Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Transitioning in the Lounge. Night is a little better than day. Love the glow.

This 07 has been hanging out in my secondary storage (temp & humidity controlled but, not EuroCave) for 12 years. Time to drink up, right? Nope. The cork was super pliable with nearly no seepage. This wine has another 10-15 years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.

The nose reveals fruits that are steeped in style. Although, ripe, ruby and quite floral. Dark currants, blackberries, blackberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, black plum, touch of pomegranate, sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, malt in malt balls, haunting caramel, whiff of black pepper, mix of Asian & Indian dark spices, incense, limestone, volcanic minerals, dry crushed rocks, leather, dry brush, liqueur, liquid fruit chocolate truffles, oak shavings, leather, some graphite, anise to black licorice with dazzling; dark, blue, red, fresh & withering florals and violets for days.

The palate would fool a lot of wine lovers/professionals. There is an earthiness about it that might take you to a warm vintage Bordeaux or a Rhône blend of mostly Grenache and Syrah.

Ripe and lush, dark currants, blackberries, blackberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, black plum, touch of pomegranate, sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, malt in malt balls, warm caramel, some black pepper, mix of Asian & Indian dark spices, dry Provenance herbs, black offering palate heat, incense, thick layered baking spices; clove, cinnamon & nutmeg with a mini splash of vanilla, limestone, gripping volcanic minerals, dry top soil & clay, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, turned black earth, leather, dry brush, dry river stone, liqueur, oak shavings, leather, some graphite, anise to black licorice with dazzling; dark, blue, red, fresh & withering florals and singing violets for days. The acidity is round and good but, short of the vintage. The structure, tension, length and balance are approaching their peak. The long, big finish is; ripe, lush, ruby, show the quality of the vintage, well balanced and persists until you put something else on the palate.

P.S. It just gets better & better as you slow sip it. Now, 9.3.

Photos of; kicking nighttime in the D&S Lounge. — 6 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.4

Again under rated by the professionals. Chronic Cellars SOFA KING BUENO 2017 from Passo Robles is AMAZING!!!!! A blend of syrah, grenache, petite sirah, tannat, and Mourvedre. This is almost like an Organ Pinot noir except better!!!!! Its not overly complex, but so easy to drink with no sourness nor bitterness. Lots of cranberry and blackberry up front. There is also cherry!!! The finish leaves a lingering semi dry oaky dark chocolate and buttery finish!!!!!!! So YUMMY... As they say at Chronic Cellars, “Wishes in one hand. Chronic in the other.” — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.5

After watching Masterchef the Professionals this week I saw a 15 minute challenge to make fresh Angelotti pasta with a cheese bechamel sauce in mushroom, pea & diced pancetta in 15 mins so I challenged Mrs E to do the same today - she’s through to the next round in my book 😁😍👏 it was delicious 😋
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Mrs E decided to drink the latest vintage of Grande Annee Rose while making it 😎 Pop to Instagram @chrisjengland too see the video 🎥
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📍 Bollinger Grande Annee Rose 2007
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🏵 95 points
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🍇 72% Pinot Noir & 28% Chardonnay
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🍷 Peachy copper salmon pink
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👃 Crushed red apple compote on hot baked butter brioche w/ minerals, peach, red fruits & smoke
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👄 Med bodied creamy fine mousse of butter brioche bathed in wild strawberry, peach, tart citrus fruits & red apple w/ a Granny Smith hint & dry minerals in med acidity
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🎯 Long dry tart grapefruit, lime & lemon infusion through red apple & red fruits w/ a sweet strawberry biscuity tone
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💥 DON’T FORGET to enter the 15k giveaway I posted Thursday with @openyourwine to win a vSpin decanter worth $250 and @nosywineclub to win a Nosy gift box with £65 - you’ve got two chances to win 😎
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🏬 Remember 35% discount for BLACK FRIDAY at Nosy with code CHRISBLACKFRIDAY30 which means getting Nosy is even better 👃
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🎶 Music: Last Night @ Site: https://icons8.com/music/
— 7 years ago

Jake Hajer

8.9

Muddy truck tire. Baked blueberries and blackberries. Green peppercorn. Opaque almost black in the middle with a mm of dried blood red at the edge. Dirty. Huge. Full bodied. The densest 2011 I've had. low acid, really high alc (16.1%!). Extracted, astringent and tannic. A little Brett and a little VA. Note: I tasted with 5 other professionals and none of them came close to liking it. The in-your-face and rustic-ness gives the wine an unmistakable charm. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

P&H was founded in 1988 by industry professionals Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz. This is my second try of the 2015, just wonderful! Aromas of fresh ripe stone fruits and flinty and floral notes. On the palate fresh fruit flavors of apple, pear and sweet pineapple with savory toasty oak tones. Lingering finish ends with tangy citrus and smoky mineral notes. Outstanding. — 8 years ago

Veronica Castro

8.9

My apologies for not using a white background for the photo. But we're all pretty much professionals here, right?
Fresh blueberries and pink lemonade. All-up in-yo-face. There is probably 1 gram of RS, but this is a totally lovable rose with a Txakoli-like edge to it. All in all, completely charming. — 8 years ago

TheSkip

9.2

This wine represents the death of the wine critic. On one hand, this was rated 91+ by WA but 86 by WS. On the other, the overall cuvée has higher impressions here.

