Tea Tree Gully
Yaldara Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Dark as a bruise on a black cherry in the glass. Purple beyond the maroon and blood red of most Cab. Smells fruity with a hint of animal sweat, and a little tobacco. Flavor is intense, rounded and juicy. Bit of tart cherry syrup and blackberry custard. Little bit of light roast coffee. Plum pits. Tannins are there, but not a drying as they could be. Oolong over English breakfast. Hint of tea tree oil and menthol cough drops. Dark chocolate cherry cake finish. It’s a nice-drinking, well-rounded, New World Cab. The berry-licious core gives it bounce and brightness. Good on ya mate! — 6 years ago
Williams Selyem
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2004
I’ve had a a fair amount of older Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs, this one is the most different. It seems more extracted and darker than the bright; cherries, strawberries & pomegranate Pinots from them that we’ve had a run on over several years.
The noses reveals, deep, dark, ripe; currants, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries with hints of blue fruit. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity, sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and just a hint of violets.
The body is medium full. It has gorgeous mouthfeel. There are still round, softened, teethe & tarry tannins here. Tannins were in the bottle neck which, is not always traditional even in older Pinot’s. The structure, tension, length and balance are really nice with another three to five years of good drinking ahead. It’s right around its peak. Perhaps, just the other side of the bell curve. Dark, ripe; currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, raisins with more blue fruit showing vs. the nose. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, light nutmeg, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and violets beaming on the finish. The acidity is excellent. The long finish is; ruby, ripe, elegant, gorgeous, extremely well balanced and persists on the palate with warm, dark spice.
IMHO, Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs do not score well early and really shine at 10 years plus in many vintages. They are a Sonoma Pinot pioneer and a gold standard comparison for other producers and Pinot lovers to take note.
Photos of; Williams Selyem winery, Sofia’s great handy work with flowers and one of our two raised garden boxes. 💐 🌸 🌺 🌹🌼🥀 🌽 🥒🥬 🍅
Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Hope you are grilling & enjoying some of your favorite wines. — 7 years ago
Angel Vine
Stone Tree Vineyard Zinfandel 2009
Blackberry, plum, honey, jam, tobacco leaves, black tea — 7 years ago
Mastroberardino
Radici Taurasi Aglianico 2008
Nose: burnt tree bark, mulch/soil, black plum, cherry, cedar, mint, black pepper.
Taste: coffee, raisin, dates, prunes, black tea, bay leaf, tobacco, ripe fruit, medium plus tannins. — 8 years ago
Chapelle d'Ausone
St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I've been curious about this wine for some time. The original 05 Ausone review from Parker was revised and one would think it was at the request of the Chateau. Parker's 💯 point review started something like this...if you are over the age of 55, you'll want to decide if you want to buy this this wine. Largely, due to his call on it's years of drinkability; which was from 2055-80. Parker's review was mysteriously revised within two months of it's original review. Tonight, I Coravin-ed this tasting of the Chapelle D'Ausone. The 05 Chapelle D'Ausone is still very big & tight but starting it's journey into a decent drinking phase. The tannins are still chewy and dark. The fruits are; ruby blackberries, dark cherries, a mix of blue fruits, strawberries paint the back palate, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, Christmas cake, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, spice-box, black tea, a whiff of green bell peppers, irony minerals, loamy soils, tree bark, a touch of leather, lead pencil shavings, dry stems, dry stones & dark moist soil. The acidity is perfect. The structure, length, balance and tension flirt with glory. The finish runs ripe to dry fruit and the minerals are rich with a dark elegance that lasts and lasts. As good as this wine is tonight, I'll put this bottle back; which is 1 of a 6 pack and wait another 7-10 years to reopen it. Both of Ausone's 05 wines are meant for most collectors end of life or meant to be left for their children. — 9 years ago
Parker Coonawarra Estate
Terra Rossa First Growth Red Bordeaux Blend 1998
This has a very cool-climate-feel to it, yet showes a clear Australian footprint. Cassis, grilled pepper, sandalwood, mint, tea tree?, ferrous minerality, resinous oak. Seems more Cab Franc than Sauv at the moment.
