The Critic

Emidio Pepe

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2015

Very good
I hadn't had the trebbiano from Pepe for a looong time and the feeling is still similar
It needs time to open up
When young the palate is better than the nose
It is long and enjoyable
What has changed in time is unfortunately the price and i wondered if that is due to the market or because it has been harder to source or work the grapes
I used to pay it less than 15 euros back in Italy and I understand that time flies, but here in Melbourne this is on the shelf for 140 dollars.
I thank
@Giulio Bignozzi for sharing this with me, but I struggle to realise the dynamics about its pricing..or maybe I just don't want to.
For 30 or 40 euros I would be happy to buy and drink this, but for 140 dollars I would pick elsewhere perhaps
It is also a natural wine if I remember well and I reckon there should be a bit of ethic behind that too. Still a very good wine nonetheless, but i couldn't keep the critic for myself.
— 4 years ago

Josh, Ira and 21 others liked this

Duckhorn Vineyards

Napa Valley Merlot 2015

January 12, 2020. Tucson. This was TTW Wine of the month, Dec 2019. Brought to AZ for the holidays and to share with my favorite wine critic and fellow old world wine lover. We are, BTW left bank Bordeaux fans. In blind tasting my fav critic says “Tastes like a California wine.” We did, nonetheless, enjoy it. Not bad for a right bank imitation Bordeaux. Will still spend my money in the old world. Hope my cellar outlasts the tariffs...😬 — 4 years ago

P liked this

Fattoria Petrolo

Galatrona Merlot 2013

Has brett on opening. Rich, dark fruit with tobacco. Needs air. This was probably too soon to open this guy but maybe with a decant it’ll be a different story. After a few hours decanting the wine shines more. The brett blew off and the nose is more perfumed. Still, it’s tightly wound and doesn’t display the brilliance that seemingly would come with a score that one critic gave it of 98 points. But I do wonder if with a few more years more layers will unfold. — 6 years ago

David, Mike and 3 others liked this

Windstream

Sarmento Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

refreshing, buttery, low acidity, smooth finish, crisp, light notes of critic fruits, favorite Chardonnay to date. — 7 years ago

Manny liked this

Blankiet Estate

Prince of Hearts Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

Tasted blind I certainly enjoyed it but being a BIG fan of Blankiet I was still somewhat underwhelmed. Nothing screamed Napa (to me) here.

Tough to be critic of a 2nd label but...
Hopefully just my tastebuds being off here/now.
— 7 years ago

Kurt-Inge EklundLeo Hernández Téllez
with Kurt-Inge and Leo
David, Shay and 4 others liked this

Maysara Winery

3° McMinnville Pinot Noir

This wine holds a special place in my heart. Made by the 3 Momtazi sisters. I myself am 1 of 3 sisters! #Biodynamic Oregon Pinot, 100% estate fruit, featured in wine critic Eric Asimov’s NYT column several vintages in a row. Bright tart cherry core, silky smooth tannins, and sweet earth. Solid and soulful. — 7 years ago

Clos du Val Wine Co.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

classic. I have always like Clos du Val, while never a huge critic fav, to me I love the balance. Glad to have drank this 1997 on 12/25/15. — 8 years ago

Eric and Sean liked this

La Cantina Pizzolato

Brut Prosecco

Z Fo
9.0

Mellow cab. My problem is I enjoy all my wines so I'm not that great a critic. — 9 years ago

Hundred Acre Vineyard

Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

What was your last critic rated “100pt” wine? This one, a huge Napa Cab, an atypical wine for me, but it was beautiful after a 4 hour decant. 15.5% alcohol, but you would never know it. Incredibly deep, layered and intensely flavored with marvelous texture and mouthfeel. Rich black and blue fruits, mocha, subtle hints of charcuterie and seamless oak integration with a 30 second finish. 💥 — 4 years ago

Josh, Ryan and 19 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

I’m sitting on a 2013 of this and have no clue when I want to open it. You’re note has me looking forward to it.
Lee Pitofsky

Lee Pitofsky Influencer Badge

@Shay A The wines are so well made that they’ll show really well young with a sufficient decant. 2013 Napa cab will definitely be a long lived vintage though. Depends on your patience! Haha 😅

De Iuliis

Aged Release Sémillon 2011

Its no Peter Michael, but not bad. Winery notes, Hunter region their home since 1960. Joss and Anna De Iuliis followed their family passion for wine and chose a property in the Lovedale Road region of the Lower Hunter Valley, converting a grazing property into a 20ha vineyard with the first vines planted in 1990. Australian wine critic James Halliday has been rating De Iuliis Wines a 5 star winery since 2010. The 2011 Aged Release sémillion is kept at the winery and aged in bottle for an additional seven years, allowing it to develop beeswax and honey characteristics while maintaining a fresh citrus palate. This is sémillion the way it is meant to be, without having to invest cellaring space. Only 250 cases produced.
You also might be interested in... click to collapse contents
— 4 years ago

P, Vanessa and 22 others liked this
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Auction buy?
Paul T HB

