Shay A

9.4

My contribution to a large Rhône dinner. Standouts were ‘07 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc, ‘89 and ‘90 Jaboulet La Chappelle, ‘11 Guigal La Mouline.

An over-generalization, but what I love about Cornas is the rusticity and sometimes feral nature of the wines (which I don’t find in Hermitage or CR) and this ‘05 is in that vein. I followed this from pop (after all, we are at the almost 20yr mark) and over the course of three hours.

Interplay of red and black berry fruits, black pepper, slightly herbal (maybe closer to potpurri floral) aromatically. Bright and nimble on the palate, nothing about this is ripe or soft. Energetic acidity all the way through surrounded by notes of iron (sanguine-like) and rocky minerality. Crunchy red and black fruits (whole-cluster?), hint of gaminess but not in the meaty-style I semi-expected. Clean and pure style of Syrah. Big structure at the finish…hard to imagine drinking this 10+yrs ago. Acidity and tannin will carry this a long time, but I think this is peak window for getting depth of fruit and complexity. — 6 months ago

Jeremy.Buss

9.2

Excellent on a stand alone basis or in mimosas!! Slight brioche, caramel, butter, and a hint of apricot. Just as good at bottle opening as it was a couple hours later! — 2 years ago

Donald Williams

9.5

The other half of the two day mini vertical. Just as good as the first. — 4 years ago

with Bonnie

Tom Walsh

9.3

Rich velvety mouth feel, with a wonderful lingering finish of blackberry — 4 years ago

Donald Williams

9.5

The perfect wine for shrimp appetizer and lobster tail dinner. — 5 years ago

with Bonnie

Donald Williams

9.6

Bonnie’s favorite Pinot Noir, with good reason. It’s just beautiful. — 5 years ago

with Bonnie

Jessica Butler Chowning

9.0

Perfectly balanced wine. — 6 years ago

Brian Walker

9.0

Brioche, pears, with a nice bold, crisp touch. — 7 months ago

Michelle Beer

9.4

V Day wine, dangerously drinkable, fruity — 9 months ago

Ming L

9.1

Coming from one of the coolest AVAs in Northern CA, I was expecting a fresher version when I opened the first bottle. But that was not the case at all. This is a 2nd bottle, and Iarrived at the same conclusion. Rich and concentrated, but full of varietal characters. Has the structure to go another 8-10 years.
A keeper. — 3 years ago

Paola Bailey

9.4

Loved it. Lush, bold flavors soft finish. — 4 years ago

Brett Owens

9.0

Nice Chardonnay. — 5 years ago

Ben LaBolt

9.0

Beautiful winery that also produces bubbly. Medium bodied pinots that are well balanced w nice fruit. — 5 years ago

with Leo

Luciana Barros

10

Very elegant, silk, medium body, French oak, sexy and mature — 5 years ago

Donald Williams

9.4

Simple meal of tortellini with homemade pesto, green beans on the side. Open a bottle of Iron Horse Native Yeast Chardonnay, and simple becomes special. — 6 years ago

with Bonnie

Conrad Green

9.6

A fantastic nose. So multi dimensional. Gamey, meaty, violets, iron, herbs. Intense, defined. Long. Fantastic. — 7 months ago

with David

Donald Williams

9.5

Perfect every time. — a year ago

with Bonnie

Severn G

9.6

The weekend upon us and we're hosting another dinner party for a couple of friends. Tonight's theme was Rhone wine, so good stuff on deck, with age.

Notes pending... (Entertaining guests first 😉)

Absolutely perfect, yet only coming into it's zone, decade to go here...

Notes from +24H open:
Nose has ripe cherry, dried cherry, dried blackberry, red velvet cake, ripe plum and dry, mineral-ly earth.

Palate has silky-sweet cherry, ripe red currant, (light) cigar wrapper, dried cherry, faint eucalyptus, faint wood notes, dry earth, faint iron notes on the long finish. Mild tannins persist today. Expect to enjoy this vintage another +10Y when held in proper storage.

This bottle was singing at the top of its register last night, slightly diminished today. Absolutely perfect cork, no Durand required for extraction. Acquired a mere two years ago, from a local retailer beginning to close down his shop. He purchased a case on release, stored in his cold cellar; when I got to hunting it only a single bottle remained.

I've had the 2000 vintage before, and it was a treat in a more youthful stage, but a delicacy with our meal last night. We baked a 3lb beef tenderloin (Kinderhook Farm; Valatie, NY) coated in an herb paste then an herbed panko crumb crust with parmesan. About a 50m cook, 30m rest yeilded a perfect 130° center. Served alongside smashed potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts with thick cut bacon. We had fantastic company, connecting again with a wine trade friend and his wife after a few years break in our dining schedules. — 4 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.5

Color - dark purple garnet. A bold expressive funky perfume fruit nose so classic of Cayuse with mineral-meat, smokey and mint notes lingering with a vanilla toast scent. Juicy and elegant; rich with dark plum-cherry flavors intertwined with a smokey soil bacon bitters taste—the mineral-iron characteristics follow with a tobacco long finish. Looking forward to seeing how the flavors change with different foods and as the wine opens up. Bionic Frog is favorite and definitely a wine to try and store in your cellar. Christophe Baron does it again! — 5 years ago

with Karin and Jill

Bret Anderson

9.9

Dry, complex, dynamic food pairing — 5 years ago