Rocks Of Bawn
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
The nose reveals, perfume floral, dark, ripe cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, strawberry flesh, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped, dark, fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry stone, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark spice, rich, moist dark soil, just a hint of herbaceous notes, mint, leather, fresh tobacco, graphite, dark berry cola, fresh, dark red, blue and purple florals with violets.
The body is; rich, lush, gorgeous, sexy, and full. The tannins are; round, velvety, still a little firm and sticky with tarriness. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting harmony. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, plum, strawberry flesh, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped, dark, fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry stone, wet clay, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark spice with heat, rich, moist dark soil, dry crushed rocks, just a hint of herbaceous notes; mint, bay leaf, thyme, leather, expresso roast grounds, cigar with ash, graphite, dark berry cola, fresh, dark red, blue and purple florals, lavender with violets. The acidity is a fresh water stream. The finish is unbelievably; elegant, well balanced & polished, lush, rich, ruby, gorgeously sexy and lasts minutes.
Warm, ripe Bordeaux’s vintage with roughly two decades of good drinking ahead of it.
Photos of, my favorite Chateau in Bordeaux, their newer barrel room that sits under the bottom photo, field hands harvesting their Estate fruit and the outer building that is their barrel room. — 6 years ago
Sodhani
St. Helena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
When “Let’s have a glass” turns into “Let’s have a glass of each”. This turned in another WOTN performance. Quick 1 hr decant and she was off to the races. Charcoal, melted licorice and dried flowers waft up from the glass. Waves of dark berries, spices, cacao, and crushed rocks keep on coming. Gorgeous finish. Awesome complexity, showcasing the exceptional quality of this vineyard and the amazing skills of TRB. Happy 5th anniversary to Beverly and @Arvind Sodhani! Looking forward to many more vintages to come!!! — 7 years ago
Hourglass
Blueline Estate Napa Valley Merlot 2011
Medium to dark mix of garnet and ruby red. Layered nose with spices, cedar, dark fruits and black tea. Quite dark too. Medium tannins and medium plus to almost full bodied. Super extracted with lots of oaky influence. Layered with notes of cigar boxes, dark cocoa, plums, cherries, a touch of prunes and crushed rocks undertone. Long finish with quite a bit of power. Drink till 2020.
Grabbed for under $50.00 in PA. — 8 years ago
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
Télégramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2014
On the nose, ripe dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black cherry cola/licorice, pepper, medium spices, leather, underbrush, stones, crush rocks, very fragrant red roses and red dark florals. On the palate; the body is lean, medium soft tannins, black raspberries, black berries, dark cherries, cherries, poached strawberries, dry cranberries, black cherry cola, peppery, medium spice, tobacco leaf with ash, lean leather, light grilled meats, underbrush, gritty dark minerals, red roses and dark fresh florals, light presence of violets & good acidity. Nicely balanced finish and easy to drink young. Photos of their vineyard and large oak fermenters. Hard to believe you can farm anything in that terrain let alone vines, huh? 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre & 4% Cinsault. — 8 years ago
Jip Jip Rocks
Padthaway Shiraz 2015
Full of fruit and very smooth — 9 years ago
RPM Wines
El Dorado Gamay Noir 2013
My first gamay from the USA, pretty good stuff! Lots of crushed rocks, flowers and liquorice. — 9 years ago
Rene Rostaing
La Landonne Côte-Rôtie Syrah 1998
WOTN. Amazingly fresh, yet evolved into fascinating complexity. Leathery and meaty/smokey at first, then red fruit sprinkled with lots of black pepper is revealed. There's good fruit presence on the palate too, with obviously-once-brooding tannins nicely softened by time. A long, satisfying finish. Rostaing rocks! — 9 years ago
Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou
Les Quartz Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2005
Very youthful, high tannins, ripe but pretty red fruits. 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah amazing taste of minerals/rocks — 10 years ago
Château de Chasseloir
Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires Comte Leloup de Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Melon de Bourgogne 2014
Buttered sea salt rocks with lemon, green apple, and banana on top and a hint of effervescence too. Lovely start of the summer, drink with anything wine. — 6 years ago
Château Cos d'Estournel
Les Pagodes de Cos Saint-Estéphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here's a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Bordeaux.
