9.9

Carrabbas Wine Dinner. OMG. I love this wine!! Could drink it all night long. I guess it is a limited edition 😢 — 7 years ago

TheSkip

9.0

If Cabernet, Port and Amarone spent the night at @Bill Bender’s, this would be the result. — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.6

Friday night vibes... The Hossfeld’s aptly named Coliseum Vineyard was planted by the late Henry Hossfeld during the 1980s. The rock is so solid at this terraced vineyard that he literally had to frack the vine holes with dynamite. Late last year, the Hossfeld’s suffered significant damage from the Atlas Fire, including their homes and 15 of the 20 acres under vine, not to mention most of their 2017 crop. I knew this bottle would be special, but had no idea of the impact of the fires on this family.
Mark Carter founded his eponymous label in 1998 with the help of Nils Venge. Mike Smith would later become winemaker after Thomas Rivers Brown introduced him to Carter. Carter’s 2015 Hossfeld Coliseum is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and easily rivals Duckhorn’s 2014 Three Palms. Decadent black fruit leads the way, but it’s loaded with dates, fig, clove, spice cake, baking spice, and just the right edge of underbrush. This is best described as a gravy train of hedonism. — 8 years ago