Push Me To The Floor
Château Pontet-Canet
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
Marcel Lapierre
Morgon Gamay 2018
Somehow whenever I know that I am drinking a wine to young I see @David T scolding me! I do highly respect his insights and the plan was to wait three more years!
But the realization that I was going to need to sacrifice a bottle; that I can Hopefully replace came late this afternoon.
Most likely we are going to be saying goodbye to our hyperthyroidism kitty " Patience" tomorrow. It has been a long battle and she would have turned 15 July 31st. So some self medicating is warranted! 😓.
Although this wine is delicious even young! Ripe Bing Cherries...licorice...bubble gum..tea leaves and moist forest floor! Delicious wine! I will try to obtain another bottle and let it age longer! — 5 years ago
Château de Candale
St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
We met & visited a number of Bordeaux producers while 2005 was still in the tank or just into barrel.
In talking with Winemaker-Owners about the 2005 vintage, you could see the twinkle in their eye as they were asked questions. They knew they had Bordeaux magic for the first time in five years.
We tasted this at what was deemed an “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting.” This was on the higher end of that tasting at $35. It is delivering a little better than its young expectation and the jewel to date from that tasting.
With and without protein, the 05 Chateau de Candale moved between 92-93.
The nose reveals; warm alcohol, immersed fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, poached/slightly baked, dark cherries, dark spices, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender.
This is a very good first look at this 2005. God willing, I have another look in on bottle two of three in another five years. This 05 has another 15 plus years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.
The body is full, tarry with big, sticky, chewy tannins. Baked/poached, floral fruits of; black raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, pomegranate, dark spices with a heavy, heated presence, purple fruit, cola mix, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark, rich, candied, forest floor, fresh & dry tobacco, loads of graphite, slight, moist clay, stones, dry, crushed rock chunks, dry top soils, whiff of bay leaf & sage, dry stems, muted eucalyptus, pepper quality with candied, dark, dark red, purple, blue with violets & lavender. The acidity is round & full just holding, for me, the slightly higher ABV in check. The long, heavy, dark, well knitted, more earth/spice dominated finish is showing the quality of the vintage. Yet, it still needs more time to be its best.
Photos of; Chateau de Candale, harvested Merlot fruit, recent buyers of Chateau de Candale - Thibaut Decoster and Magali Decoster and their barrel room. — 5 years ago
Koehler-Ruprecht
Kallstadter Saumagen R Spätlese Trocken Riesling 2009
@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. — 6 years ago
Hirsch Vineyards
West Ridge Pinot Noir 2012
I’ve been holding off on drinking any of the 2012 vintage from Hirsch because the folks at the winery said this vintage that needed time in the bottle. @Bill Bender’s notes about the 2012 Hirsch Reserve encouraged me to open a bottle, and I’m glad I did. The wine was deep and broad with more earth, forest floor, mushroom, and loamy notes than I have come to expect from Hirsch wines. The structure has settled down and the more beguiling feminine aspects of the West Ridge are now showing themselves. This was fanatic with crispy roast duck at Gideon Ridge. On a side note, I’ll give a plug to that restaurant. IMHO, it’s the best restaurant in the high country, with great food, service and views. Just plan ahead because reservations are often 6-8 weeks out during the summer season. — 6 years ago
Château Belle-Vue
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2007
As a Sommelier, it’s interesting to read professional reviews. Something you need to keep up on for what consumers will be looking to buy.
As someone who attends a lot of tastings, you get to get to do your own comparisons. For me, a lot of Bordeaux. It’s my true love. I’ve been to Bordeaux eleven times. Two of them En Premiers.
When I tasted this so called critically difficult/bad vintage from Chateau Belle-Vue, I saw its potential and wasn’t wrong. Now, eleven years later, this wine is singing. While the critics haven’t tasted this wine as recently as this year, they would tell you this wine was average. It is anything but! If I put this wine in a blind tasting, I am confident many would call higher end Napa Cabernet and this is a Bordeaux producer from an ancillary region, under the radar known producer and a difficult vintage.
If I’ve learned anything about wine, it’s in all difficult vintages anywhere, there are producers who still make good wine. This one is magic for around $20 upon release. I’ve had $100 a bottle plus Bordeaux and Napa Cabernet that weren’t this good.
The nose shows, ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, black licorice, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, purple flowers, violets and faint lavender.
