Mike Mayer

9.2

An excellent expression of the Willamette Valley. Beautiful acidity which melds nicely with red plum and baking spice hints on the palate. Life is good! — a month ago

with Lisa

Mike Saviage

9.3

Dark brooding color, opaque with lighter rims. Tight nose, hard to get a read. Notes of red fruit and raspberries, kirsch, cola and some ash comes on later. Nicely made juice, it’s well balanced. While it opened up some over the night, it was tough to get a read on this. I could only come up with mid 90s Napa Cab. Still, this is a wine lover’s wine and our ribeyes went well with this and the other bottles tonight. — a month ago

Clive McNish

9.1

Second time I’ve had Cantemerle, this time the 2004. I think this was a great choice and I found this one a bit more refined and mature than the 05 which is probably a few years from fully settling down. This one has plenty of cassis, vanilla and wood on the nose. The palate is smooth with a medium finish that is very nicely balanced. I would describe this as a masculine wine, with leather, tobacco and ash blending with the fruit, it is not floral or overly delicate. Probably approaching it’s peak but visually no real significant signs of ageing. Worth a try if you have the chance. — 2 years ago

Michael Budds

9.0

Very pronounced oak… bit much for me — 17 days ago

Eric Grasser

8.9

Very concentrated, old vine (50+) dolcetto seeped in ripe black berries and cherries. Layered earth components of ash and tar are backed up by a good dose of tannin. — 2 days ago

Brent Young

9.2

Served this 375ml with the Vinloq System

DAY1
Let this aerate in the glass for 6+ hours 🍷
👃Bright with red fruits + blackberries and lovely florals. Smoke and ash more than tar. Mint. Pretty classic. Beautiful
👅Cherries, blackberries and raspberries. Ashy. Mint on the nice finish. Tannins are soft and mostly integrated. Fresh. No dried fruits. Drinking well 👍

Stored bottle in my fridge with Vinloq Preservation

DAY18
Roses and tar now. Fruit has more of a stewed quality. Jammy even. The character is more savory than the freshness of DAY1. This would be better as a food wine now

I preferred this on DAY1

Albe is Vajra’s “early consumption” barolo. That being said, this still has vigor after more than a decade. Well made barolo for sure

Full notes on Instagram @ “Vinloq.notes” — 5 months ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2006 ‘Pedestal’ is a sinfully good warm vintage Merlot by superstar enological consultant Michel Rolland that is drinking marvelously at now thirteen years of age. Following a long decant, the Merlot slowly unveils ripe black currants that combine with sandalwood, cigar ash and Turkish coffee aromatics that meld together in the glass. The palate has tremendous freshness and verve considering its age, as this silky wine effortlessly glide across the mid-palate. Still showing serious power and concentration, the ‘Pedestal’ leads with a deep core of dark fruits that mingle with suggestions of milk chocolate, pipe tobacco, leather and anise flavors that sing in harmony. Fantastic now, this beautiful wine has at least another decade of life left. Drink 2019-2028- 94 — 3 years ago

Brent Young

9.2

DAY 1
Served with the Vinlog System
👃Purple fruit, tar & mint
👅Earthy with cassis & plum, volcanic ash & fresh tobacco. Mod complexity. Long dry finish with tannic pull

Remaining wine was Slow Decanted in
my fridge

DAY 10
👃Less mint & more cooking spice vs Day 1
👅Volcanic earth and graphite with purple fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco, & licorice

Drinking well as a fruit forward wine. Will improve as tannins soften. Love the volcanic notes that dominate

Follow "Vinlog.notes” on Instagram — 2 days ago

John Bratincevic

9.2

Poured through an aerator and sat for 15 minutes…

NOSE: strong, clear cassis. Meat. Pine, forest. Very mild chocolate and a little ash - and some raisin - but the cassis dominates.

Taste: medium weight, elegant, fruity bordeaux, with enough tannin to balance it perfectly - as on the nose, cassis and dark berry flavors dominate, but with a good herbal backbone. Simpler than I’d hoped, but just so very well made it doesn’t matter. Would love to taste this in a few years. 92. — a month ago

Matt

9.5

Drinking beautifully with a Northern appellation feel to it, more Brune and schistous to me. Would love to know all the lieu dits that contribute and their proportion in the final blend. Its darken fruit profile, meaty/smokey and forest notes make the argument that it’s of northern origin. Its opening up for now there’s a rich stream of dark black fruits reminiscent of Black raspberry liquor, soaked plums, almost prune, and overripe black berry/cherry. There’s still freshness to the fruit however, nothing ox’d or decaying. Singed cedar, leather, ash, roasted meat and animal come next, followed by the garrigue and bacon fat. Threads of eastern spices and of course pepper. It elusive now, the aromas coming and going. Palate has some lovely richness and bones to accompany it well, never pushy, always with restraint and nerve. Reminds me of Barolo. Great “basic” cuvée for Rostaing this vintage. Day 2 this really got going, much more harmony and focus on the nose. Loads of bitter root and pastille notes developing among its dark content. Very delicious — 2 years ago