Deep purple in color with a purplish rim.
On the nose, black currants, plums, cherries, chocolates, wood, earth, vegetables, graphite, spices, bitter herbs, wet leaves, river rocks, peppercorn, tobacco, dark coffee and light bell pepper.
Full bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, sweet strawberries, oak, licorice, spices, chocolates, light vanilla, vegetables, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, wet leaves and earth.
Long finish with fine-grained tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a delicious Cabernet blend from Bordeaux. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel and great complexity.
This great vintage is already enjoyable, although it could use some additional time to mature properly, 5 to 10 years.
This Second Growth is good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (4 hours).
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with smoked meats. Delicious and yummy.
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot.
14% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$75. — 6 years ago
The Standish Wine Company
Single Vineyard Shiraz 2006
This wine is made by Dan Standish who started his career by traveling all over the world learning the skill of winemaking. He returned to Australia to make wine at Torbreck. After making Torbreck, he starting his own project. This wine is produced from a vineyard with 100 year old vines with a yield of only a 1/2 ton on fruit per acre. In comparison to quality Napa producers, their yields are 2-3 tons per acre. Dan is absolutely one of the very best producers in Barossa.
On the nose, mulberries, olallieberries, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, blackberries, black cherries, dark berry cola, vanilla, dark spice, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, soft leather, saddle-wood, coffee grounds, black licorice, dark, rich soil, lavender and violets.
The body is full, rich, ruby, lush and very inky. The texture is elegantly sexy. The 06 is still youthful & fresh. It still needs more time but, it’s delicious tonight. The length, tension, structure and balance are just coming into it own. mulberries, Olallieberries, Boysenberries, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, raisins, blackberries, black cherries, dark berry cola, vanilla, dark spice, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, soft leather, saddle-wood, coffee grounds, black licorice, dark, rich soil, purple flowers, lavender and violets. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is long, thick, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced with deep heat penetrating dark spices that rise off the palate and lasts several minutes. The 06 is still 5 years from it peak.
Photos of; The Standish Cellar Door, Owner/Winemaker Dan Standish, beautiful Barossa Vineyards and the old tasting room — 7 years ago
Domaine Henry Pellé
Menetou Salon Morogues Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Dried apricots, lemon zest, grapefruit pith, gardenias, wet rocks, marjoram. Vibrant acidity, light-medium bodied, juicy-rich texture, lengthy floral-citrus pulp-slightly briny finish. Mineral forward, delicate aromatics revealed more on palate, lends itself to an array of dishes. — 7 years ago
Alban Vineyards
Reva Alban Estate Vineyard Syrah 2005
Alban Vineyards as they state in their label "The first American winery & vineyard established exclusively for Rhone varieties." This Syrah has settled in nicely after 10 years in bottle. I would say it's peaking. On the nose; scorched earth, sweet & slowly baked; blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, plum, huckleberries and dark cherries. Mint, eucalyptus, milk chocolate, black olive, notes of liqueur, crushed rocks, loamy top soil and lilacs, violets and lavender. The palate is rich and nicely resolved. The body medium-medium plus. The fruits are ripe, creamy and juicy; blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, plum, huckleberries, dark cherries and strawberries haunt the long fruit set. Mint, eucalyptus, sage, smoked meat, milk chocolate, black olive, notes of liqueur, crushed dry rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, scorched earth, a little bacon fat, underbrush, a whiff of black pepper, lilacs, violets and lavender, great rich, round, fresh acidity with a very good, long, balanced, well structured, finish with length and staying power. I prefer this over the Cayuse I had a couple of weeks ago. Much better balance of fruit, earth, etc.. photos of their Edna Valley vineyard, fruit that needs netting to protect it from the birds, John Alban and the Alban barrel room. Producer notes and history...In 1985, John Alban planted grapes for other people until he bought an estate in 1989. He focused on wines made from Rhône Valley varietals. Alban is one of the