Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

On the nose, warm, leaner, stewed fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, spiced plum, poached strawberries, black raspberries, cherries, black licorice anise, spice-box, cigar, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, rich dark loamy soils & fresh/dry dark florals. The palate is lean, well resolved tannins, heated, darker spice-box, blackberries, dark cherries, spiced plum, poached strawberries, black raspberries, cherries, black licorice anise, cola, spice-box, cigar, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, caramel, dark chocolate, mocha, rich dark loamy soils & fresh/dry dark florals. Acidity pours over the palate. The finish is smooth, lean, pure elegant fruit with spice. It's lasts over a minute. The 94 is just starting to trend down but still the best vintage of Caymus Special Select I can remember. So if you own, time to enjoy it over the next two years. Enjoyed this at a private dinner/tasting at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay a number of years ago with Chuck and his son Joseph who makes the Bella Clos. Brings me right back to the fire pit closing out the night with this wine & the great group of clients we entertained. First time tasting this vintage with my wife Sofia. Photos of; the Special Select vineyard, estate grounds, beautiful Caymus fruit and the legendary Chuck Wagner-Owner & Winemaker. Another recent pristine bottle from my friend Alex @ "No Limit Wines." — 9 years ago

Peter Ernst

10

So in the battle is who is the best child... we paired the 88 vs the 90 (son vs daughter birth year). Both were outstanding but the 88 had more age in the color and softness on the nose and palate. Family currently arguing over density but for me the 90 was more dense. Lots of mixed fruit leather smoke and terroir which is very French but great for those who enjoy it. So in the name of family peace we rate both as outstanding but the 90 (the daughter) is a bit bigger. Cheers — 9 years ago

Shelley Lindgren

Owner/Wine Director A16 and SPQR Restaurants

10

This is the special 2004 Naima 'Peter Willburger Settembre, 1994 dal cicio 'Le Coste' aquaforte, puntasecca carta giapponese' Hand delivered by Bruno when my son Asher was 3 days old in March 2009. Bruno is living classic Italian History... You can meet him, hear about the philosophical beauty of Cilento or drink this perfect bottle that is more towards the feminine aromas of aglianico with demure tannins and a Capello acidity...in love and so excited to capture this moment of this bottle.. ❤️❤️❤️ — 9 years ago

Jim Westby

9.4

Happy New Year!

Maybe the Michel Arnould old vines powerhouse is too serious for a lighthearted celebration, but it was just right for father and son wine geeks having New Years dinner alone together for the first time since 1999.

My top 10 wines of 2015:
85 Barros colheita port
92 Bruno Michel Champagne
94 Charbonniere Chateauneuf old vines
90 Cos d'Estournel
00 Domaine de Chevalier
96 Drouhin Corton Charlemagne
04 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg auslese long gold cap
73 La Rioja Alta Arana
00 Lafon Volnay Santanots
82 Mount Eden Pinot Noir

And 5 honorable mentions just too damn delicious to leave out:
93 Beaulieu Napa Cab
88 Chasse-Spleen
10 Fontodi Chianti Classico
n/v Lustau Peurto de Santa Maria En Rama Sherry
12 Ridge Zinfandel Jimsomare


— 10 years ago

with Gary

Eij Yas

9.0

Nice and punchy, yet readily drinkable — 11 years ago

with Yuhei

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

10

Holy Mother of Jerez Son of a Biscuit Eating Motherless Goat!! This is so unique, weird, delicious. Could literally sip just enough to wet the lips all day long. This makes aged fernet seem worthless and sterile. @steviestacionis @nopasf — 13 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.0

Clearly Bill Harlan passed down great winemaking to his son Will. Big dark fruit with wet slate and earth and a hint of pencil shavings. Well done even given the challenging year Napa had in 2011. — 9 years ago

with Betty, Frank and 1 other

Sean Christensen

8.9

Never been a fan of Shiraz, but this is not bad — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Jack and Jamie Davies revived the historic vineyards and cellars in 1965, with a mission to produce California's first world-class sparkling wines. Today, led by their son Hugh, continues with this commitment to quality. A 100% Chardonnay, straw yellow with aromas of stone and citrus fruits, with floral scents. A terrific sparkler shows crisp green apple, orange and grapefruit zest. A medium-bodied, wine with a great mousse, tiny bubbles and nice length on the finish ending with some crisp mineral notes. — 9 years ago