Really dig those classic High-End Ozzy Cabs like Penfolds' 707, Moss Wood CS and this one. Appreciate your suggestions in this direction. So, keep them coming..! — 10 years ago
Camin Larredya
La Part Davant Jurançon Sec Gros Manseng-Petit Manseng Blend 2005
2005 vintage. Lemon rind, chamomile, tea leaf, with a very pure expression of fruit and showing great acidity. This is viscous in mouth, but not heavy, finishes with persistent lime/lemon notes, almost herbaceous, but more in the lemon leaf realm, tea tree oil or balsam, rather the Sauv. blanc descriptors. Drinks like its not older than 3 yrs. old! — 11 years ago
Hanzell Vineyards
Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir 2014
Pop and pour. A tawny crimson red color. On the nose: tart cherries, tea, forest floor, sandlewood, and earth. Taste: Elegant and approachable with a restrained style of cherries, pine tree, tea, with a strawberry toast medium plus finish. Nice start to the weekend! Cheers! — 5 years ago
Cadia
Verduno Pelaverga 2018
I adore Verduno and also import this wine. So I’m biased. But no fake news here. As good as any Verduno out there with apologies to Burlotto. Light strawberry color. Stunning nose. Roses, spices, sweet cherries, minerals, tree bark. So so good. Just inviting. Who needs chillable Gamay? Some leather as well. Just delightful. Even some white pepper. Palate is fresh and energetic with lovely elegant lights fruit and terrific transparency. Round but also fresh and earthy. Hints of raspberry iced tea, barely there tannins. Don’t think, just drink. — 5 years ago
Domaine A. et P. de Villaine
La Fortune Côte Chalonnaise Bourgogne Pinot Noir
2017 vintage. Very fragrant. Hibiscus, red plum, pomegranate, fresh cherry, tree bark, strong rooibos tea note, wet rocks, rose petals. Good length. — 7 years ago
Château L'Evangile
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2012
Masterclass in San Francisco with Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite. Chateau L’ Evangile is another property owned by the Rothschild Family.
The nose reveals; dark, deep currants. Ruby, ripe, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, blueberries, baked strawberries and black raspberries. Dark chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, clove, touch of nutmeg, dark rich soils, steeped black tea, some black licorice, tree sap, eucalyptus notes, leather, soft tobacco, saddle/wood with ruby, fresh and withering dark, red flowers with soft violets.
The body is full. The mouthfeel gorgeous. The tannins firm, powdery, tarry & sticky. currants. Ruby, ripe, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, blueberries, baked strawberries and black raspberries. Dark chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, clove, touch of nutmeg, dark rich soils, steeped black tea, some black licorice, tree sap, eucalyptus notes, leather, soft tobacco, saddle/wood with ruby, fresh and withering dark, red flowers with soft violets. The structure, tension, length and balance are beginning to find its groove. The acidity is nice round and beautiful. The long finish is, sexy on the palate, ruby gorgeous, well balanced, polish and beautiful. It lingers nicely for minutes.
All wines arrived weeks ago directly from the Chateau.
Photos of; the Crown Room on the 23rd floor of the Fairmont where the Masterclass was held, tasting set up, our double decanters and pourers and another view of the city of San Francisco. — 7 years ago
Von Winning
Deidesheimer Kalkofen GG Riesling 2016
Tremendous depth, laced with golden tree fruits, intense fruit balanced by complex and heady savory notes; verbena, aloe, cool herbs and white flower petals, wax and white tea. Edgy and coiled acidity at play here, WOTN for me — 8 years ago
Domaine Henri Richard
Aux Corvees Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2011
2010 vintage. Very fresh and youthful. Raspberry, red plum, dried cherry, dried cranberry, tea leaves, stale tobacco, autumn leaves, dried violets, tree bark, wet straw. Good complexity, still fresh, lengthy finish. — 8 years ago
Lagier Meredith
Mount Veeder Syrah 2005
2005 vintage. Still very tightly wound and lithe, and strangely in the red spectrum for its fruit quality. Red currant, pomegranate, graphite, dark cocoa powder, iron, plum skin, tree bark, over-steeped black tea, walnut skin, tarragon, anise, sage. Has been decanting for 2.5 hours and hasn't changed much in that time. — 9 years ago
Domaine Julien Meyer
Les Pierres Chaudes Alsace AOC Pinot Blanc 2012
More oxy. Tea tree oil. Wow — 10 years ago
Mauro Sebaste
Monvigliero Barolo Nebbiolo 2008
Gentle, yet complex nose: overripe raspberry, tea leaf, tree sap, garden herbs, rose pedals. Cherries linger on the palate with hints of green olives into a juicy, linear finish of bright red fruit. Slight bit of heat on the backend. Drink now or over the next 3 years. — 10 years ago
Patz & Hall
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015
Been a awhile since I’ve had a Patz & Hall.
