Jonny Walker

9.3

Laithwaites Christmas 2019 — 6 years ago

Fatma m

10

This wine feels like silk — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

Birth year wines are a tricky thing. We all want them to show well because we are opening them for an occasion. ‘81 North Coast is not a vaunted vintage but this is the the 3rd year in a row I’ve shared a birthday bottle with one of my all time favorite females....and each and every time the ‘81s deliver. Fully mature and delicious. The fruit is still going strong, ripe plum, tobacco, sandalwood and blackberry. Lots of length and silk on silk. — 7 years ago

Rachel Cooke

9.0

Aromas if ripe pineapple & guava; Rich, ripe palate — 7 years ago

Bret Barker

9.6

This is a gem, deep purple in color with red and dark fruit. The hints of vanilla came really came across. Smooth as silk and for being so young it wasn’t overly tannic- very surprised. — 8 years ago

Michael Simonetti

9.2

Cedar. Tannins made silk. Deep colour, only the meniscus gives you a clue to the age in the visual. Fruit hiding behind dark leather. Feels more alcoholic than 13.4 on the label. Would've called Left bank in my sleep. — 8 years ago

Diana Sabo

9.5

Enjoyed 2019 vintage on May 14, 2020. Liked this! — 6 years ago

Anupmeera Gokli

9.6

Daddy and mom liked — 6 years ago

Max Kates

9.0

Delicious zin — 7 years ago

Daniel Zetterman

9.4

Amazing! Smooth like silk and full bodied. — 7 years ago

Lori Honer

8.9

Interesting and really delicious. Hints of spice and cherry — 8 years ago

Henry Horn

9.1

Fruit. Crisp. Buy again. From cellar direct outlet — 8 years ago

Ben Franco

Owner Winedown cafe & wine bar

9.6

Ruby red with bricking edges ozone, savory red fruits, cranberries and red cherry.. Leather earth and tart fruit #oldbordeaux smooth as silk! — 8 years ago

Jesse d

10

Favorite red blend — 6 years ago

Michael santee

9.1

@David Santee — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

Apparently Tasting Note Tuesday
is now a thing (thanks for the heads up @Greg Ballington). That said, I’m still an advocate of everyday of the week, but I’ll participate nonetheless.

A wine such as this requires serious research. Fortunately Ian D’Agata’s notes in Vinous are indispensable: “Feudo Montoni’s greatest wine is the Nero d’Avola Vrucara, a single vineyard wine made from roughly 80-100 year-old vines that grow at 500 meters above sea level. Most of the vines are of pre-phylloxera origin, and are therefore ungrafted. The vineyard’s name derives from the Sicilian word vruca, a local herb that grows in the vineyards and exudes aromas of menthol and incense. The Vrucara vineyard is especially beautiful, a field of gnarly, very thick trunked and low-lying bush vines hugging the dark mainly clay soils (with a little loam and sand). Vinification is... very traditional... At its best, Vrucara is a benchmark Nero d’Avola, eschewing the vanilla notes of more modern interpretations of Nero d’Avolas, while offering multilayered violet, blueberry, macerated red cherries in alcohol, tar and spicy aromas and flavors, with a characteristic hint of eucalyptus and incense.”

The 2012 doesn’t veer off course. Benefits from an hour open, but a few would be ideal. A mashup of spiced cherry and blackberry is hard to miss, but the floral, earthen, and leather entanglement is the attraction here and clearly terroir driven. There’s a noticeable clay pot and smoked meat component which beautifully emphasizes how old world this wine really is. The oak treatment is evident, but the wine is also able to withstand a fair amount and still proudly carry its old world card. — 7 years ago

Aaron Rogers

9.1

Plum, mushrooms, and rose hips, head up a nice flavor profile for a regularly underrated wine. Almost a milk chocolate lactic mouthfeel with Tannins made of silk and the sweetest kiss of acid. Drinking solo but a beautiful food wine. Better than other wines of its ilk at half the price. — 8 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.1

GOLD
Much respect, a delicious wine. — 8 years ago

GaryWEdwards

9.3

Dark ripe plum and rounded with dark berry silk. Amazing — 9 years ago