Brian Kostreba

8.9

Good fruit, graphite, leather, tannins quick to the tongue. The only problem was the cork broke into 3 pieces with the wine key, tried an ah-so to extract the third piece stuck in the neck but pushed through into the bottle. Ran it through a screen and consumed. Paired with a prime rib & spuds. — 4 years ago

Jared O'Connell

8.9

Cloudy AF. Super sour in a way that matched the tartness and gaminess of a yogurt sauce on lamb meatballs. Ocean spray & hi-c juice. — 5 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.4

@Dominik SonaYou're the best! Walks off into the cellar, comes out carrying a massive bottle in a sleeve that could barely cover the label. I just love how ridiculous magnum riesling bottles look! I mean, we could see that it's a Koehler-Ruprecht for sure and the table shot straight to a warm vintage on the first sip (warm finish). Didn't take long for Franzi to identify the vintage and the rest of the pieces fell together subsequently (the body = spatlese, forget identifying the "R"). Guess making wines at the winery itself helps 😂

What to say about this wine? It's pretty intense, but the acidity and minerals kept it in check. Finely strung with pitch-perfect tension. This is the kind of wine that needs very little to push it over the edge into the hedonistic territory. Begs for time (like other 09's), as it's true elegance only revealed itself with air (bring on the crushed rocks and chamomile!). The nose is deep, with exotic fruit aromas, flint, toasted almond, florals, and that classic KR funk. Immense palate with lots of lychee and grapefruit, plus superb minerality with air. Creamy and long finish. Yes, the wine finishes a little warm and could be touch more focus, but it's a real class act for 09'! Power without weight, if you ask me. — 7 years ago

Natalya Pemberton

9.1

This wine is fun, delightful, and restored my faith in the universe. Pink, bubbly, with gorgeous acidity that slowly dissolves the tensions of even the most frustrating day. The finish reminds me of biting into soft pieces of fruit in a high-quality unsweetened strawberry jam. — 9 years ago

Andrew S

9.4

Fantastic big Paso Syrah. This will need some time to settle down. All the pieces are there and is drinking delicious now. — 9 years ago

Gabe Barkley

9.2

Has all the pieces, but not as accessible as the regular Sarmassa bottling right now. — 9 years ago

Patrice Gravel

9.1

I discover theMcLaren vale Shiraz region 4 years ago and this wine is responsable why today 90 % of my consumption came from there : you like a nice bottle with a nice AAA pieces of steak this wine will married perfectly tough structure this wine will wake up the cowboys sleeping inside of you! — 9 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.5

Celebrating another publication this year, for a total of 13 pieces: 10 short stories and 3 installments of the beverage column, Liquid Carriage at No Contact.

Described to me by the owner and resident vino at Frankly in TriBeCa as an electric Chenin that changes over a few days from slightly bready to fresh and zippy to Burgundian-like.

I had to experience this chameleon of flavors.

Fresh Focaccia on the nose. Bready and boozy in the bouquet. Aromas of tropical fruit, papaya and lemongrass.

Super well balanced, fresh acid, nice RS, beautiful softness like rose petal mouthfeel.

Love this. So much. — 5 years ago

D Scher

9.2

1984 vintage. Cork difficult to extract, ended up in several pieces. Beautiful deep color, little to no bricking even at this age. Seductive at one hour+ of air with black cherry, raspberry, some vanilla, green pepper, graphite. 12% ABV. From the FIL’s collection. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

On the nose, deep, dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dry cranberries, some blue fruits with baked strawberries on the edges. Black licorice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, dark spices, smoke, softer leather, dry stems, dry rich soil and fresh & withering flowers.

The body is much fuller than the 14. The fruits are also darker. The tannins are big, firm but nice rounded. dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dry cranberries, creamy raspberries come on as it opens open and coats the palate, some blue fruits with baked strawberries on the palate edges. Black licorice, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, caramel, dark & milk chocolate dark spices, mint, expresso roast, tobacco, cedar, smoke, softer leather, dry stems, dry rich soil, tarry notes, crushed rocks and fresh & withering flowers. The structure, tension are more like 13 vintage. The length & balance is beautiful but, will take time to flush out. The finish is big, rich, elegant, glorious and lasts minutes.

Their Winemaker is Aaron Potts. Small production wine, under 500 cases.

Photos of; the several ton Artwork stones that they use as their logo & brand. The seven stone pieces are held together by gravity. Human relaxing art piece on the grounds, painting in the winery and the view from the Estate. — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.8

1986 vintage. At Au Fils du Zinc in Chablis - thank you Fabian for picking the best white wine experience of the year. This was a wine that Mr Raveneau didn't release because he thought there was too much oak and sulphur. Only recently did they realise they had a gem. Medium golden hue. Honeyed, white peach, lemon pieces, iodine and crushed rock minerality. Slight bovril note and sea shell with air. Amazing complexity. On the palate, perfect balance between fresh acidity and body, highly concentrated and layers of complexity. Very very long. Outstanding. Still fresh enough to last another 7-10 years at least. — 9 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.8

Where do I start with this wine? Perhaps what I didn't like about it. Palate seems unresolved as of now and it didn't deliver as much satisfaction as the nose, but that's just nitpicking. Also a touch too oxidative - hints of sherry notes. However, in a way, this adds complexity to what was already a rich, layered array of aromas. Tasting the Sapience, I think of a warm mille feuille, with baked apples and spices in one layer, salted caramel with nuts in another, chamomile cream with fresh mandarin pieces in the last. This had complexity of the highest order and probably the best champagne I've tasted this year.