pioneers of the Rhone Rangers movement. They are considered to one of the more influential American Rhone producers. In beginning to grow Viognier, Alban said, "I almost single-handedly doubled the world's acreage," referring to a time when its cultivation was reduced to 50 acres or 20 ha in two areas of the Rhône Valley, Condrieu and Château-Grillet. Alban's work, along with that of Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company (just sold to Duckhorn, ugh!) in San Benito County, helped to significantly expand plantings of Viognier in California at a time when the variety was near extinction. Alban has 250-acre or 100 ha under vine. Their vineyard area extends 60 acres or 24 ha, planted with Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne. The Alban wines produced are; Lorraine Vineyard, Reva Vineyard Syrah, Seymour's Vineyard Syrah, Patrina Alban Estate Syrah and Pandora, a blend of Grenache and Syrah. They also used to produce a dessert wine from 5% botrytis grapes and aged in 50% new oak, called Rotten Luck. You can still find past vintages on Wine-Searcher. — 8 years ago
Reynvaan Family Vineyards
In the Rocks Syrah 2015
Barrel taste. The nose is insane, nice light funk with violets. Mouthfeel was velvety and the finish went on for a couple of mins. — 8 years ago
Château Potensac
Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
One of Delon family's finest, this is one of 3 main labels they own, next to Chateau Nenin in Pomerol, and the famed Leoville Las Cases in St. Julien. It is a beautiful expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, delicate, but bright and youthful, and beautifully colored. There is an abundance of black fruits and earth on the nose, and a bit of barnyard in the form of what reminds me of the rind of cheese, or mushrooms, followed by dry crushed rocks. The pallet is balanced and elegant, exhibiting intensity in blackberries,red apple skin, dark cherries, dried herbs, and a gorgeous finish. This was a wonderful wine to be enjoyed, and one that will attest time. I can't wait to have a 2010 in another 5-10 years.
Cheers!
$29.99 — 9 years ago
Château La Fleur Peyrabon
Pauillac Cru Bourgeois Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
From taste: classically styled, rock, bell pepper and lead in front, backed by tobacco and pine lumber. Fruit is way at the back of this bus, which is pleasing. Concentrated palate, full mouth, tobacco tinged cassis and mint in front with a long finish wracked with rocks, lead and assertive tannin. Shows typicity, power and polish well, well-priced at $64. Can be tucked up to 20 years for sure. — 10 years ago
Philip Togni Vineyard
Tanbark Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Aging nicely. When I tried this one a few years ago, I did not care for it, but today this one rocks. 2007 still has lots of fruits left. Delicious. — 10 years ago
Delmas Wines
Walla Walla Valley Syrah 2013
Super floral, classic Walla Walla Viognier/Syrah coferment. More elegant side of the Rocks but still big. — 6 years ago
Rasa Vineyards
Primus Inter Pares Grenache 2015
This stunning Grenache was sourced from Monette's Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks region. Prior to bottling the wine was left on the lees for 18 months in neutral French oak barriques. This wine begins with aromatics of rose petals, white flowers, Mandarin orange rind and potpourri. This leads to flavors of red cherry, strawberry, orange zest and strawberry jam. This is pretty, downright sexy wine and absolutely irresistible at this juncture. While less acid-driven than the ’14 bottling, this outstanding wine is just as good and even more impossible to put down as the gorgeous aromatic and flavor range shines through. Only 103 cases made of this absolutely stunning Grenache, which is one of the best of its kind in Washington state. Drink 2019-2029- 95 — 6 years ago
Alzinger
Dürnsteiner Federspiel Riesling
A basket of salty herbs and rocks. — 6 years ago
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
The 2015 Napa has a much more expressive nose than previous vintages. The mid red fruits are brighter and more dominant. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dark turned, rich earth, light dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals.
The body is also much lighter in the 15 than other vintages. It’s still very fresh. At this stage, it’s like a well extracted Pinot. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dry clay, stems, mint, Provence fresh herbs, dark turned, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals. The acidity is light a waterfall. The finish is bright fruit that is well balanced with earth. However, as it cellars, I predict this wine with flush out, put on weight and gain complexity. Much better palate experiences 10-15 years plus down the road for this 15 Napa.