Nose reveals; baked & candied black plum, plum, dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, poached strawberries, blueberries, dry cranberries, dark spice, smoked meats, core of black licorice, soft tarry notes, steeped black tea, mixed berry cola, fruit roll ups, sandy soils, moist clay, eucalyptus, dry twigs, tree sap, forest floor with dry leaves, touching mushrooms with candied, fresh & withering; red, purple, blue florals framed in violets.
The body full & round...well extracted. A little too much. Nice viscosity. Baked & candied black plum, plum, dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, poached strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, dry cranberries, dark spice, smoked meats, core of black licorice, big dark fruit cola, soft tarry notes, steeped black tea, mixed berry cola, fruit roll ups, sandy soils, moist clay, eucalyptus, sage, nut skin, dry twigs, tree sap, dark spice with palate heat, forest floor with dry leaves, touching mushrooms with candied, fresh & withering; red, purple, blue florals framed in violets. The acidity round & rushes like a fresh water mountain river. The finish is extremely well balanced, polished, rich, lush, elegant persistent ending in dark spice & earthiness.
There is another point or two to be had from this bottling with three to five years of cellaring.
Photos of, our friends deck in progress and vistas. — 5 years ago
Flora Springs
Reserve Rutherford Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
I bought this bottle about a year ago from K&L. The bottle was in pristine shape. Like the 1985 last weekend, the neck fill today was as high as the day they filled it.
I purchased two bottles. The first, I didn’t post. It had waned. Tonight’s bottle is giving me everything thing I expected when I purchased it.
The nose reveals a little barnyard (v/a) that blew off fairly quickly, slightly baked, stewed & ripe fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, blackberries, black plum, strawberries, dry cranberries, boysenberries & blueberries. Steeped, black tea, dark berry cola, sage, bay leaf, dry, crushed rocks, limestone, anise, some black licorice, soft; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, caramel & liquid mocha, vanilla, dry twigs, understated, mid dark spice, peppery notes, tree bark/sap, mint, rich, dark, slightly sweet earth, dry tobacco & leather with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, some purple & blue flowers weaved into late blooming violets.
The body is just full, fresh & lush. There is still a decent, tarry, slightly chewy tannin structure even after a little over 22 years in bottle. For me, the length, tension and balance are perfect. This bottle has another 5 and perhaps 7 years of good drinking ahead. It’s really delicious tonight. Slightly baked, stewed & ripe fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, blackberries that pop on the palate, black plum, strawberries, dry cranberries, boysenberries & blueberries. Steeped, black tea, dark berry cola, sage, bay leaf, dry, crushed rocks, limestone, sandstone/dry top soil, anise, some black licorice, soft; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, melted, salted caramel, dark baking chocolate & liquid mocha, vanilla, dry twigs, understated, mid dark spice with perfect palate heat, tree bark/sap, mint, savory meats, peppercorns, rich, dark, slightly sweet earth, dry tobacco & leather, French oak barrel shavings, with bright, fresh & withering; dark, red, some purple & blue flowers weaved into late blooming violets. The acidity is round, phat & perfect. The long finish is delicious, an elegant lady, well balanced settling into some of the nicest, dark spices I can remember in sometime.
In terms of pleasure, I would give this wine a 94 but, in technical terms, just misses it.
Once again, I really love the 13% ABV. I wish Napa Cabernets had never risen above that level.
Photos of; the Estate of Flora Springs, long view of their beautiful barrel cellar, happy dog running through their vines and their very modern tasting room on Hwy 29. — 6 years ago
Lancaster Estate
Nicole's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
The nose reveals, fragrant/floral, blue & purple fruits. Black raspberries, baked boysenberries, olallieberries, dark cherries, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum & creamed, baked raspberries. Savory meats notes, sweet tar, the core of anise, limestone minerals, black tea, vanillin, clove, dark mocha powder, just a touch of caramel, used expresso grounds, just a whiff of mint, olive tapenade, dry clay. herbaceous notes with fresh, purple flowers & lavender.
The body is full, velvety with dusty tannins. Still plenty of life left here. With only about a half hour decant, it had nice flavors but, had a hollow mid palate and was short on finish. An hour later, it’s put on a lot of weight & filled in nicely.