Notes: Better to serve it in a bigger format glass. Like Bouchard and Selosse, bubbles dissipates quickly here. The ample use of oak and richness of the wine does make it somewhat table-like. Also, CJ noted that's this could have pulled off as a Selosse Millesime, which I have yet to taste. Mixed info about the wine so will list them all.

From FORCEBERRY on Cellartracker:
This is a brainchild of Benoît Marguet: the world's first "prestige cuvée" by Champagne small growers. Despite labeled under Marguet's name, this wine is not made with Marguet grapes; instead the grapes come from organic producer Georges Laval, who supplied Pienot Meunier (2/3 of the wine) and biodynamic producer David Léclapart, who supplied Chardonnay (1/3 of the wine), all grapes from minimum 1er Cru-level vineyards. The wine is vinified by Benoît Maguet and Hervé Jestin, a man best known as the cellar master of Duval-leroy. The wine is fermented and aged in old barriques for 6 months, after which the wine is bottled and left to age in Marguet's cellars for a minimum of 5 years. This wine is disgorged in September 2012 with a dosage of 3 g/l.

From Planetwine:
Sapience is a collaboration between Benoit Marguet, Benoit Lahaye, Vincent Laval, and David Leclapart. The concept is to craft a Champagne using extreme biodynamic methods. This rendition of Sapience comprises Chardonnay from David Leclapart, and Pinot Meunier from Vincent Laval. The next version will have Pinot Noir from Benoit Lahaye. The wine is made in the cellar of Benoit Marguet, who is one of the most passionate biodynamic winemakers we've encountered. The base wine spends two years aging in Bordeaux barrels before the second fermentation in bottle. More Chardy in blend.

From Pillariwine:

Benoit Marguet partnered with Herve Jestin to create this wine, the first ever certified organic prestige Champagne blended from across the region. They release the same wine with two different labels. One is Sapience/Marguet the other one is Champagne Jestin. Grapes are from the fellows of Hervé Jestin, Vincent Laval(Cumières, PN&PM, Biologic) and David Leclappart(Trépail, CH, Biodynamie). — 9 years ago

with Michelle

Matti Jokelainen

9.2

I know it's too young, I know it's traditionally made and should be opened post 10y mark. But it's just so darn delicious barbaresco. All the bits and pieces of exceptional young Barbaresco are there; sweet fruit, nose to die for, palate cleansing acidity and almost powdery and still perky tannins framing the package. Just flat out great stuff! — 5 years ago

Lindsay Corrigan

8.9

Enjoyable PN with unusual tasting notes. Nose was light maraschino cherry & brown sugar essence. Appearance is transparent electric red & legs are skinny. A debate on tastes between myself & my trusty intern...I had splash of raspberry with flavour of Kahlua throughout mouth & end of sweet chilli warmth. The intern had flavours of Lowney’s chocolate Cherry 🍒 Blossom nugget bar. Maraschino Cherry + syrup, milk chocolate, shredded coconut and roasted peanut pieces. #Grasshopper👏🏻 well played. Bargain @ $15 🍷! — 6 years ago

Daniele Cuzin

9.4

YES we had the 1980 on November 2018 for Thanksgiving with the family. Amazing still awesome but it was time to open it, the cork was in pieces. This one was a gift for MP’s birth year and it is 38 old! — 8 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.4

All the pieces in place for greatness and starting to drink now . — 8 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.0

2014 Sandlands Contra Costa County Carignane is rustic, yet completely approachable. Tannic for sure, but has an elegance to it. Sandy Denny & The Strawbs certainly bring Traditional English Folk to the table, but the Strawbs’ love of Bluegrass adds some great layers to many of the pieces on this collection. Pretty stuff here. — 8 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.2

Amazing complexity with green apples, Mirabelle plums and some gooseberry. Pronounced acidity and healthy dose of spice. Seems unbalanced and strange yet all pieces fall into place. A wonderful wine. — 9 years ago

Michael Washabaugh

8.9

Surprisingly, it paired well with halibut ... served in a pool of puréed pistachios and second pool of puréed celery root, topped with pickled mustard & seed-sized pieces of fried halibut skin. The wine was challenged by the nuts & skin, so a light red held up really well. Delicious — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.0

1971 vintage. P3. Deep lemon hue. Slightly oxidised - mushroom, earth, lemon pieces, stone fruits. On the palate, medium plus acidity, medium body and full concentration of flavour. Good length despite the oxidation. — 9 years ago