Scott Wren

9.3

So we drank this on a root day and it was really good but not outrageous especially for the price. Drinking at 10 years was also probably not the smartest decision 😬. But it was one of those rare convivial evenings where a dessert wine was the perfect finish! — 7 years ago

with Brooks and Anthony

Chris Grimm

9.1

Roses, and agree with another note re: subtle root beer. Via Garagiste. — 8 years ago

Erik Nordman

9.4

First time trying one of the Tempier reds. Damn, this is some towering, dense wine. Perfectly balanced though. Intense concentration without any overripeness or hyperextraction. Even this, the entry-level cuvée, obviously has the stuffing to age for a while. However, it's surprisingly giving now with expressive aromatics and layers of flavor. Nose of ripe strawberry and blackberry, fresh thyme, an almost smoky, arid, gravelly soil character, rich tobacco leaf, licorice root, a slight gameyness, and a slightly volatile, balsamic character. Palate is equally dense and ripe, but still has some lift to keep it from being quickly fatiguing. More ripe strawberry and raspberry, thyme herbaceousness, smoky gravel earth, tobacco, savory gaminess, and slightly volatile balsamic character. Medium (+) acid, medium (+) to high intensity incredibly fine-grained tannin, medium to medium (+) body. Begs to be joined by a rich lamb or beef dish to stand up to it. I'm gonna get another bottle of this and not touch it for quite a while because there's still so much room to unfurl and smooth out, even with it being as good as it is now because it's just almost too intense right now. Will be an amazing wine at maturity. — 8 years ago

with Cassie

Edmond Bordelon

9.4

Wonderfully complex Château neuf at an equally amazing venue in the Alsace region. Love the presentation they do at Auberge de L'Ill! Currant and of course the licorice root. This 2008 could use another 10 years in the bottle and it could be stellar. — 9 years ago

with Katherine

Daniel March

9.1

I wasn't going to rate this wine at first, but after downing a six pack after a couple weeks I figured something is working here. It's definitely not your bread and butter pinot, and if you're a classic pinotvitorian, this wine probably isn't for you. But I'm just digging these crazy notes of root beer, caramel, oak, bright cherry, with almonds lurking in the background. Great body to this wine, well balanced with just a hint of pepper on a lingering finish. It's rich, voluptuous, and satisfying. As a club member I'm paying $28 a bottle and that feels like a deal. Good chance I'll be doubling down again soon. — 10 years ago

Amie Murphy

9.0

Medium-bodied, black cherries, root beer, spicy. — 10 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

Good for what it is. Tastes and smells like root beer. A little drier than NYFRB. — 10 years ago

Carter Nixon

9.4

Now we're talking- this is balanced and beautiful. — 11 years ago

with Thomas

Matthew Jannette

8.9

Black cherry blackberry gentian root low tannin. Pretty nice pinot — 11 years ago

Patrick Bourgeois

9.1

Round 03. Beaujolais. (12e arrondissement) — 12 years ago

with Leah

Andrew S

9.5

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

John Willison

9.2

Opens over time. InitIal nose of rose petals and muted fruit. Opens to cherries and licorice root. Bright red fruit, earthy mid palate, and then a lingering finish. Had to drink one. Will let the others alone for a while. — 9 years ago

Christopher Welch

10

The Talking Bull — 9 years ago

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

patrick

CEO/Partner Wine@ 52 degrees

8.9

Coming from northwest province of Leon (Spain) the clay and slate soil help to produce these lush aromas and flavors of licorice, minerality, hint of spice and wild flower floral components. Nice medium body wine. That's what I'm talking about! I'm drinking it all tonight! ;)
— 10 years ago

Carlo Mantica

9.8

Now we are talking — 10 years ago

Nick Chang

9.3

Just a nice balance of flavors... — 10 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.8

Earthy - smokey - root beer — 11 years ago

with Sung

Dan R

9.4

Beet root, pepper, lifted red fruit, silky tannin, super interesting wine — 11 years ago

David D

9.5

Great, inexpensive wine — 13 years ago

AJ Thomson

9.0

Bubblegum, cherry, oak, root beer, very velvety, light tannins — 8 years ago

Josh Krieter

8.9

Not a huge fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but this is fantastic. Crisp, but not just another simplistic Sauv Blanc, it has character. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

On the nose, nicely concentrated wild dark berries, black plum, notes of blue fruits, vanilla, understated cinnamon, soft, warm spices, Christmas cake and fresh dark, fragrant florals. The mouthfeel is rich & concentrated. The fruits dark are clearly fresh & ripe. Wild dark berries, black plum, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, Thompson raisins, light vanilla, soft warm spices, limestone minerals, grainy/silky chalkiness, dark moist soils, crushed rocks, violets, fresh dark florals, touch of mint, beautiful round acidity and amazing long rich beautiful finish that is well balanced fruit & earth. This is a vintage (even though Bourgogne) will cellar around 20 years. My rating could jump 2-3 points with proper storage years in the cellar. It's tasting more like 1st Cru than village wine. Photo tour of the estate, open top fermenters (I believe they ferment all their lots separately) and Lalou Bize-Leroy singing and talking to her precious vines. Producer history and notes...Domaine Leroy is arguably producing the greatest red Burgundy wines in the Cote d`Or at present. Lalou Bize-Leroy started out as a négociant, working for her family's Maison Leroy, which was founded by her father Henri. There are three parts to the Leroy empire; the Maison Leroy based in Auxey-Duresses, Domaine d’Auvenay and substantial holdings in Vosne-Romanée. Lalou Bize-Leroy also owns 25% of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, where she was co-director until the other shareholders ousted her in 1992, partly because she had started a competing winery. Domaine Leroy has been farmed biodynamically from the start and is now certified by ECOCERT. The other exciting, if not controversial, move was the change in training system for the vines. For some time previously the hedging (rognage) of the vineyards had been done by hand rather than more abrasively by machine. However, it is not natural for the vine to be cut back as it affects the vine’s performance both in the current season and the following year. So now, after the flowering, when the shoots are lengthening, they are curled over instead of being cut back. This minimises entrecoeurs and second crop bunches forming, as well as leaving the vine happier and healthier. She also talks and sings to her vines daily. She believes this promotes health of the vines and who could argue with her given what she puts in the bottle. Lalou Bize-Leroy has 23 hectares of vines, mostly Premier and Grand Cru classified. In the vineyard, Lalou practices biodynamism as well as severe pruning and crop-thinning. The result is ridiculously low yields. Yield arguments at DRC were also an issue in her departure. You want to buy this wine. $39.99 at K&L Wine Merchants on pre-arrival. Just bought four bottles.
— 8 years ago

Nicholas Livingston

9.4

Delicious Mourvèdre a la Bandol -this 2011 is exceptional with black and red cherries, licorice root, vine clippings in all their pruned sap, and an herbaceous Mediterranean wisp of lavender. Such a star! — 10 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.6

Mature, earth and root beer notes - rich mouthfeel and creamy finish. — 10 years ago

with James, Russell and 1 other

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.5

Top Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) quality. Bosc pear, ginger root, sea salt. Distinguished and distinctive. Drink now to 2035 or beyond, depending on cellar conditions. — 10 years ago

Kathbot

9.3

Took a minute to blossom, but this really grew on me. It first smelled like an old, molding root cellar. — 11 years ago

Emily Martinez

9.0

Dark, rich fruit flavors, hint of root beer — 11 years ago

Bijoy Shah

8.9

Sweeter than expected, but quite good. Paired with a vegetable paella when tasted. — 11 years ago