Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 6 years ago

Raj Harb

9.4

Off the charts QPR. Everything I want from syrah on granite. Violet florals, cracked pepper, incredible freshness. A joy to drink now but will be really great in time — 8 years ago

Mathew

9.2

Smooth and subtle, 20 year old cab at a great price. — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Tasted '14/'15 side by side. Made from 100% Godello grown in shallow, stony granite soils. These grainy soils have low water retention, forcing the vines to struggle and limiting yields. Late ripening crop reveals a fuller body wine. Big fruit & floral nose with flinty notes. The palate reveals white flesh fruits, somewhat racy requiring some aeration to calm down. Full acidity on medium finish ending with mineral tones. This is a wine you could age a bit. — 9 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.7

Gonon's spinning some seriously unreal Syrah! Youthful, but showing so much after a quick 30 minute decant. Lively dark berries, olive tapenade, lavender, meat, herbs, black pepper, anise, mushroom. Dense, owing to the vintage, with grainy tannins and a remarkably solid acid drive. I could drink a lot of this wine 😍

Note (from CWS): While still considered within the Saint Joseph appellation, the brothers choose to bottle this younger vine syrah separately from their flagship cuvée because the vineyard location on flatland close to the bank of the Rhône does not possess the same granite base as is typical of their more historic hillside sites. Vinified with about 80% of fruit de-stemmed and undergoing a shorter elevage of 12-14 months in 600 Litre demi-muids casks. — 9 years ago

with Michelle

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.5

Hands down the best Gamay I have ever tasted from outside Beaujolais. Reasonably priced, great packaging and is a 10/10 on the chug-ablility scale. It expresses the spicy side of Gamay which confirms Parr's theory on the decomposing granite and volcanic clay-loam soil that this and Brouilly both grow in. Good edge and extortion here, so don't worry about the carbonic maceration.  — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ivo Jeramaz on my last visit to Napa Valley. He's the nephew of winemaking legend, Mike Grgich and has taken the lead in much of the wineries day-to-day operations along with Mike's daughter, Violet. Ivo is a quiet and thoughtful in his speech—and his wines seem to reflect this. The 2012 Merlot is carmine-hued, and is more transparent than most Merlot I've encountered from Napa Valley. It possesses a kind of quiet restraint and lovely finesse with nuanced aromas of red currant, pie cherries, dried herbs and underbrush intertwining fine tannins a tart acidity. 14.0% ABV | Sample
— 11 years ago

Chris Gillespie

8.9

Great snag from Costco in Sacramento, much better and bigger blend. Heavy on Cab and Zin, creating a nice fruit and big robust notes, def decant this one. — 6 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Magnificent Gamay Saint-Romain from the Loire Valley: fresh, juicy, fruity as desired (strawberry, red cherries), aromas of flowers (peony, rose, violet), tangy point. the finish is astonishing in duration for a wine in this price range. magnificent ! If you are a Gamay Lover, go for this bottle — 6 years ago

aisforalan

9.1

delicious. rose petals. mineral. granite. cranberry. nice acid. buy again. from flatiron. — 7 years ago

Ken Z

9.4

Drank 1/18/19 at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux event in Miami.  All wines from the 2016 Vintage.

Tasting pour, no formal notes taken.  Most of these wines are very tight, and will require 5-15 years to really come together.  Many will likely improve a few points with time. — 8 years ago

with JT

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This bears little resemblance to a Gamay from Beaujolais, starting with the startlingly saturated violet color. The nose is feral, with inky dark berries, laced with venison jerky, poured on to a slab of just-cracked granite. In the mouth, massive dry extract and intensity, but simultaneously vibrant. It’s got soft tannin and acids to spare, so it will age, but really special now. This is actually a fall-weight Bojo. The only thing about this wine that runs according to type is the blocky ‘15 tactile feel, which is not my fave. — 8 years ago

with Lyle

Joseph Gannon

9.2

Another great wine from Ferme Saint Martin. Wild, leathery grenache notes, granite, blackberry. excellent value — 9 years ago

with Brooke

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.2

(sourced from granite-rich soils in Crozes and Gervans): Inky ruby. Heady, mineral-laced black raspberry, cherry, licorice and olive scents, with a sexy Moroccan spice nuance emerging as the wine opens up. Juicy and expansive in the mouth, offering intense red and dark berry and floral pastille flavors that are complemented by suggestions of black cardamom and allspice. The floral and mineral qualities drive an impressively long, youthfully tannic finish that show excellent clarity and lift.(Josh Raynolds, Vinous, Apr 2017) — 9 years ago

aisforalan

9.3

dried roses. dark fruit. especially prune and blackberries. some granite. leather. nice tannins. highly drinkable. a touch alcohol forward. buy again. from flatiron. — 9 years ago

William Hughes

9.2

Tasted from Magnum. Eighty plus year old vines planted on granite and sand. Youthful crunchiness in this stony wine. Plenty of acidity. Needs a couple of years to integrate. — 10 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.4

