Andy Hall

9.3

We always drink a PM on release day to celebrate. Typical strong effort with this Pinot, certainly a relief from the summer. — 8 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Oh hey you charming Whole Foods (did I just spend way too much there I did!!) wine. You are worth thar beeeay which translates to "you are worth it baby". It's like the shoot I agree to be the comedic relief on that does not pay so much but when I get the footage I'm SO happy to have been a part of. More concrete terms:
At face value: deep almost a-a-red tones on the nose: red fruits especially plums. This one is mostly Grenache and it shows. But in a grand way. — 9 years ago

Wine101Hamden

9.0

Such a relief to have a red wine blend not follow the current trend of fruit bombs flooding the market. This has black pepper and pencil lead with balanced tannins followed up my long espresso to mocha finish. Picking up a little smokiness and minerality translation through the terrior. Very good on its own but food really balances the whole thing out specifically the roasted tomatoes, bacon and grilled fiesta chicken I had for dinner. The Malbec is a refreshing alternative to the sometimes over ripened Mendoza Malbecs. Chilean Malbec, to me, is like the best of Mendoza & Patagonia while paying homage to Cahors. Gray versatile wine for under $15. — 9 years ago

Nicholas Livingston

9.7

1985 out of magnum at this day in age is absolutely charming. Both savory and rounded and resonant with camphor, dark fruits of the forest, resinous violin bow rosin, and underscored by the rare structure of a master carpenter underscored by a currant leaf come eucalypt edge that throws all its countless other charms into relief. Oh to embrace every stage as this opens up. A handsome taste of Saint Julien from a legendary house worthy of its renown -and at a delectable place in time served from this format. Seek this out. — 10 years ago

Jennifer DiDomizio

9.5

What a treat to drink this one time only cuvee to help Napa Quake disaster relief. — 10 years ago

Melissa M. Sutherland

Importer Winebow Wines

9.0

More Chenin relief. — 11 years ago

John Sears

9.6

Winter relief .... — 11 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is one of my more interesting Bordeaux stories. I attended the 14 Bordeaux En Primeur largely through the kindness of Clyde Beffa the owner of K&L Wine Merchants. For those of you that aren't familiar with the En Primeur, it's a professional event where you basically barrel taste the new Bordeaux vintage. The 13 vintage we tasted was one of the most difficult vintages in recent times. Perhaps, even more difficult than the 97. Time will certainly tell...it always does! Over the 5 to 6 days I was there, we tasted somewhere between 1000-1500 wines. Not for the faint of heart. Nearly all the 2013 wines we tasted that week were brutally rough tannic wines. It was like coarse sandpaper on the sides of your cheeks, gums and palate. So much that when we went to the Negotiant Joanne and tasted 250 wines over 3 hours, I brushed my teeth at least three times without toothpaste as the tannin build up on the gums etc. was more than one can handle. However, when we went to Chateau Palmer and tasted their second wine (Alter Ego), it was elegant heaven on the palate. We asked ourselves, what had the other producers gotten so wrong that this second wine had gotten so right. It stood out above & beyond the first & second growths wines we tasted that week. Not that those wines in the long haul won't be better in the years to come over the Alter Ego. However, the Alter Ego was elegant relief after so many brutally tannic red wines. It was so soft, elegant and beautiful. Tonight is the first time I've had it since then. It's not as fresh tonight as it was in the Spring of 14 but delicious none the less. This is the only 13 I purchased in futures. Tonight it's showing everything I expected back in the Spring of 14 except the freshness. This is not a wine that will cellar 20 plus years but it will certainly cellar 10 years plus. This 13 would fool many as a new world wine as the fruits are so ripe. The fruits run ripe to dry and are; blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, pouched strawberries, spice, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel, milk & dark chocolate, dry florals, lavender, dark soil with crushed dry rocks, volcanic minerals, leather, dry stems, The acidity is a little lean. However, the structure & tannins are fairly smooth and the length is beautiful for such a young wine. It still needs some cellaring time to bring forth the complete balance of fruit and earth into harmony. The finish is still a bit dry but at the same time rich and complex. Quite impressive with food and or on it's own. — 8 years ago

Cameron Scott

9.1

Relief!!! True SB.. Deliciously balanced with bright acidity. Subtle tropical fruit notes with generous mineral highlights. 2014 v. — 10 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.0

What a relief to find this wine by the glass in Las Vegas to accompany my steak for a solo dinner, a softer Bordeaux, modern in style, but darn good with a filet — 10 years ago

Patricia Schnitzer

9.7

Oct 9-10, 2014
Charlottesville. ICU relief. — 11 years ago

John Sears

9.6

Some very special winter relief .... — 11 years ago

David Wright

9.6

Relief from a painful debate! — 9 years ago

Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen KC

9.2

Really good Bourgogne. Chardonnay in the relief of subtle complexity. '14 white Burgs from good producers are living up to the hype. — 9 years ago

James Sligh

9.5

What's this wine like? —independent of fruit salad descriptions. The dominant feeling is relief: tranquility, quiet, cool caverns. A low, earthbound sense of coming to rest. — 9 years ago

Jay Boberg

8.9

Absolutely ready to drink - in prime - relief that was not pre-mox condition - really enjoyable - rich and full of body - very nice wine — 10 years ago

Marisa Reisman

9.2

Last night Milan dinner. Lovely relief from intense Italian reds, could have been an Oregon Pinot — 10 years ago

Ron Westlund

9.0

Elegant wine maker. Light touch across the board. A refreshing style and a nice relief from the overwrought efforts common in this area. — 10 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

8.9

Just the ticket, fresh, bright, cleansing red, so lucky to find a red on a wine list that complements food (always a relief--how ironic) — 11 years ago

Arian Ashworth

9.8

Animal relief :) — 13 years ago