Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2009 is such a beautifully elegant, almost creamy vintage that will just keep getting better & better & better. It stuns the moment it hits your palate.

The fruit, silky texture and length are simply stupidly good. The elegance & beauty only happen a few vintages in a lifetime. The fruits are perfectly ripe, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries and hints of blue fruits. Used leather, graphite, fresh tobacco, mocha powder, dark chocolate, stones, fresh, rich earth , medium dark spice, layered baking spices with beautiful, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, blue and purple flowers framed in soft violets.

100 point Parker wine that will get there with another 8-10 years in bottle.

Served with the Cheese plate; Red Hawk, Hop Along & Roquefort. @Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing, Veronique talking Terroir/vintages & dinner guests. — 6 years ago

Madeleine Ray

9.3

We’ve been talking about this producer for a while, so excited to have found the appellation level, even if the vineyard designated bottles are few and far between. Begins with all graphite and granite on the nose, sharp and clean. Opens into reserved fruit on the palate and earthy florals like tulip or orchid. More time in the glass allows for a bit of a saline and meaty character to appear. Whole cluster, but you wouldn’t know it right away, the structure is decidedly not oak tannin, angular, but not overwhelmingly so. Paired with an arrabiata sauce, which softens the white pepper, brings out the red fruit, and surprisingly doesn’t negatively showcase the alcohol content. It’s enticing! Keeps ya checking back for more. — 7 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.1

Our server warned us about the high alcohol content- he didn’t realize who he was talking to. We tried to have him shake the bottle and he gave it a polite attempt. — 8 years ago

with Dave

Ted Napolitano

9.5

Fantastic wine of the region! Similar to the Riserva of the Contucci Family of Wines, this full-bodied (yet lighter) Nobile has an aromatic nose but not overpowering. A smooth and drier finish rounds out the taste! ... when did we start talking like we were professionals at this? (Maybe that's only in my mind...) — 8 years ago

with Kat

Robert McNally

9.5

Biggest wine surprise I've ever had. Pours a tea-like color which makes you wonder if you should have chillled it. Served at 58 degrees it's fruit forward. Citrus first but confusingly exquisite and things I can't describe afterward. I'll be talking about this wine for ages, referencing it for ages, and buying it for ages. Dear lord what have I stumbled upon — 9 years ago

Maxwell Cromwell

9.2

Ok ok ok!!! THIS is the lemonade Beyoncé is talking about... Simply amazing. — 10 years ago

with Todd and Nathaniel

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The fruits are ripe, ruby. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries & strawberries. Dark rich soils, dark spice, crushed dry rocks, black licorice, tobacco, soft leather, graphite, Great balance fruit and earth. The body is velvety and statin. The structure, length, tension and balance are just coming around. The texture is gorgeous. The acidity is round and excellent. The finish delicious and persists nicely.

Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Simone Pizzi

9.3

Barbera as it should be. Generous, rustic, intense, honest. It's a wine that looks at you in the eye, speaks of rolling hills, countryside, farm animals and good values. Beautiful nose and excellent length. The great work in the vineyard shows glorious in the glass. Enjoy with no limits ! — 6 years ago

Chris

9.5

Beautiful! Of course I am talking about the sake and weather... — 8 years ago

with David

Michal Rosenn

9.1

somm overhears you talking about finance bros ordering sassicaia, get a pour of sassicaia 🙃 — 8 years ago

Alexandre Calvi

9.2

The great #Chase talking about joy of juicy light wine — 9 years ago

Christopher Welch

10

The Talking Bull — 9 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.3

Balance from nose to finish for a young Barolo, wow. An elegant Barolo, and by elegant I'm talking graceful fruit nicely balanced by brooding characters of the fine. Black Cherry, fresh cut spring flowers, aged leather, black tea, and tobacco. More medium than heavy but notable in depth that I expect to grow exponentially with 5-15 more years. Massive QPR for the great 2010 vintage. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Nice meeting Paul Lato and talking about his wines.

This Zotovich Vineyard offering is delicious young but, will evolve into even greater pleasure in 5-6 years.

The body is full, round with beautiful texture. There is nice mix of perfectly ripe red & dark fruits with excellent blue fruits that hover around the plate. Gentle, soft wood use and subtle baking spices. This bottling walks the tightrope of Burgundy with its perfect waterfall acidity and round, soft structure and has Californian well ripen fruits.

He is one of few Southern California producers that doesn’t over extract and brings out those wonderful blue fruits I love in good Pinot Noirs.

Paul’s cousin was also nice to pour us a glass of one of their 2011 Chardonnays that was really beautiful and drinking at its peak. I didn’t get the vineyard designation as it was at the end of the event and security was being aggressive about clearing the hall. But, again, a beautifully textured Chardonnay that was round with beautiful fruit, great acidity and just the right amount of heather-honey notes. 9.5 on the Chardonnay. — 6 years ago

Andrew S

9.5

Now we are talking. Dark berries, smoked meats, olive, beautiful acidity. Tanins are medium. — 7 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.6

Never a bad night when you’re drinking aged Harlan. The 2004 has grown savory in character - tobacco leaves, thyme, animals and rust. Still palate coatingly tannic, but the needle of fine acidity provided a beautiful textural juxtaposition. — 8 years ago

John Needham CSW

9.7

Not sure what others who have had this reservation are talking about. I just had the 2001 and this wine aged to perfection, cooler was light, brick, Georgia clay, yet the flavors where top notch. Lucky to have it, had their 2011 Brunelo the other day and that is nails as well. — 8 years ago

Kelly Fishman

9.0

Talking politics. — 9 years ago

with Marlene

debbie rosenbaum

9.5

The girth and weight of this bad boy is ... Remarkable, jarring, and exceptional. I'll be talking about him for a long, long time. I mean it when I say he is one of the top two I've had in recent memory. Can't wait to get back in the sheets for a tumble with this one as soon as possible. — 9 years ago

with Sophie

Nancy Whang

9.5

Now we're talking.... — 10 years ago

with Randolph