After the hype from Somm2 and good feedback from wine biz buds, my verdict is this is a very, very good Beaujolais Cru. I definitely recommend you try it if you are into Burgundy or esp Cru Bojo. My wife guessed Burgundy blind when I poured it for her. Like ripe red raspberry and bing Cherry, with a dash of roasted herbs smeared on a granite rock...yeah, literally that. The aroma is a perfume of red fruits caught in a tug of war with a granite rock-like minerality and roasted herbs and forest floor. The palate is dead sexy, juicy and sappy fruit and acidity, with a perfect balance and elegance that feels weightless. Thanks for the enlightenment @Jason Wise and @Brian McClintic! Now I can add #dutraive to my faves from #beaujolais like #lapierre #thivin #foillard #sunier #thevenet — 10 years ago

Joe Lucca

8.9

A gem at this price. True enjoyment from Beaujolais. A bright burst of strawberry and red fruits. Earthy, with clean minerals, granite. Nicely balanced. A great quaffer to have with food. — 11 years ago

with Diana

Jay Kline

9.2

I have never really taken the time to explore the wines of Germany. In fact, I have more experience drinking the wines further to the south, in Austria. I have no proper excuse other than to say that I have been distracted by other regions. Bottles like this are making that excuse harder to accept. This was flat out awesome. Koehler-Ruprecht is a very traditional producer that practices a very strict, non-interventionist approach. No irrigation. No fertilizer. No herbicides. No enzymes. Nothing added or subtracted from the wine save for minuscule amounts of sulphur post fermentation and prior to bottling. This Pinot Noir is gorgeous, in a slightly more rustic sense. The appearance is a touch cloudy but far from murky. There’s a fresh, beautiful, lifted perfume of crushed strawberries, cranberries and ferrous minerals. Some stone, flowers and dust too. The palate is bright and racy with predominately red fruits and minerals. Fine tannins. The acid provides a long finish that forces a smile. There is some real vigor in this! A truly compelling wine. If I don’t make a better effort to spend the time exploring the great wine producers in Germany, well then, shame on me. — 6 years ago

Taylar Hart

9.5

Just great. So smooth and balanced. The cork suffered with the age but the wine itself benefited! — 7 years ago

aisforalan

9.1

granite. cacao. raspberries. blue berries. nice tannins. low acid. low oak. but again. from flatiron. 20 under 20. — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

2017 Bedrock Riesling from Cienega Valley AVA. Planted in 1963 and dry-farmed. Apparently it’s the second oldest riesling vineyard in California. “Own-rooted in decomposed granite and limestone lovingly tended by the magnificently mustached Pat Wirz,” according to Morgan Twain-Peterson MW. Loaded with flavor. Lime oil and granny smiths with a hint of honey, and lots of rocks. A steal at $25. — 8 years ago

aisforalan

9.2

velvet elvis. canned cherries. barnyard funk. wet moss on granite rocks. from fausto. delicious. buy again. should be listed as a freisa. — 8 years ago

Kyle Doucet-Walter

9.1

Granite soils, macerated in granite tanks and 9 months in French oak. Right bank Bordeaux aromas, higher acidity and structure/energy like a 2015 cru Beaujolais. Does quite well with a chill. Fun wine. Hard to believe it’s from Vinho Verde. — 8 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.3

Superb acidity and minerality-granite, limestone and delicate Pinot Blanc fruit with complexity of tertiary elements surrounding the fruit. Stunning with foie gras from this lovely restaurant. — 9 years ago

Bart Hansen - Dane Cellars

9.1

Purchased @backroomwines this is a delicious bottle of wine. Great fruit highlighted by the texture from the soil. — 9 years ago

Geoi

9.5

Man oh man this knocked my socks off. Reminded me of an authentic Lambic from Belgium, with funky and earthy aromas of mushroom and rancid lemon (in a good way). On the palate, black cherry fruitiness is bright, yet restrained, and taken over by notes of bread crust, cedary oak, earthy lees (yeast), dusty bookshelf, black pepper, hibiscus with a fully dry, crisp mouthfeel along with aggressive yet elegant carbonation. Out-performs it's price-point. 4.5 — 10 years ago

Amanda Rehn

9.3

Playfully precise. In honour of the dedication of a great way to beaker taken from us too soon. — 10 years ago

Alex Alan

Wine Director Hotel Delmano

9.2

2014. This is up there with the greats from Fleurie. Tastes like top quality Cotes de Beaune rouge with that distinctive Gamay-on-Granite savory edge. #EnergyAndElegance — 11 years ago

Mark Lindzy

9.7

100% tempranillo from Olivier's 60yr old single vineyard at 1000m elevation, granite over clay. I didn't catch how long he aged it in barrel, but it's fricking delicious. 800 bottles made. — 12 years ago

with Josefa and Rebecca