The body is full, round and lush. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious. The tannins are dark, round, soft, velvety and slightly tarry. Ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, tarry notes, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, dry top soil & clay, black licorice, dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, dark spice, some vanilla, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, graphite, burnt charcoal, suede leather, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, violets, dark red florals and faint lavender. The acidy round & beautiful. The finish is; ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced between fruit & earth and persistent for minutes.
The well know professional critics would tell you this wine is old or late. I will tell you, from my storage, it’s has another 7-10 years of life ahead of it.
Have it with a good butchered Ribeye (not store bought) seasoned with coarse ground garlic salt & pepper.
Photos of, a modest Chateau Belle-Vue, the beautiful backside of the chateau, barrel cellar and Estate vines.
— 7 years ago
The Standish Wine Company
Single Vineyard Shiraz 2003
So, many of you have not had the pleasure of having Dan’s wines. It is largely due to the fact he doesn’t have a US importer. He sells all his mid production level wines through his mailing list. That makes importing from his mailing list as restrictive as the import fees. They are equal to the price of the wines you order. Not something you’ll do. I didn’t. You need to find his wines on the secondary market to be cost effective.
We had the privilege of visiting his Cellar Door in the Spring of 2017. What a fantastic visit and walk of his Estate with him. The age of his Estate vines are 100 plus years old and their yield is less than a ton per acre which, does not make for a lot of wine but, instead a very concentrated wine.
Dan traveled to and worked in many of the key wine regions before settling in as Torbreck’s Winemaker and then marching to his own drum doing his own thing as “The Standish”, his way. No compromises.
The first thing you need to know about Dan’s wines is you can drink them early but, that would be a huge mistake. This 03 is sensational now but, is worthy of more cellaring. It has 10-20 years of life ahead of it...proper storage of course.
This is a second night wine for us and it is still big.
The nose reveals smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous, dry crushed rocks, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender.
The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The tannins are still big, round, tarry & meaty. The structure, tension, length & balance are just there & yet still not there. It is still a monster on day two. Smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, grilled meats, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous-sage & rosemary, used charcoal, graphite, dark spice with palate heat, burned ambers, incense, rubber toy, dry crushed rocks, moist clay & top soil, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender. The acidity is round and a rushing river. The extremely long finish is, big, round, elegant, floral, well balanced, runs juicy to dry with persistence for days falling onto earthiness & dark spice on the long set.
Photos of, a plaque that hangs above my kitchen sink that speaks to me always, Dan Standish, his Cellar Door and surrounding buildings. — 5 years ago
Château Verdignan
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.
We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.
While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.
Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.
I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.
He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.
So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.
Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.
As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.
The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.
Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 5 years ago
Domaine de la Terre Rouge
Les Côtes de l'Ouest Syrah 2013
Smells of oak! Hazelnuts, and first floor.
First flavors - Tarragon, Thai basil, licorice, more herbaceous than fruit laden, yet still gives rise to the cassis and sweet blackberry, prune. Big tannic backbone, lends me to believe it will last for quite awhile in the cellar. — 6 years ago
St Innocent Winery
Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011
2011 St. Innocent ‘Zenith Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Zenith Vineyard is St. Innocent’s estate vineyard, located eleven miles northwest of Salem, Oregon. This 2011 Pinot Noir shows wonderful forest floor and wet stone character on the nose with blood orange rind, cran-cherry and cigar ash also coming in aromatically. The aromatic range is seriously good right now. The palate is silky smooth right now as the mouthfeel entices. The richness reminds me more of a 2012 bottling as there is a seamless quality to the wine that grips you. Red and dark fruits weave together, with also citrus and earthy tones quite primary. Downright delicious, this is a stunning bottling by eminent winemaker, Mark Vlossak. Drink 2018-2028- 93 — 6 years ago
Beaux Frères
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2012
Super-sappy and sinewy, and loaded with cherry and lavender. If there was a forest floor flavor of hard candy, this wine would be the model. I love how Beaux Freres manages to be both crowd-pleasing and wine nerd stimulating. Also, Wine Spectator scored this wine 89 points, which is kind of sad and makes me embarrassed for them. — 7 years ago
William Hill Estate Winery
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Continuing in my Napa cab education this showed up at the door for me. It is excellent winter wine. It would warm you even if chilled—at 15 % abv no doubt but the taste is coziness defined too: ripe cherries, blackberry preserves on some sort of cheese on an earthy whole whole wheat cracker. The tannins could use, say, one or two more years to fully integrate but they aren’t objectable. Holiday spices and a whiff of forest floor and a long plummy finish round it out. Take this wine to an ice skating party if such things exist in your life. — 8 years ago
Peter Michael Winery
Estate Vineyard Le Caprice Pinot Noir 2011
Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁🦃🍽
Not in love with the style. Glad it was only $55-$60. We’ll see if it pairs better.
