Amanda Cripe

9.6

Another beauty from Napa! Dark cherry with the ever so slight taste of leather. High tannis and medium acid work well together to bring out the red berry flavors. This wine would pair extremely well with spaghetti or a fine steak! — 9 years ago

with Leora

Gae Saccoccio - NdC

9.0

Ampeleia, beyond this winery in the heart of Maremma (Tuscany) there was a swiss couple: Erica and Peter Max Suter, they bought an abandoned piece of land which since 2002 has been reorganized under the protection of Elisbetta Foradori. Roccatederighi's the ancient town nearby that spread over the Metalliferous Hills. All the Ampeleia wines bear names that recall ancestral ideas and profound concepts taken from ancient Greek culture: Kepos, Empatia, Ampeleia. Biggest enemy in the wine region is an excess heat and too much sun exposure of the vines which could provides too mushy wines or some dispreferred overipe. How does Marco Tait in the vineyards first then in the cellar, fight against such an adversary? Altitude, actually three different altitudes! Ampeleia di Sopra is where they've got vineyards between 450 and 600 m.a.s.l., here's for instance, the main reason why this vintage 2004, a blend of Cab Franc, Sangiovese and four others Mediterranean grape varieties despite his twelve years behind it is still that vibrating, breezy, unbroken and savory! http://www.ampeleia.it/ — 9 years ago

Ron R

9.0

Nothing distinctive, but well done, as described by my brother; Louis.

It's versatile and will work well with a variety of food. Oddly enough, Louis detected strawbs and cream. On the palette he detected small blackberries, black cherries and cassis. Tannins are fully resolved. An excellent example for the price. — 9 years ago

with Anne-marie, Pierre-Alexandre and 1 other

Jason Ruppert

9.1

What Matty Wicksteed said. A great amount of energy left for this one to work with. — 10 years ago

Pam Starr

Owner/Winemaker Crocker & Starr Wines

9.0

Jerky teriyaki stones pencil lead and some barn. Really fantastic for 75. And it's opening in the glass over an hour. Great piece of history — 10 years ago

with Ken and Norm

Rebecca Pfiffner

9.0

If Captain Ahab had a piece of milky quartz in his mouth, kissing him would be like drinking this wine. — 10 years ago

James Parker Huston, CWE

Sommelier Charlie Palmer

8.9

Nice piece of history. Had better days for sure. — 11 years ago

William Leslie

10

Fruit flavors on the nose, but no oak. Flavors of sweet tobacco and cherry seem to be most pronounced. There is also a juicy blackberry flavor paired with black current. The flavors all work together well without overpowering another. The wine is extremely well balanced leading to a very smooth feel. The tannins are mellow and there is a small little bite on the end. Overall this is an excellent wine from an excellent winemaker and one not to miss. For drinkers looking to try a more expensive bottle but worry it's not with it, this is a great choice to calm your fears. Just make sure to properly decant. — 9 years ago

Christine Havens

9.8

The 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche is a transcendent bottle, wherein no one element dominates, it's in absolute harmony, not unlike a great piece of music or art. It has pronounced power, and is at the same time weightless and ethereal. Layers of crushed raspberries, currants, blackberries and plum give substance to more fleeting layers of exotic spice, minerals, rose petals, black tea, and fresh alfalfa hay, all of which crescendos in a seemingly endless finish. A profound wine. — 9 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.2

So, I agree with all that Nathaniel wrote, except I would add wet to the floral aspect, which along with the interesting barrel selection likely accounts for the musk, which becomes very obvious after 20 or so minutes in the decanter (I like!). I also appreciate the mouthful of subtle complexity that teases a very long finish but dissipates at the 3/4 point making it work well with oysters, shrooms, tuna (Brett Jenning's amazing Elaine's, in Chapel Hill, NC; go there & drink this wine!!!)! Amazing wine at at this $ point!! PS miss my buddy Damon (bartender) but Jared (newer guy) is doing well and very accommodating! — 10 years ago

Tim Herrmann

9.6

What a surprise to drink at a (fun--needless to say!) Saturday work event. I loved this. Quite aromatic, it had all the layers of silky blackberries, licorice, raspberries, leather, fresh mint, and something meaty like ratatouille. And the structure: this has plenty of acid and tannin to go the distance, but it's super fresh and integrated so is drinkable today. — 10 years ago

David De Vleeschauwer

9.2

After a hard of work. Some VINO & a pack of french fries from the 'frituur'. — 10 years ago

Andrew Benn

10

2005
Drank with Ron and Howard along with filet mignon and Andy baked figs:

1 basket of figs - halved
Balsamic - brush on open face of fig
Coppa - one piece to cover fig
Laura Chenel goat cheese - dollop on each fig half to cover coppa
Bake 8 minutes at 450
Remove, plate, drizzle with wild honey
Serve — 11 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.5

Had to take a picture of this in front of an apple tree, it is so pure, like a perfectly fresh picked piece of fruit, cold and covered in dew. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The difficult thing about this wine is it's elegant and smooth, but lacks mouthfeel and structure that is the common flaw of the 98 vintage. I've had some nice 98's. Don't get me wrong, the 98 Staglin was was really nice as were a number of others. The 98 Bella Oaks is liquid milk chocolate, malt balls, black plummy dark fruit, eucalyptus, black olive, wet sweet dark earth, hint of nutmeg, vanilla extract, caramel, sweet saddlewood & tobacco, herbaceous spice, briney and a better finish than expected after a long taste. Better with each sip. You still sense it's a little alcohol hot even after all this time in bottle. It's a shame Heitz will no longer make the Bella Oaks after losing the vineyard lease. Look for the family that took it back to see how the wine is being produced. Hopefully, something special as it's a great piece of land that has produced some really nice fruit over it's many years. — 9 years ago

Devin Bray

9.5

More vanilla, deeper, richer, and more brooding than the 2010. Peaches. Almost reminiscent of white chocolate, so much is its oak the dominant factor at this point. A bit of aromatic piney menthol on the finish. Astounding - a work of art. — 9 years ago

Krystina K

9.1

This has become my go-to glass after a long day of work. Easy to drink, fruity on the palette, and I always pour a second glass! — 10 years ago

terroirista-cy

9.3

Tasting with Olek Bondonio
His wines are true expressions of the land and specially his Barbarescos are showing the quality of Olek's "work" less is more.
— 10 years ago

with Christos

Audrius Dargužis

9.5

Monumental wine. First of all, you have to let breathe for half an hour. Let it settle in your glass as if it were Brando preparing to watch himself on VHS, sunk in a big leather armchair. It smells like dried fruits and tomato sauce running hand-in-hand around a pine tree. Mouth is very silky and elegant. A work of art. — 10 years ago

Scott T

VP/Senior Wine Specialist Christie's

9.4

In fantastic condition. Very Top Shoulder. Firm cork, pulled in one piece. Wine: Fully enveloped in its secondary aromatic life. Forest floor, sweet leather, excellent color, bright aromas, resolved tannin. It makes me think of '66 Latour, a vintage favorite. Off the 66s, probably top 3-4 of vintage. — 11 years ago