Katie Wadington

9.0

Very drinkable and fairly light. — 10 years ago

Roel van der Burg

Sommelier at Restaurant Entrepot

9.6

From an A+ vineyard, on the St. Aubin side of the Montrachet hill. Next to the Chevalier Montrachet parcel, but with a different exposure (south-west instead of south-east). Energetic Burgundy from a rising star domaine (especially since son Olivier took over in 1995). — 10 years ago

with Kostas, Jos and 2 others

Lyle Coffield

Sommelier Kokkari, Evvia Estatorios

9.0

Disclaimer: ONE glass... OK. After that, you're on your own.
Who knew they made "The Crystal of Retsinas" in industrial sized bottles! You can enjoy a beach side cocktail mixed with Sprite and a piece of ice and strip your floors with the rest. GOOD STUFF. — 11 years ago

Anthony Laborin

9.5

Made by winemaker of the decade. Soft. Wonderful nose. Oaky smell. Silky finish with a beautiful oak/red fruit taste — 12 years ago

Michael Park

9.5

A five hour decant. Dark cherry and blueberries with a rub of minerals and tobacco. Just awesome — 9 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.3

Well done, Jason! Had a bunch of vino tonight, so the palate may not be as sharp as usual; Black Forest cake on the nose - did I say I was "fortunate" enough to share this wine with good friends? — 9 years ago

with Russell, Rick and 4 others

Rob Moose

9.1

80+ year vines on a very small parcel from the son of J-P Thevenet. This was kind of our encore wine at Untitled, so I don't have as many specific notes as I would like, but I would certainly pick this wine out again on a list or in a store. Nice to try a 2010 also! — 9 years ago

with Gabriel

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.0

She's temperamental. And expressive. It ain't no a Billy Joel Song; it's a Soings en Sologne, sung by the son of a son of a viticulture (well maybe only the cousin). Very fucking cool wine. Unique for this region. Kind of Sebastian Riffault-like in his rule breaking to Sancerre, but perhaps more... tame. Oxidative for this vintage, maybe that's consistent? Tastes like there's some skin contact on the romorantin, a roller coaster of acidity and sapidity across the tongue, and Menu Pineau, I can find it if I look. If you don't like oxidative wine, you probably won't appreciate this. But I judge a wine whether it's empty or not, and this one didn't stand a chance. Tastes better when it's warmed up and breathed for an hour. vintage is technically 2012 -not on label. Wife (New Zealander) Heidi Kuka makes the eye-catchingly, ornate almost Maori-like tribal tattoos for the labels. Julien Courtois is able to knock it out of the park on occasion, but mostly, he makes very good, expressive and interesting, but most importantly drinkable wine from the western Loire. — 9 years ago

Nick Boulas

9.1

A very nice nose of ripe red fruit with hints of leather, vanilla and cinnamon. Full bodied and mature tannins. Very nicely balanced with an honest finish. — 10 years ago

Nick Wolfe

9.7

This is the 2004 Ánima Negra Son Negre. It is a gorgeous wine with bramble and red fruit on the nose. Palate is absolutely balanced and set off with one of the best silky textures I've had in a long time. Spice, caramel and a bit of smoke too... Gorgeous and enchanting. — 11 years ago

Fernando Marques

10

Grapes: Zibibbo (Moscato d'Alessandria). Trained in the extremely low bush typical on Pantelleria, planted in basins and pruned short. Planting density: 2,500 vines per hectare (1,011 an acre); production of about 4 tons per hectare (1.62 tons an acre). Extremely loose volcanic soil rich in minerals.

Description: The wine displays its extraordinary personality and depth in its bright amber colour. After the first, intense notes of apricot and peach, come sweet sensations of dried fig, honey, herbs and mineral notes. Impressive on the palate with an outstanding complexity due to a fusion of sweetness, tastiness and softness. A prolonged finish.

Curiosity: The name comes from the Arabic term "Son of the Wind" because the wind sweeps constantly around the clusters on Pantelleria. And the island's winds bring with them a profusion of fragrances so intense that you can touch them. First vintage: 1989. Ben Ryé inspired maître chocolatiers Cecilla and Paul De Bondt, who created the "De Bondt Ryé" chocolates: the first is a mixture of figs and almonds steeped in Ben Ryé and encased in a shell of dark chocolate; the second instead has a core of Ben Ryé-flavored gelatin embedded in white chocolate covered in dark chocolate.

2008
The "Son of the Wind" remains true to itself in the 2008 vintage, revealing the extraordinary complexity it has reached in recent years. Regular weather conditions and fine vineyard tending led to an optimal grape harvest.

— 13 years ago