For my palate, there is a lot of funk here. The extraction is much more than I prefer.
The fruits are ruby, ripe, tart, somewhat sour; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, black cherries, blueberries cranberries & pomegranate. Edgy, grey volcanics, moist forest floor, cinnamon to stick, nutmeg, pronounced clove, dark spice, tree sap with bark, dry crushed rocks, eucalyptus, mid herbaceous-sage leafing with fresh, withering & candied florals of; dark, red, purple, blue framed lavender. The acidity is ok. The finish just doesn’t seem right to me. The bottles not corked or off. Just not my style or a very off vintage for them. It also shows elevated alcohol burn.
Can’t say the turkey made it better...did get a little better with my homemade cranberry sauce.
This did come around a bit after nearly 5 hours in the decanter, 9.0 to 9.1. Who thought I should have started decanting it at noon. — 5 years ago
Harlan Estate
Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 2001
Cheers to my 6,000th review on Vivino. A Big milestone deserves a big wine. This was on my wishlist for a while now. Go big or go home!
Deep inky in color with a short brick rim. Unbelievable. Not showing age at all.
Fruity nose of blackberries, blueberries, black currants, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, leather, earth, Mediterranean spices, beef jerky, peppercorn, cedar, leather, vanilla and licorice.
Full bodied, bold, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, vanilla, cedar, light vegetables, spices, smoke, tobacco, chocolates, coffee, cola, pencil lead and peppercorn.
Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon based, Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Showing great complexity and a great mouthfeel. Big with bold tannins. Delicious and yummy.
This 19 year old is drinking very nicely now, and really shows like a young wine. Has at least 15 years in it.
After 3 hours of airtime, forest floor notes come in on the nose. Tasting like an aged left bank Bordeaux.
Wine Advocate 100 points.
This is a Fabulous wine to share with good friends. Very enjoyable by itself or with food. I paired it with BBQ ribs.
Thank you John, for sharing this phenomenal wine with me.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
97 points.
$1,200. — 5 years ago
Maison Ilan
Aux Charmes Hautes Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2013
So...of course, if I’m drinking Maison Ilan, there is a story behind it. AFAIK, this was the last vintage that was released and I was fortunate(?) since many never received their allocation. My first of two bottles of “Aux Charmes Haut”. This was double-capsuled (no doubt by accident) which I found amusing. The cork was perfect and one of those super premium long sort of corks. The appearance in the glass was dark garnet bordering violet and a bit cloudy. From an enjoyment perspective, Day 1 was an utter waste. Too young. The bouquet was really intriguing with loads of dark and red fruits and spice but on the palate, this was completely coiled. All structure. I pushed the cork back in and waited for another day. On Day 4, I revisited, and it was in a much better spot. Ripe plums, dark cherries, bruised strawberries, forest floor, mushrooms...in that order. Still, it came across rather rustic, in a somewhat charming sort of way...but I never really fell head over heals for it either. No shortage of structure even on Day 4 gives me the feeling that the 2013 has a lot of life ahead. My last bottle will sit in the back of the cellar for some day long in the future and then I can once again recall the tales of this flash in the pan producer and what might have been. I would hold if anyone is still hanging on to these. — 5 years ago
Château Bellefont-Belcier
Grand Cru Classe St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
It's time for some #Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here is a nice one from Bordeaux.
Dark ruby in color with a wide brick/ reddish rim.
Nose of blueberries, black currants, wood, vanilla, vegetables, spices, tobacco, forest floor, nail polish remover, Indian spices and black pepper.
Full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, cedar, leather, vanilla, vegetables, licorice, spices, dark chocolates, black pepper, peppercorn, tobacco, earth, green herbs and forest floor.
Medium plus in finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very nice Right Bank Bordeaux. Probably has some flaw on the nose, but not corked. Much nicer on the palate.
This 15 year old from a great vintage, is rich and extracted with a lot of earth notes. Showing a nice mouthfeel with nice complexity.
