The Charmer
Château Musar
Hochar Père & Fils Bekaa Valley Red Blend 2016
This was brought to a gathering by a guest, opened and served immediately. The “Hochar Père et Fils” is often thought of as Chateau Musar’s second wine but it’s really just a different wine made in a similar fashion using grapes from a single vineyard and sees a little less time in oak. The lighting was really poor so I couldn’t really take any visual notes. A little funky and mostly red fruited, cherries, and spices. Some VA there for sure. The finish was long, medium+ tannin and acid. Balanced and quite the charmer. Lovely. — 4 years ago
Il Palazzone
Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2013
Tasted alongside the 2015 vintage. Both wines were opened about eight hours in advanced and allowed to slow-ox at cellar temp (51°F). Comparatively, this was more open for business. Dark cherry, gym sock, dried herbs, leather, and tomato leaf on the nose. On the palate, dusty cherry fruit with black tea and dried herbs. Rustic. Quite an old school charmer! Towards the end of the bottle, this started to tighten back up a bit but it was still my favorite of the two vintages tonight. I expect this to enjoy a long life. — 4 years ago
Sideshow
No. 3 The Charmer Shiraz 2017
L and I both liked — 6 years ago
La Spinetta
Sezzana Toscana Sangiovese Blend 2003
wow. 14 years later and still a charmer — 8 years ago
Domaine Laurent & Karen Boussey
Les Prévolles Beaune Pinot Noir 2019
Great vintage for Boussey and this charmer of a wine. Expansive cherry and lovely dry, dusty earth on the nose and the fruit has a lipstick like intensity. Lovely, inviting and aromatic depth. Palate is silky, sweet and bursting with fresh cherries and lovely finesse and some good refinement for this level. Juicy and long with great fruit presence. Can’t ask for more in an under $30 Burgundy. — 2 years ago
De Ponte Cellars
Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2017
Enjoyed 2017 in April 2022 with great balance, medium tannins, black and red berries, a real charmer that will continue to develop. — 3 years ago
Jacob Toft
Sarah's Cuvee Syrah Blend
Domaine Bruno Clair
"Les Grasses Têtes" Marsannay Pinot Noir 2015
Very young and not integrated, with oak sticking out at odd angles. Fruit and concentration in great evidence. Vanilla, raspberry, and hints of humus. Gonna be a delicate charmer in its golden years. — 7 years ago
DeMorgenzon
Maestro White Blend
White field blend that is a little bit of a charmer. Nice overall balance, pleasantly fresh. — 8 years ago
Domaine Vincent Dampt
Petit Chablis Chardonnay 2015
Chalky mineral, zippy acidity, lemon zest, and peach pit. Not a complex wine, rather an extremely well made and balanced sipper that is a stunner for around $15. This is a real charmer punching its way to the top as a house white. — 9 years ago
Charles Heidsieck
Brut Réserve Champagne Blend
Love ending meals with Champagne! This is always a charmer. Some pastry richness and excellent energy. — 2 years ago
Ellena Giuseppe
Ellena Barolo Nebbiolo 2011
Popped and poured; enjoyed over three hours. Pours a dark ruby with a transparent core. Medium+ viscosity, medium+ intensity. On the nose, Twin Bing, roses, alpine air, forest floor, tar, and a small dash of baking spices. On the palate, mixed red fruits, blood orange pith, tobacco, and fresh green herbs. Quite a bit rounder than I’m used to for Barolo but it’s undeniably a charmer. The finish is very long, bone dry. Yes…this is very becoming indeed! Medium+ tannin, medium+ acid, medium + alcohol. Hedonistic and drinking so well now. — 4 years ago
La Palazzetta (Flavio Fanti)
Riserva Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 1997
This bottle was one in a brace of Brunellos, generously shared and curated by our friend Tim.
Served blind after a lengthy slow-ox, I knew we were drinking Brunello di Montalcino but that’s it. Visually, there were no obvious signs of age. Initially quite reticent, I found this slow to come around but after an hour or so in the glass, it became quite the charmer! Tart cherries, black tea, earth and minerals. Long, lip smacking finish. Great balance. Seemed ultra traditional to me.
Revealed to be a 1997 “La Palazzetta” Riserva. There seemed to be a youthfulness about this wine that belied its 23 years of age. I have little doubt that we’ll stores examples will be drinking well in 2030. Killer with meal of certified Piedmontese eye of ribeye and simple pasta with red sauce. — 4 years ago
Heartland
Langhorne Creek Dolcetto Lagrein 2016
Absolute charmer! An excellent medium bodied drop from Langhorne. — 8 years ago
Jay Kline
Popped and poured; enjoyed over two days. Best on Day 1. The 2011 “Caravina” pours a deep, we’re going to call opaque, garnet with some slight browning towards the rim. There appear to be signs of very light sediment. Medium viscosity and medium staining of the tears. On the nose, cassis, tobacco, bell pepper and the faint smell of baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and notes from the nose are confirmed. Medium tannin and medium acid. Finish is a bit clipped so I would place at medium-. On Day 2, the wine was still intact but it seemed to have lost some of the energy that it had on Day 1 and now came across even more green and earthy than before.
This 2011 Caravina is probably the most “2011” Cabernet from Napa that I’ve had in some time. It’s green and lacks the structure I would want for longevity. While I would still call this a good wine, it’s not the charmer that Caravina is in most vintages these days. Drink now with a meal. In this case, it worked well enough with Cincinnati-style chili 😋.
— 2 years ago