Yesterday late afternoon I had the pleasure of tasting the 2016 Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo. At first taste I knew this was a special bottle of wine. All boxes were checked on the nose as well as the palate.
On the nose were fully expressive notes of black cherry, strawberry, herbs, clove, clay pottery, rose petals, underbrush, tar and dusty soil.
On the palate were delightful notes of dark cherries, strawberry, red plum, licorice, truffle, herbs, dried roses, a good mineral note and dusty earth.
An outstanding wine from the word go, full bodied, well balanced with a smooth round mouthfeel, medium + acidity and medium + to high fine mouth coating grippy tannins that leaves you with a long pronounced fresh fruit dusty earth finish. This wine still has a lot to offer years from now. What a pleasure to have experienced this. I hope everyone's weekend is going well? Have a continued wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago
Medium ruby red with a tawny edge. As per previous notes - always a delight to taste this wine. Aromatics of red fruits (strawberry) rose petals, beetroot and compost heap. The palate is very complex and so multifaceted - earthy red fruits with a degree of sweetness. A gorgeous new world Pinot - one of the best of recent times. Would love to put this in a lineup of 2010 Premier and Grand Cru Butgundies and taste them all blind. It would surprise many people. — 6 years ago
Rose petals, unripe cherries, forest floor. Good balance. — 4 years ago
Vibrant with rhubarb on the front, followed by blueberry, with a finish of strawberry and rose petals. — 5 years ago
Love this blend! Oaky cherry nose, notes of cranberry and cherry. Light peppery notes. A favorite! — 5 years ago
That Krug at lunch today was good but, it’s Friday and I need some Rosé Champagne.
Nose is showing a lot of blood orange, tangerine, slightly baked strawberries, cherries, lean watermelon near the rind, rhubarb reduction, yellow peach, black cherries, some blackberries, oyster shell, sea fossils, saline, grey volcanics, dry yeast, grainy chalk, bread dough, baguette crust with fresh pink & red rose petals.
The palate shows deeper, richer, riper & juicy; black cherries, blackberries, blood orange, tangerine, slightly baked strawberries, cherries, lean watermelon near the rind, rhubarb reduction, yellow peach, oyster shell, sea fossils, saline, grey volcanics, hints of white spice with just a shade of heat, touch of fresh Provenance herbs, dry yeast, grainy chalk, bread dough, baguette crust with fresh pink & red rose petals. The acidity is fresh, round & lively. The long, well balanced & nicely polished finish lingers nicely with volcanic minerals & white spice on the long set.
Photos of; Champagne House of Ruinart, painting of Dom Thierry Ruinart, their caves and one of their rolling Grand Cru Vineyards. — 6 years ago
M’s bday dinner (7/12). Tasted blind. Bright tawny color. Has good weight but suspect it’s older. Exotic powerful nose. Everyone smiles, this is special. Notes of red cherries, Asian spice, rose petals and dark earth. Flamboyant in the mouth. “Amazing” underlined 2x in my notes. Memorable. We started enjoying this after 4 hours of air was given to it and even 3 hours after that this was still singing. Guessed 69 La Tache. This ended up being my favorite wine of the evening. The emotional impact was more than the other 2 slightly older DRCs. There was a long, mixed debate on this though. — 7 years ago
Orange peel, rose petals, and soft mineral. — 8 years ago
Insane! You would never guess this is from Cali. So good, compares well to some old school barolo.
Classic nebbiolo aromas of mainly rose petals at this stage. On the palate, more rose petals, tar, cherry and a bit of raspberry. Light body but firm tannins still. Made the mistake of pop n pouring, ideally need a few more years and definitely a decant. — 8 years ago

Exudes Elegance! Slow oxed for six hours the day before and then recorded and returned to the cellar. Amazing nose of rose petals, some red candy, tinged with olives the wine simply exudes elegance! With a tremendous balance and long finish perhaps the best of Cantineau Mascarello that I have had! Wish I had some more! — 5 years ago
My first birth year wine!
Moving toward pale garnet. High acid, medium dusty tannins. Very little fruit but there is some dried cherry and prune. Crunchy fall leaves. Cigar ash. Dried pink rose petals. It is past its prime but there are no flaws, and the cork was in great shape! — 5 years ago

Latest Vintage of this Four grape Rioja blend. Dried red berry and vanilla aromas. Slight hint of Brett. Vibrant red color that has a distinctive brick colored edge. Dark cherry, tobacco and leather on the pallet. Medium bodied and quite refined. Balanced (but noticeable). acidity and mouth drying tannins. Classic Rioja in style. I thought 2006 Vintage was slightly better, but it did have an extra year of bottle age. Revisited in June 2021. The above notes still apply. Revisited again in December 2021 from a Magnum. (Thanks Pete). Additional aromas of rose petals. This wine is fantastic! Revisited yet again in June 2022. From another Magnum. (Thanks again Kasey and Petey) Wine continues improve with age. This wine is a classic! — 6 years ago
This weekend I have opened the 2007 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara Nebbiolo.
On the nose it is light with notes of cherry, raspberry, leather, anise, rose petals and an earthy component.
On the palate is tart cherry, sour cranberry, raspberry, herbaceous qualities, with an earthy note.
This wine is medium bodied with medium + acidity and high grippy tannins that leads to a long tannic finish. Enjoy your weekend and please be safe. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 8 years ago
Anna Sangiacomo
Two Miles from the Pacific Ocean with an elevation of 1500 feet. This is one of the most elegant wines of the three different sites.  Rose petals, crushed raspberry, wild strawberry.  — 4 years ago