ESF

9.1

If Barbaresco & Margaux had a baby… mostly Nebbiolo - very elegantly styled, regal bearing. No signs of age & fairly tightly wound still - bunch of dusty cherries mingled with spice, asphalt, herbaceousness and violets. Lovely perfumed nose leads to cherries & red fruit on palate, earth & soil but smooth - oh so smooth. Finish didn’t live up to the rest, but still thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks @Lyle Fass — 3 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

We switched tables with a party and in their gratitude this showed up—fun times at Tabula Rasa! I really dug this as a nice finishing wine for the night—low alcohol, bubbly, acidic and sweet and (if I’d been paying) not too expensive as I found out in research. I’ll be back for more. — 6 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.3

Many have said to be weary of bottle variation, but this was incredible last night. Tasted with the importer here in Australia - Michael at Quelvino. Previously Coravin-ed bottle, so maybe why it didn't have the spritz everyone talks about.

So inky and meaty. The palate screams sour cherries with an array of spices and herbs. There's a richness imparted by some RS too, I feel. What stumped me the most was the finish - started of big and tannic, then evovles into this subtle drive that goes on and on. I'm guessing this is still too young, with such heavy fruit. Can't wait to try more of this.

Note: The cuvee came with analysis values, which showed good TA and pH for a red. Alcohol was in the low 13's and it was surprisingly dry (0.8 g/l if I recall) - could be fruit sweetness that I was tasting. The spritz mentioned is a common feature of the wines because they finish fermentation in bottle. The grapes used are mainly Croatina, Uva Rara, and Vespolina (also known as Oltrepò ughetta). Italy's OG natty winemaker, making wines from a single cru (monopole?). — 7 years ago

Riddley Walker

9.0

2007 vintage
Блестящий, прозрачный цвет с медным краем. В носе немного грязная бреттовая, но не неприятная нота прошутто крудо и глины, к которым добавляются тона тюльпанов и красной смородины. Во вкусе пьяная вишня, калина, чуть-чуть лавра и молотого перца, выраженная минеральность. Приятная тонизирующая кислотность и тонкие, графичные танины. Легко и свежо, но с хорошей структурой и глубиной. — 8 years ago

John Zuzek

9.1

2007 vintage - floral aromas with dark cherries. Very good friendly. Smooth tannins with a lengthy finish. Nice! — 9 years ago

Dwight Ayuso

9.3

This is one of the only sweet red wines I like. — 9 years ago

Maurizio Ferrari

9.0

"L'amarone" dell'oltrepo. Una vendemmia tardiva che dà soddisfazioni — 10 years ago

Eric Gardner

9.3

Yay! Oddball Piedmont! — 10 years ago

Jameson Fink

Host Wine Without Worry podcast

8.9

Can never have too many Croatina/Uva Rara blends. From the Fara region. — 10 years ago

Hayden Hamilton

8.9

Bigger than I remember. Very fruit forward with some complexity. BlackBerry and cherry. — 4 years ago

RobS

9.2

A rogue find that did not disappoint; a little bite at the end. I’d love to get my hands on more. — 5 years ago

Nelson Fitch

9.1

Alto Piemonte meets Loire. Crispy and herby and fruity. — 7 years ago

Trevor Neal

9.3

Very surprised that I enjoyed this sweet Italian red. Not too sweet like American sweet reds. Lovely — 8 years ago

Giampiero Nadali

Wine Blogger Aristide

9.6

Zenzero liquido e grande persistenza in questo campione di Champagne. Offre quella rara escursione di emozioni dalla temperatura di servizio alla più calda temperatura di una cena di mezza estate. Straordinario. — 8 years ago

Philip Stumbo

9.2

Whoa now, '86 Nebbiolo drinking better than most Barolo of this age! — 8 years ago

Joshua Zisholtz

9.2

Clear expression of Nebbiolo (some vespolina and uva rara) from the Alpine foothills of Piemonte! A terrific buy too! — 9 years ago

with Anna

Francesco Petroli

9.1

Beaune 1er Cru Les Cras 1990 - Domaine Germain - Chateau de Chorey lès Beaune

Dopo la tragica morte di Benoit Germain, del Domaine in questione restano solo bottiglie: alcune di rara bellezza e tutte di inestimabile valore emozionale.

Naso pazzesco capace di combinare in equilibrio - senza note di cedimento - sentori terziari a percezioni di freschezza; agrume, sciroppo alla fragola, tabacco, terra smossa e una pungente cannella che si traducono in un sorso di magnifica eleganza. La leggerezza del corpo si distende in micro impulsi acido/sapidi. Da assaporare ad occhi chiusi. — 9 years ago

Richard Lewis

9.4

Red currants, big tannins - surprisingly young fruit despite the age — 10 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.2

UVA rara is the grape varietal and this area is close to gattinara — 10 years ago

John Blewis

10

Deep red, full of fruity flavor and a hint of bubbles. Love it!!!! — 11 years ago

Koen Straesser

9.0

Very good forgiving table wine. No body would dislike this, but of course if you are a friend of everyone, you are not really special.

The rare combination of rara and feteasca neagra and the amazing simple friendliness does the job for me.
I have struggled with expensive wines from big houses, thinking it might not be the year. No headaches like that with this wine. Honest and enjoyable. — 5 years ago

Simona Elena Buduran

9.6

A great wine — 6 years ago

Tanya Fowler

10

Sweet sparking red. Fruity bold flavor. Great dessert wine. — 7 years ago

Alex Braginsky

9.6

Complicated and smooth — 8 years ago

Chris DeBarr

9.3

Waxy, redolent of the mountain herbs this Erbaluce is named after, grown in the northern reaches of Asti. A rara avis who is only known to the Piemonte since 1606, I called it "herbs of light" wine & dare anyone to contradict me! — 8 years ago

Brett Dillon

9.0

Rocky, earthy, fruity, vegetal all rolled into one with a balance of medium body, tannin and acid. Great for the price. — 9 years ago

Gerald Montoya

9.2

Focuses nose of sweet strawberry, cinamon, cocoa, spice, cherry and spearmint. Beautifully delicate and nuanced with less fruit and more savory notes of spice, decaying leaf, and big spearmint notes. Awesome with lamb! — 9 years ago

Lindsay Denney

10

Sweet, bubbly and easy to drink. — 10 years ago

with Lacy

Tom Kobylarz

9.0

70% Nebbiolo, 20% Vespolina, 10% Uva Rara; 100% delicious; fantastic Nebbiolo value about $20-25. — 10 years ago

with Daniel

Aaron Llorens

10

One of my favorite sweet wines. Cheap, running $9.80 at any Military Class Six, it has a slightly lower alcohol content at about 7.8%. It is partly carbonated — 10 years ago