Jay Kline

9.5

First things first, the wines of Bel Air Marquis d’Aligre or “BAMA”, as they are affectionately known, are not for everyone. They are essentially relics of a bygone era, made by a man who has largely resisted change over the last 74 years. Yes, that’s right, Jean-Pierre has been making the wine at BAMA since 1950. While nearly everyone around him has adopted whatever technology or technique that is trending, Jean-Pierre has held fast to his tradition. Before I get into the tasting notes, it’s worth sharing that opening a bottle of BAMA is a wild trip. A spirit walk of sorts. There are periods when you think the wine is fading and then minutes later, it’s a whirling dervish. It transformed every 20 minutes so be ready for the ride of your life.

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Remarkable throughout. In the glass, the wine is a deep garnet color moving towards a rust color rim; slightly hazy with a near opaque, translucent core. Medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous showing notes of desiccated cherries, currants, rhubarb, prunes, pomegranate, tobacco, cedar box, a well-conditioned horse saddle, an old library, espresso, roasted Brussels sprouts and damp earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+?) tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is seriously 5 minutes long; it’s got the elegance of Margaux with an unctuous texture. Truly remarkable. A veritable abyss of complexity. Drink now with patience but honestly, I’m not even sure a wine like this ever dies so I wouldn’t be concerned about holding these for another couple decades. Special thanks to @Lyle Fass for the assist. — a year ago

Ryan Vento

9.2

Pop & pour. Love the nose: Christmas baking spices, figs, raisins, mulled cider, plums, anise and clove. The palate is a bit flabby, the bodily structure needing more time to develop in the bottle. Even now a good decant is in order to assist in the opening process as it’s muted now. Not to mention it’s a complete bomb at 15.1% ABV.

Edit: 92+. After approximately 40 minutes in the decanter and 30 minutes in the glass this wine lost the flabby baggage that was readily apparent shortly after opening and slowly began to take shape, thus revealing a more collected & rounded out wine that everyone eventually enjoyed, even my wife, who has not enjoyed this selection in the past. — 6 years ago

with Krystal

Laura Purdy

9.0

Proceeds assist fire recovery. I love it just for that. — 6 years ago

Keith Lite

9.4

I would image there are very few bottles of this left on planet Earth. I am humbled to assist in the elimination of one of the last of its kind. Still ruby red but more amber on the edges. Licorice berries and leather on the nose. Layers of burnt berries and chocolate along with a red/ black licorice finish. Wow — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.7

Yet another wine that has presented perfectly on day two. I have more respect for Cali producers who produce juice that is able to stands upright on day two. It's still ultra-rich, and deeply textured. Kudos to the winemaker. There are also some very interesting text referencing early English monarchs on the front label. Will ask my art historian daughter to assist with decoding the faint signals. — 9 years ago

with Anne-marie

Jeff Sarfino

VP Sales and Marketing Lanterna Distributors, inc

9.3

Quite full and rich for such a young Cornas...the structure indicates a wine that will age gracefully yet it can be consumed now (with an assist from a decanter) — 9 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.3

Delicious through and through! Hazelnut, almond, and a little caramel assist the pineapple, green pear and apple fruits. Slight amount of butter to the round mid palate but it is assisted by very nice acidity the entire time. Very nice long lingering finish! — 10 years ago

with Effie

Tom Higgins

Owner/Winemaker Heart & Hands Wine Company

9.6

Vibrant nose and color in the glass - pomegranate and dark cherry - ala texbook burgundy with some white truffle and wet forest floor. The palate seems young and vibrant - but has incredible depth and structure. The tannins are med weight and can easily assist this wine over the next 12-15 years (2027-2030). — 10 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

10

Pre-order MATTHIASSON Quake Cuvée, a Napa Red négociant blend to be created by Steve Matthiasson to assist the community as soon as possible. All after-tax profits will benefit the NAPA VALLEY COMMUNITY DISASTER RELIEF FUND and their efforts to provide immediate financial support and resources for those most in need.

Please note: This wine will ship in the Spring 2015!

— 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

The 2020 vintage presented many challenges for wine producers around the world but the fires in California added a layer of complexity that nobody needed. Many of the producers I enjoy didn’t even make red wine and if they did, it was never released. For some, the effects were more catastrophic. Unfortunately for McHenry Vineyard, the situation was the latter. Not only was the entire crop lost to smoke taint in the CZU Lighting Complex Fire but the winery and most of the structures on the property were destroyed. They even lost some of the majestic redwoods that have surrounded the vineyard for centuries. Despite the pandemic and the destruction, Brandon and Annelisa were resolved to rebuild. However, with the crop lost and nowhere to make wine for the foreseeable future, they had to enlist some help. In the near term, Brandon was able to purchase fruit from the Christie Vineyard in Corralitos (the longtime source for Storrs Winery & Vineyard) and John Benedetti of Sante Arcangeli came in the with the assist; just as he had in the production of the 2019 vintage. The fruit from Christie Vineyard is more Dijon heavy than McHenry’s estate vineyard but John did a great job of honoring the McHenry approach and style. The results were remarkable.

Popped and poured and enjoyed over a four hour period, the 2020 McHenry “Christie Vineyard” pours a bright, luminous ruby color with a transparent core. No obvious staining of the tears; medium+ viscosity. On the nose, bright ripened cherries, raspberries, roses, cloves and other spices. The wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. The finish is long. The overall impression is fresh, juicy and full of life. Like all vintages of McHenry, production is minuscule with only 150 cases produced.