Photos of, the terrace view from JPV’s visitors center, the JPV annual members party small bites, the lounge area in their visitor center and estate vineyard off their terrace.
— 7 years ago
Domaine Guiberteau
Saumur Chenin Blanc 2015
Very mineral nose with gun powder, crushed rocks, white flowers in the end too. The palate is extra dry with a lemony layer and another mineral one with a very wide mid palate that pushes back to the a long finish with a pinch of salt. Superb, extra dry, food wine. I would recommend to pair it with slices of squid and garlic lemon and parsley made on the frying pane — 7 years ago
Retro Cellars
Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2012
Always love these Petite Sirahs from Mike Dunn, and this 2012 seems to be especially special. Dark purplish red. Overall lots of dark characteristics on the nose with tight bramble berries, black currants, spices, dried violets, a little cinnamon and even coriander. Even got a little gamey and savory with an hour or two in the glass. Heavy tannins (7/10) but smooth and full bodied. Kept beefing up as it sat open, currants on the attack, iron, smokey and a bit meaty. Larger in the mid-palate with some dark crushed rocks. Dark fruits coming through at the end after day one. Insanely dry and long with a nice little spice kick in the finish. Will drink well for the next decade or so. Drink till 2027. — 8 years ago
Château Joanin Bécot
Côtes de Castillon Red Bordeaux Blend 2012
What a great wine for $30. It's concentrated, but velvety soft on the edges. Oiled leather, crushed rocks, dried flower petals, clove, and black currant are all ingredients to the inviting, yet soft perfume. The wine has a concentrated dark purple hue, and firm, yet forgiving tannins - a medley of red and blue fruits, Earl Grey Tea, vanilla, and green coffee bean to the finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and wouldn't mind having a stash of this.. yum! 75% Merlot 25% Cabernet Franc. — 8 years ago
Domaine Servin
Les Pargues Chablis Chardonnay 2014
Bargain quality Chablis @ £12 & it's hard to beat on price - 88-90 every vintage & my go to @ this price 👍 a true ☀️ glugger 😎
🍷 Light golden yellow w/ lime hue
👃 Fresh wet rock mineral mist, citrus, green tart & sweet apples, melon & white flowers with a touch of fuel, grapefruit & pear
👄 Crisp refreshing med bodied full fruit palate of slight creamy sour green apples, citrus & touch grapefruit w/ medium tart acidity
🎯 Long dry finish of citrus & sour green apples smashed over wet mineral rocks — 8 years ago
Cayuse Vineyards
Armada Vineyard Syrah 2011
Spectacular as always. Started off with typical Cayuse funk that integrated pretty quickly into a kaleidoscope of rich, sweet fruit while never being cloying. Framboise, fresh raspberry, blueberry, tons of violet, and a finish that's carried by crushed black rocks. Cayuse amazes me with its intense flavors that somehow never seem overextracted or heavy. It's the domestic version of an iron fist in a velvet glove. — 9 years ago
Proper
Walla Walla Valley Estate Syrah 2012
I love this Syrah from the Rocks of Walla Walla. Great depth of dark fruit with a very special mineral finish and undertones of vanilla bean. — 10 years ago
Domaine du Collier
Saumur Blanc Chenin Blanc 2011
Wow. Basket of apples and pears along with a brioche bun and a mouthful of rocks all in a really really good way with a nice pucker on the finish to boot. — 10 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.
2012 was an ok vintage. Certainly, better than 2011. The body is bigger and fruits are deeper & darker. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, baked strawberries and black raspberries. Lots of loamy soil and clay, tobacco, leather, a little graphite, dark spice but, not nearly as much as the 11. Dry stone, crushed dry rocks and bright, withering & fresh dark red florals. The acidity is good as is the balanced polished finish. Still needs to be cellared another 8 years or so.
Photos of, Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L pouring at the bar in the SF store. Their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago