Restricted
Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga
Maestro Raro Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Still a bit restricted on the nose which contains graphite and pencil shaving, but than the mouthfeel... Sour candy sweetness with mouthfilling fruit. Still a baby but already so good! Very long finish which continued for minutes! Simply said: spectacular! — 6 years ago
Aubert
Larry Hyde & Sons Chardonnay 2017
Infanticide. Tasty, tasty infanticide. Even though the acidity here was huge, and this wine was tightly coiled, you can tell a sign of excellent things to come. The nose is dried herb, Asian pear, mango. Entry is acidic, salinity, herbal, limestone. Fruit showed in the middle after the tongue stopped burning. Pear, kiwi, guava. Finishes rather restricted. Good balance. Structure is there. This needs about 2 years in bottle but I recorked the second half to slow ox.... Day 2: ... :Shock: now I think I'm gonna do the Mollydooker shake and slow ox to all of these younger Aubert. What a difference. Nose is much more tropical. Dense. Notes were pretty much the same, but very present. Acidity in check. Wonderful finish. Hint of oak in the finish. Glad I saved 2/3 of the wine for day 2! Now I see why they recommend double decanting! And I would add a 24 hour slow ox to that! — 6 years ago
Robert Young Estate Winery
Big Rock Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
LOCKED. UP. Tasted three 14 Cabs over 3 nights: 1 from Montagu, 1 from William Harrison and this one. Out of all 3, this one is the most tannic. The most restricted. And the one with perhaps the most potential. Opened with a great red berry nose, herbal. Middle is black cherry, olive, medium to full bodied. After 2 hours, showing more in the front. Will be more integrated in 2020. — 7 years ago
d'Arenberg
The Dead Arm McLaren Vale Shiraz 2011
A far better showing than when I had this last year. Age has done it well. Much more brambly on the nose. There is still restricted fruit on the palate, with notes of underripe blackberry and blueberry. Cedar and leather also. Tannins much better integrated this time around as well. — 9 years ago
Château du Cléray
Vallet Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Melon de Bourgogne 2014
Vintage 2014 / by Jove, what a quality jump if Muscadet has stayed some years in bottle / minerals, citrus and hay / yield restricted, harvesting at maximum of maturity, aged 24 months on lees / granite shale and sand soils / medium weight and body, quite some power actually which makes it a fine dinner wine / good aftertaste / paired with cabillaud and shi take / archetypical Muscadet — 6 years ago
Lindstrom Wines
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Most restricted wine of them all. I've got a 14 of this so I will plan on locking it away for 15 years or so. Sweeter black fruit dominated front. For some reason in the middle of this, I was getting an oatmeal chocolate cookie note with some dates and black pepper on the finish. Softer tannin, but ample. Solid 92 now, perhaps capable of more? — 7 years ago
Château Beychevelle
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2011
Another tasting! 30-35 year old vines composed of 47% cab, 47% merlot, 5% cab franc, 2% petit verdot. Smells full of dark fruit, very plush.
Dark cherry notes predominate, with some black currant and blue berries. Appreciably greater complexity than Beychevelle’s second label. Very smooth. Hint of smokiness. Very well balanced. Nice mouthy feel. The tannins are strong and quite restricted at the back end. Slightly too acidic, it's a bit early for this one (but I’m nit picking) Overall Amazing. In 10 years or so this is going to be ridiculous. I’m finding it difficult to rate the wine I’m tasting in the current moment versus what it will become over the next 10 years. Either way, the experience was gold. — 7 years ago
Casa Coste Piane
Frizzante Naturalmente Valdobbiadene Prosecco
A wine that makes you doubt, if you ask it to find a place in your wine universe. For me it’s just a delightful joy of levitation. White flowers, white fruits in white clothes. Moreish and restricted, moreish because restricted, delicately mineral and graceful — 8 years ago
Elevate Your Cellar
Restricted Yverdon Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2012
First vintage of this wine from Winemaker Chris Carpenter and it didn't disappoint. Yverdon is a classic Napa unrated for those of us who remember the old Yverdon label and this wine pays homage to the roots of the vineyard. — 8 years ago
Markou Vineyards
Vareli Savatiano 2015
All neutral oak, very restricted yields. Nicely controlled oxidative style with honey almond and hazelnut character. — 7 years ago
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Restricted Yverdon Vineyard Syrah 2014
My better half pulled this - I screamed NOOOOO!!!! as I heard the cork pop - we only had one bottle and I thought it would be way too early. The good news is that this Chris Carpenter made Syrah from Spring Mountain, while a baby, yes, is still absolutely delicious.
The nose offers up baking spice and vanilla. The tannins are gripping on the entry. Flavors of blackberry, brown sugar, hint of bacon (the strong savory notes that can be typical of Syrah are thankfully absent). Very balanced - it’s fruit forward without being sweet or a fruit bomb. There is decent acid but the tannins are dominating.
Give this one a little more time or a serious decant. Still excellent now. — 8 years ago
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Napa County Merlot 2013
Extra rich. Definitely borders on a Merlot you could have for dessert. Very forward dark chocolate, like this things 95% cacao. A raisiny plumy sauce injected with oak, dark cherries, and a heavier dark spice going on. Restricted acid round tannins. Great wine but can't do these regularly — 8 years ago
Dario Scimeca
Nectar. One of the single vineyard Merlot components of Cardinale. — 6 years ago