As a sort of epilogue, Mother Earth giveth and taketh away. For all of the gifts that California’s climate brings to the production of wine, they are not immune to the whims of nature and these sorts of stories are becoming more and more common. With that being said, there have been at least two other occasions in McHenry’s past where they have been forced to purchase fruit or choose not release wine due to fire or pests. Unfortunately, this will probably not be their last but as long as they are determined to make beautifully balanced Pinot Noir way up on Bonny Doon Road, I will be drinking them. — 2 years ago

Tim Eller

8.9

I love this casual spin on Cali chard. Apple and pear and an acidic assist from the Pinot Gris. Silky and fruity and mild complexity equals mindless drinking and enjoying. In a good way. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Formed in 1979 by Peter Lehmann to assist the grape growers who at the time were facing financial ruin, now over 160 grape growers supply Lehmann from over 900 vineyards throughout Barossa. Dark red with nice fruit aromas and sweet spice notes. On the palate ripe berry fruit with cacao and vanilla flavors, soft and pleasant. Fine smooth tannins, approachable, medium+ length ending with sweet cacao character. Nice value. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Formed in 1979 by Peter Lehmann to assist the grape growers of the region who at the time were facing financial ruin, they now enjoy the rewards of longstanding friendships and loyalty. A blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot & Shiraz, deep red with aromas of black fruit. On the palate black raspberry and currant flavors, toasty oak, savory with fine tannins. Medium finish ending with oaky notes. Tasting Sample. — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.8

Ultra smooth and decadent. Excellent oak treatment. Intense black and red fruits, particularly raspberries. Perfect acidity. Tannins are fully integrated, which assist with the structure. Outstanding! — 9 years ago

with Randall, Christine and 4 others

George Chen

9.6

Handel Lee's bottle drank in Shanghai and yes it was real thing! Cork in good shape albeit tore upon pulling...no Ah-So to assist but wine opened and sang for over an hour. Dried cherries, roses, Asian spices...Sous Bois. Balanced acids and firm backbone. A hell of a treat! This bottle at its peak and just a beaut! — 9 years ago

Craig Haarmeyer

9.5

It was an honor to bottle the final vintage for Darrell Corti. Very nice to have @Tegan Passalacqua there to assist. — 10 years ago

Matt Sobczak

8.9

Great acidity. Picpoul Blanc with the assist! — 10 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.4

Looks like summer, tastes like summer. Thank you J Vineyards & Winery family for sharing your "Joie de Gris"! Clockwise from left, meet the happy crew: Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse, Assist. Winemaker Scott Anderson & Dir. of Vineyard Operations Scott Zapotocky — 11 years ago

with J

Tiffany Li

9.0

Had the Cabernet not the blend - 2019 — 5 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

Rustic and delicious. 100% Otskhanuri Sapere. Inky purple, high acid, medium tannin. Blackberry/graphite accord. Well-structured. These wines deserve more exposure. Cool story linked below on the EU support these ladies received to assist in exporting their wine. http://www.eu4business.eu/success-stories/baia-and-gvantsa-winemakers-turning-family-tradition-successful-business — 5 years ago

with Alsu

Ryan Vento

9.2

I encroached on this wine with low expectations, even with the knowledge of Daou’s reputation and the pedigree they employ. I’ve never been a fan of Paso Robles and my only run-in with Daou was unimpressive, to say the least. I digress. Tonight’s bottle was purchased to assist my wife & I with putting up Christmas decorations and I think we chose wisely. The deep, dark fruits in this juice are brooding and dense, reminding me of a thick slab of blackberry/blueberry cobbler. The notes of anise & clove offer a nice touch of spice and are even more welcome around the holiday season. The delicate notes of vanilla are pleasing and nuanced. The mouthfeel is plush and voluptuous and has enough complexity to justify the price-point. This is a well-made wine; one that makes me re-think my position on Paso Robles. — 5 years ago

with Krystal

Seth Pelletier

10

The best wine I’ve ever tasted.

A sublime nose with gracefully aged dark fruits and leather dark cherry and currant across the palate are complemented by lilac, dried mushroom, white pepper, tobacco and sage. Beautifully integrated oak notes assist moderate tannins in providing just enough muscle on the finish. The beauty of this wine lies in the fact that all of these flavors are integrated with each other and perfectly balanced.

For me, it simply doesn’t get any better than this. I typically seek wines with dark fruit, herbaceous hints, elegant floral notes, vegetal strains, minerals and spice. This wine is all of those things. 😍 — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.8

Incredible Beauty shared by our new bud Mitch Lieberman. I could not find him on delectable to tag him on this post. Perhaps @Howard Greenfield can assist?
This Right bank blend had everything going on! It was still fresh and lively on the palate, Pronounced red fruit & a huge a depth of flavor. It was drinking like a million bucks. I'm a Huge Figeac fan and this one did not disappoint!! Thank you sir., may I have another!! Lol⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 8 years ago

with Ted

Ron R

9.3

Another excellent SB, served at close to ambient temp, which funnily enough assist with creating the aromatics.

The nose was so delicate and inviting (as was its appearance in the glass). I detected lemon and a hint of lime. Not sure if this wine sees oak, but I did detect woody overtones. I loved the expression on the palette. Hints of pineapple, honey and brioche mingle. It finishes with a zippy texture which is a wonderful final chapter. — 9 years ago

with David and Anne-marie

Lars Covintree

9.3

Right again @Todd Abrams. Thanks! Swim talk and wine with @Ted Hughes got another big assist from your outstanding recommendation! — 10 years ago

with Jeni and Angela

Matt Bernstein

9.3

Super. Lyle, I don't think you've offered this wine but the assist w/ the producer. — 11 years ago

with Lyle

Russ W

9.2

Revisiting an old favorite. Thanks to JR at UVA wines in sunny williamsburg for the assist — 11 years ago