Paul T HB

No but it was from K&L store,

Château Potensac

Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1997

David T
9.3

I’ve had at least two cases of the 97 over the last eight years or more. Our friends Jeff & Hedy brought this bottle of 97 to dinner tonight. It’s the best bottle of this wine I’ve had. We drank our last bottle roughly two years ago. The wine continues to improve. Tonight it’s so lush, ruby, elegant with blue & dark & mid red fruits. Great balance of fruit & earth. So beautiful & easy to drink. The 97 vintage was one no one wanted to buy as it was critically panned. I have said this many times, “in every difficult vintage, there are always producers that make good wine.” In the case of the Potensac, it took 15+ years to fully spread its wings and it continues to improve with another 10 years left ahead. No critic would have told you in 98 & 99 when the initial reviews came out to buy this wine. Potensac is made by the same technical team as Leoville Las Cases. Always follow good producers, even in difficult years. K&L bought 5,000 cases of this wine 10+ years after the fact. They are Masters in Bordeaux wines for this kind of value. Clyde took the shipments in two blocks of 2500 cases and sold through them in about a year or less at $24.99 a bottle. It remains the bargain of a lifetime! @Shay A This is the wine you want to buy to keep you from opening your 09’s & 10’s too early. So delicious tonight!!! Photos of; Potensac, concrete tanks, fruit near harvest and their barrel room. — 6 years ago

Sofia, Eric and 20 others liked this
David T

David T Influencer Badge

@Shay A Older Potensacs are pretty easy to find. They are pretty consistent and alway a great value.
James Forsyth

James Forsyth Influencer Badge

Such a good tip! They're now on my radar. Love overlooked, delicious Bdx (hence my amalgam of Chasse Spleens and such like).
David T

David T Influencer Badge

@James Forsyth It’s a good to very good wine depending on the vintage. Always better w/ 10+ years in bottle. Enjoy! Cheers!

Domaine Gourt de Mautens (Jérôme Bressy)

Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel Red Rhone Blend

This dusty old dame was opened on a lark and was the Belle of the Ball. Fruit, velvet finish with grip on the end. A really fine and easy wine. Easily in my top 10 for the year so far. It has all of the complexity to satisfy the snobbiest wine critic and the simplicity to make a novice want to become an snob. — 7 years ago

Sisco and brannen liked this

Founders Brewing Company

All Day IPA Session Ale

Solid IPA following a good symposium, but more importantly, a sighting of the American Mr. Creosote, who apparently is a Pittsburgian food critic. — 8 years ago

Jim, Magnetochem and 6 others liked this
Mark

Mark

Why are you drinking from a plastic cup?

Domaine des Malandes

Mont de Milieu Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay

Nose opening bright critic acid. Crisp, bright. Pure, but simple. — 4 years ago

Daniel P. and Severn liked this

Domaine de Chevalier

Pessac Leognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

Critic driven triple 97pt scores. While still a baby, showing great. Two+hour decant left a massive nose of red berries. Full and rich, red and black cherry drive the palate. Some minerality and tight tannins will drive a long cellaring. I’ll wait for 3-5 years before coming back. — 4 years ago

Shay, P and 16 others liked this

Blandy's

Madeira Bual 1957

Ray S
9.6

W. T. F? Okay... The moment this hit my nose I immediately knew I was in for something special. Remember the scene from Ratatouille in which the food critic took a bite and was transported back to his childhood? Yup. That was me tonight. I couldn't even bring myself to taste this until I passed the glass around the table for everyone to try. Emotional and unforgettable. — 6 years ago

Severn, Kim and 1 other liked this

Castello di Verduno

Faset Barbaresco Nebbiolo 1990

How can you not like it? If a critic says something bad about it, then tell him/her to give me the rest!! — 6 years ago

LM, Sue and 1 other liked this

World's End

Reserve Against The Wind Cabernet Franc 2013

World's End is the Napa project of Jonathan Maltus. He's better known for his work on the Right Bank of Bordeaux as the owner of Château Teyssier and creating Le Dôme. The 2013 Against The Wind was sufficiently beaten up by more than one critic, but I was still surprised when I fished it out of a discount bin for $9... he's made a wine that Robert Parker scored 100... I think I'll take the risk... Juicy plum with blueberry are the focus, followed by some Hershey's cocoa powder and roasted red pepper, with some tertiary molasses and dried violet. — 7 years ago

Daniel, Mark and 11 others liked this
TheSkip

TheSkip

You are the master

Sequoia Grove

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Ryan Carey
9.3

Pleasantly surprised by the 2013 Sequoia Grove Cabernet. I like this wine quite a bit more than the average critic score of ~91 pts. Not a typical in-you-face Napa cab, but an extremely well balanced wine that showcases what Napa is capable of - even at a reasonable price. Score: 93 points — 7 years ago

Shay, Eric and 30 others liked this
Janet Ross

Janet Ross

I've long been a fan of their wines. The reserves can be really good!

K Vintners

M.C.K Motor City Kitty Syrah 2013

Second bottle this week. Extraordinary. Vivid. Mouthwatering. Perfumed nose of campfire grilled meats, plum backed up with bramble fruit, freshly grated ginger, and toasted sesame oil. Structured, showing beautiful balance with sweet tannin and a long savory finish. This is the bottle that makes me happy that the wine drinking public still doesn't know Syrah or Washington. If they did, this wine would cost two to three times as much. Even elicited a "This IS good" from my father, the world's most unimpressed wine critic (shoulder shrug = 93 points). — 8 years ago

Don Pirolo
with Don
Anthony, Daniel and 9 others liked this