Black raspberries, baked boysenberries, olallieberries, dark cherries, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, creamed, baked raspberries with strawberries coming on late. Savory meat notes, sweet tar, the core of anise, dark spice with a little heat, limestone minerals, black tea, vanillin, clove, dark mocha powder, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, caramel, just a touch of caramel, used expresso grounds, mint, olive tapenade, dry clay, forest floor with leaves, dry stems, herbaceous notes, tree sap, fresh, dark red & purple flowers with lavender. The acidity is round and balances the shade of hot alcohol shows. The finish is, thick, weighty, lush, elegant with dry, dusty tannins that are persistent for several minutes.
Another 3 years of patience will be rewarded!
At around $40 for a stellar 2007 Napa/Sonoma vintage, this is a steal tonight.
Photos of; Lancaster Winery, cellar tasting room and hillside vineyard.
9.1 at the start. 9.3 after two hours in the decanter.
— 7 years ago
Hanzell Vineyards
Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2015
Second winery on day two in Sonoma was Hanzell Vineyards with Whitney. Third wine was the Hanzell Chardonnay, which is their flagship Chardonnay bottling. All the fruit comes from five of their estate vineyards with an average age of 29 years; de Brye, Zellerbach, Day, Ramos and Ambassador's 1953 vineyards. This bottling is fermented in a mix of stainless steel (62%) and new French oak barrel (38%), the later goes through lee stirring for two months. Aged for a total of twelve months in neutral French oak with all barrel fermentation going through malolactic.
Medium to medium plus lemon yellow with a slight golden hue. Lovely Chardonnay nose with layers of stone, tree and tropical fruits followed by an interesting note of herbal tea like chamomile and honeysuckle. A touch of citrus zest and brioche. Some more mouthwatering acidity on this bottling from Hanzell (7/10) with a medium plus body. Rich palate with a touch of butter, citrus, honeysuckle and some white stone fruits. A nice creamy mouthfeel with a long, lingering finish. Drink till 2032. (93+)
$$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $78.00. — 8 years ago
Launois Père et Fils
Special Club Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay 2006
Medium minus lemon. Clean, elegant, soda cracker, apples, fresh tree leaves, white tea — 9 years ago
Stone Hill Winery
Norton 2000
Tea tree oil, licorice, soy sauce, leather, craisins, and a dozen more. Tasting history here. Clearly this kinda wine needs maturity. #maturewine #mowine #norton — 10 years ago
Copain
Monument Tree Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Great acid with dark red fruits with notes of herbal tea leaves and earthy spices. #pinotdays #pinotparadise #andersonvalley — 11 years ago
Domaine Lafouge (Jean et Gilles Lafouge)
Climat du Val Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Pinot Noir 1996
Primarily raisins at the start but came alive, drinking wonderfully now. What a treat, nutmeg, green herbs , tree bark, white tea, autumn leaves. Palate is incredible, round, bright & fresh, feels like it's going in different directions but there is a togetherness about it. Impressive but wouldn't have guessed PN. Comments such as amaro and amarone. Cool juice. — 11 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Simply one of the best Northern California Pinot Noirs for the money.
It takes four or five sips to get what this wine is meant to be when switching from the white burgundy.
This is another producer like Williams Selyem is good young but, amazes in 10-15 years.
The nose shows, ruby, candied & floral; blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, touch of baked rhubarb, mix of blackberries & raspberries, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, dark spices, black licorice, mix dark & mid fruit cola, dark rich, black earth, steeped fruit tea, dry twig, tree sap, underbrush, dry crushed rocks, limestone, volcanics with dry, withering & candied: red, dark, blue florals set in a field of violets.
The palate & body are elegant and sexy. Fantastic, glorious mouthfeel. Ripe, ruby, candied & floral; blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, dry cranberries, pomegranate, poached strawberries, touch of baked rhubarb, blackberries & raspberries, burnt rhubarb, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, dark spices, black licorice, mix dark & mid fruit cola, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark rich, black earth, steeped fruit tea, dry twig, tree sap, underbrush, savory meats, touch fresh & dry tobacco, suede leather, dry crushed rocks, limestone, sandstone, volcanics with dry, withering & candied: red, dark, blue florals set in a field of violets with hints of lavender. The acidity is like a gentle, cool, stream. The long finish is just flat out amazing. It’s; candied, florals, well knitted & balanced, floral and is endlessly persistent.
Still has 5-8 years of good drinking ahead.
Photos of; Walter Hansel tasting room & bistro, beautifully harvested Pinot Noir bunches & vineyard. — 5 years ago