Orange Belt Brewing
Château Rieussec
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1997
Rivers-Marie
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
The 2016s just came in so I had to rip one open. This might be the best SC ever and that is saying a lot. It’s certainly the best one for early drinking as it was singing with only a splash decant. A return to dark fruits, cedar, orange peel. The life of the party. — 8 years ago
Azienda Agricola COS
Ramí Terre Siciliane Greciano Insolia 2012
Dried lemon rinds. Grapefruit, orange, honey and potpourri. The palate is lemon rind and pith. Orange zest. Saline and hints of honey. Reminds me of a fino sherry, but with more moderate acidity. Long finish. — 10 years ago
Quady Winery
Essensia Orange Muscat 2013
Delicious dessert wine, very sweet & yummy! — 11 years ago
Monastero Suore Cistercensi
Coenobium Lazio Bianco Trebbiano Blend 2011
Vines in convent. Cloudy light orange. — 12 years ago
Cibonne
Côtes de Provence Tibouren Rosé
Peach lemonade in the glass. A touch cloudy and gray, but delicate looks. Slightly astringent and hot on the nose. Nectarine pit, cloudberry, and a touch of acetone on the tongue. Almost orange wine like spices and spark. Surprising and lovely. Abso-frickin-ideal for pairing with briny seafood as well as something richer like a Malaysian honey BBQ chicken with mango salsa. — 7 years ago
Donnafugata
Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria Zibibbo 2015
Jack & Arden put together a wonderful evening of delicious food and great wines, and a few of us attendees contributed some bottles to enjoy as well. Great night!
My contribution. Wow! The aromatics here are some of the most intoxicating I’ve come across. Ripe pineapple bathed in honey butter, apricot preserves, orange marmalade and honeycomb. Light on the palate with zippy acidity. Fantastic! — 7 years ago
Château Guiraud
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Pronounced aromas of orange blossom, marmalade, apricot on the nose. Expected the acidity to counterbalance the sweetness better. Felt a little too “heavy” for me. Not bad for $49 for 750ml bottle. — 8 years ago
Ryme Cellars
Vare Vineyard Ribolla Gialla 2014
Looks like a glass of clarified butter. Smooth like an orange wine, but with a hit of acid like a white. Paired well w/ steamed artichokes of all things.. — 9 years ago
Paolo Bea
Santa Chiara Umbria Bianco Malvasia Blend 2012
Tannin rich and heady on the nose - this is a serious orange wine for red wine fans. — 9 years ago
La Stoppa
Ageno Malvasia di Candia Blend 2007
Orange wine. — 11 years ago
Terpin Franco (TERPIN)
Quinto Quarto Pinot Grigio Ramato
Orange Pinot Grigio. It's amazing. — 11 years ago
Weingut Zahel
Orange T Orangetraube
This wine is wild. It’s like gruner veltliner on LSD. — 7 years ago
Vie di Romans
Dessimis Pinot Grigio 2015
Oxidized orange color, earthy, nutty, tangerine, floral nose, med+ weight, high acid. Long finish with some drying tannin. — 7 years ago
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2001
From magnum and paired well with three different Tri-tip steaks sources and marinades.
On the nose, sweet & sour, ripe dark cherries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, some ripe, slightly rustic rhubarb with just a hint of blue fruits. Glycerin, touch of fruit liqueur, vanilla, dry stones, crushed rocks, hints of dry herbs, used leather, saddle-wood, dark rich soils, soft dark spice, underlying white pepper and dark red fresh and slightly withering florals with a touch of violets.
The palate is med and beautiful. The length, structure, tension and balance are at its peak harmony from magnum. Sweet & sour, ripe dark cherries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, pomegranate, some ripe, slightly rustic rhubarb, burnt orange, with just a hint of blue fruits. Glycerin, touch of fruit liqueur, vanilla, dry river stones, crushed rocks, hints of dry herbs, used leather, saddle-wood, dark rich soils, limestone minerals, dry stems, more presence, soft dark spice, underlying white pepper and dark red fresh and slightly withering florals with a touch of violets and blue flowers. The acidity is waterfall perfect. The rich, ripe, fresh fruit, well balanced finish is simply beauty on steroids.
Photos of, Lopez de Heredia, Vat fermenters that are still in use and somewhere between 100-200 years of age (they repair them as needed to keep them tight), their cooperage and Maria José López de Heredia who now runs the family business. — 7 years ago
Azienda Agricola Denavolo
Dinavolino Vino Bianco Malvasia Blend
Dry, grassy, orange. Weird and delicious. — 8 years ago
Gravner
Anfora Venezia Giulia Ribolla Gialla 2004
funky earthy orange wine from the intimidating 7'1ft biodynamic producer Josko Gravner, excellent with food, notes of hazelnuts, orange peel, fresh peach, forest floor — 9 years ago
Château Coutet
Sauternes-Barsac Sémillon Blend 2005
Beautiful deep golden color. Orange peel, apricot and hints of almond. Perfect sugar/acid bakance. Fantastic. — 10 years ago
Château Doisy-Védrines
Sauternes Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1996
Half-bottle. The wine was medium amber in colour and offered orange peel, apple, honeycomb, caramel, smoke, spices, sherry and a mouldy note on the nose. On the palate the wine showed orange, peach, apple, cane sugar, caramel, smoke, spices, creamy honey, some coffee, a hint of chocolate, sherry, mild black tea and a mouldy note, paired with medium-plus acidity, a creamy honey mouthfeel and very good length. Judged by this half-bottle the wine has just passed its plateau and started its slow journey on the downward slope. A good, medium-bodied Sauternes with lots of botrytis character. Drink now. 89 — 11 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Masterclass in San Francisco with Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite. Chateau Rieussec is another property that the Rothschild’s own.
1997 a difficult vintage for reds in Bordeaux. The upside is, when the reds lag, the whites almost always shine.
The nose shows; marmalade, dry peaches & apricots, pineapple, citrus blend, fresh orange peel, burnt almonds, almond cake, nut skin, burnt toffee, honey, caramel, beeswax, waxiness, toast, limestone, gravely stones, fruit blossoms and yellow florals.
The body is thick, gluey and rich. The mouthfeel magnificent. There is almost a dry tannin presence but it is it’s dry, gritty volcanic minerality, marmalade, dry peaches & apricots, pineapple, citrus blend, fresh orange peel, burnt almonds, almond cake, nut skin, burnt toffee, honey, caramel, beeswax, waxiness, toast, limestone, gravely stones, fruit blossoms and yellow florals. The acidity round and splendid. The finish is rich, well balanced, elegant, polished and delicious.
All wines arrived weeks ago directly from the Chateau.
Photos of; the Crown Room on the 23rd floor of the Fairmont where the Masterclass was held, glass of 1997 showing color, Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite presenting and another view of the city of San Francisco/Bay and the Golden Gate Bride in the background.
— 7 years ago