Needs a few hours to open up properly. Drinking very nicely now, and will continue to evolve in the next 5 to 10 years.
Thank you Jesus for sharing this with me.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses, crackers and fresh berries.
A blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 16 months in Oak barrels
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60. — 5 years ago
Seavey Vineyard
Caravina Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
And they call this their “second” wine. After McHenry in Santa Cruz, Seavey was an absolute show stopper for me on our recent trip to wine country. We had the opportunity to try five different wines with three bonus pours from recent and library wines and I tell you: All 👏🏼 eight 👏🏼 were 👏🏼 bangers 👏🏼. From their Chardonnay (which was sprung on us the moment we arrived, was acid driven and had the most delightful spine of minerals that I could have sworn it was GC Chablis), to their Rosé (which is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend and bends what’s possible with the genre) to their Founder’s Reserve (which didn’t present much in the value dept. but was a killer wine nevertheless). Anyway, this 2005 Caravina is positively singing right now. Opulent amounts of plums, cassis, brambles, and sweet tobacco with secondary characteristics juuuuust starting to make their appearance: leather, truffle, and forest floor. Moderate acid. Firm tannins still! What a beauty...in a sort of masculine way. America! — 6 years ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Masterclass in San Francisco with Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite.
Saskia told me they are buying an existing property or starting one in China.
The nose reveals; ripe and slight stewed fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, dark plum skin, dry cranberries & poached strawberries. Dark, dry soils, limestone minerals, touch of bandaid=VA, saddle-wood, steeped black tea, dry river stone, dark rich & dry soils, crushed rocks, dry underbrush, cherry cola with dry and fresh dark and red flowers.
The body is full and thick. This wine is just coming out of its infant stage and just starting to stretch it arms & legs. The tannins are firm, rounded and powdery. The structure, tension, length and balance show the beauty of the vintage but, the drinking window on their 2000 is somewhere between 2035-2080. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, dark plum skin, dry cranberries & poached strawberries. Dark, dry soils, limestone minerals, touch of bandaid, saddle-wood, steeped black tea, dry river stone, dark rich & dry soils, lots of graphite, crushed rocks, limestone, dry crushed rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, dry herbs, dry underbrush, cherry cola with dry and fresh dark and red flowers. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is very good now but, if you don’t cellar it 35 years from birth, you are cheating yourself out of something truly special. Its well balanced, rich, ripe and persists for days. 95 now with more to come in 16-25 plus years.
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, tasting set up, 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.
— 6 years ago
Domaine du Pegau
Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2015
Stunning. The aromatic intensity of this wine is simply bonkers. Violets, clove, dusty barnyard dirt floor, old leather, garrigue, tar, vanilla, plums, cherry compote all baked into a blueberry pie. The mineral, spice and floral components of this wine are extremely intense, yet somehow perfect offset by and harmonized with bright whole cluster character. I was literally biting into this wine after it had been open for 2 days, yet there was no excessive weight. Despite the youth, massive structure and dense concentration of this bottling there is a sense of finesse and balance than only the finest producers can coax out of such a hot and explosive vintage. In a market becoming consumed by bombastic and heavily macerated wines from Châteauneuf, this reigns supreme for its superb freshness and complexity and reminds me of how special this place can be when the vines and their juice are handled with care and restraint. I believe this will grow up to become a simply impeccable wine. — 7 years ago
Domaine Albert Morot
La Bataillère aux Vergelesses 1er Cru Savigny-les-Beaune AOC Pinot Noir 2011
Not sure about this...a little cherry on the nose...on the palate...minerals...black tea leaves...limestone...chalk...bitter finish...going to vacuum pump and let this sit in the fridge....disappointed...lesson to me let it age! Update...after a few days in fridge and all day in decanter..this is So Good...dark cherry..earth..wet forest floor..vanilla...very complex..glad I didn't give up on this — 7 years ago
Paul K
Upping a point since last tasted 2 years ago.
Nose is blackberries, currant, and light forest floor with floral notes. Black cherry and black berry fruit. Medium + acidity and body. Mouth coating with amazing mouthfeel. The tannins are smooth and well integrated but still leave the lips stuck to teeth.
It’s such a pretty wine. @David T I said I’d wait 10 years and only made it two. I cheated and bought more. I’m not sorry 😜. I do think it’s alot more approachable than it was two years ago tho. Would be interested in your thoughts now. PS when in MN look me up. Have a bottle with your name on it! — 4 years ago