Personally, and I suspect many of you are with me, the critic score has lessened significantly over the last couple of years. I would much rather buy a wine based on your reviews than what the professionals have to say.

Overall, this had great acidity. Wonderfully balanced with toasted oak and brambleberry. A lingering finish. A great job for a challenging vintage. — 8 years ago

Paul T HB

9.8

Not the best looking cork for a 2013,
But easy to see the high ratings it received on release,
3 or 4 💯 from the so called professionals,
Has improved significantly since my last bottle in November,
.375 bottle — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

P&H was founded in 1988 by industry professionals Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz. Aromas of fresh ripe stone fruits, honey, nutty and floral notes. On the palate fresh fruit flavors of apple, pear and sweet pineapple with savory toasty oak tones. Lingering finish ends with creamy fruit and oaky mineral notes. A bit rounder than previous vintages. Wonderful. — 6 years ago

Rosie Johnson

9.6

A little sweet as is with a dessert wine. Rated -00 points many times over by professionals. I loved it but I wouldn’t give it 100 points. — 6 years ago

with Richard

Bob McDonald

9.6

My last bottle from an original dozen - drinking at its peak. Mid Lemon in colour - aromas of Honey, Beeswax, Toast, Lemon and loads of minerality. Waxy texture on the palate. Good tasters even professionals say this wine has been matured with Oak but it only ever sees Stainless Steel. It puts on palate weight and complexity with time - an intriguing drink. Great match with Oysters and Prawns. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.4

I 💗 Figeac & this 06 @ £90 is a beauty drinking lovely but will still improve 😉 Very underrated by the “professionals”

📍 Chateau Figeac 2006

🏵 94 points

🍇 Equal Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon

🍷 Derp dark ruby

👃 Smokey oaky plumpy plum & bursting blackcurrant w/ blushing blackberry, lashing leather, loving liquorice, marvellous minerals, happy herbs & macho mocha 😍

👄 Silky smooth med body of creamy black berry fruits & dark plum bathed in rock minerals w/ a mocha liquorice lashing

🎯 Long mineral infused dark fruit dirty earthy kiss
— 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is Gaston’s Special Club. What does it mean when a Champagne is labeled as Special Club?

The Special Club, or Club Trésors de Champagne, was originally founded in 1971 by 12 of the oldest families of the Champagne region. Since then, the club has grown to include 29 producers committed to excellence in all aspects of production. This exclusive membership is only open to Recoltant Manipulants (a French designation for a producer of grower Champagne). Champagnes must be produced, bottled and aged at the member’s estate. The Special Club Champagnes represent the tête de cuvée (a premier bottling often carrying a vintage date) selection for each member.

Special Club Champagne designation means they are only made in outstanding vintages from grapes harvested from member’s own vineyards. Each producer must submit his wine to two blind tastings panels of esteemed oenologists and wine professionals. The still wines (vins clairs) are tasted first and if approved may be bottled in the uniquely-shaped Special Club bottle before undergoing secondary fermentation.

After a minimum of three years aging on lees, the wines are tasted again for final approval.

On the nose; green apple, bruised Bosc pear, touch of golden apple, pineapple, cream soda, light citrus, sea shells/spray, brioche, gray volcanic minerals, soft chalk, spring flowers & citrus blossoms.

The palate is soft, delicate, subtly rich with micro oxygenation. Green apple, bruised Bosc pear, bruised golden apple, pineapple, cream soda, light citrus, sea shells/spray, brioche, gray volcanic minerals that have teeth and dig deep into your palate, soft powdery chalk, spring flowers & citrus blossoms.

Photos of; the house of Gaston Chiquet, cellar-hand hand riddling bottles, Owner/Winemaker Nicolas Chiquet inspecting bottles and one of their Grand Cru Vineyard.

Producer notes...Nicolas farms 23 heactares in the Valle de la Marne in the villages of Ay, Dizy, Hautvillers and Mareuil-sur-Ay. All of the fruit (including that which is used in the non-vintage cuvee) comes from premier and grand cru grapes. Nicolas does not employ any oak aging at Gaston Chiquet; he believes that concentration, fruit maturity and malolactic fermentation impart enough body and texture to make aging in barrel unnecessary.

The vineyards are planted to equal (forty percent each) parts chardonnay, pinot meunier and twenty percent are planted to pinot noir. Gaston-Chiquet. He also produces a vintage dated chardonnay from 5 parcels on the western side of the grand cru village of Ay. Usually recognized as a grand cru village for pinot noir, these vines of chardonnay were planted in Ay in the 1930s.

In 1919, two brothers, Fernand and Gaston Chiquet winemakers came together to create their house Chiquet Brothers. They were ‘pioneers’ in Champagne, the very first winemakers to take the initiative, bold at the time, to keep their grapes, turn them into Champagne and sell their own wine. Nicolas Chiquet planted his first vines in 1746, and since then eight generations have have managed their house. Gaston Chiquet registered the company in 1935 and expanded the property with land in Aÿ, Cumières and Hautvillers. Gaston Chiquet is best known for making the only blanc de blancs from the Pinot village of Aÿ. Aÿ was the big name in the area long before wines became sparkling, and many were the kings and popes who counted Vin d’Aÿ as their favorite wine. The vineyards slope down steeply to the village by the Marne River, and the best locations are just over the town, sheltered from the wind and with maximum exposure to the sun. — 7 years ago

Kevin Woods

8.9

One of the recommendations at Stew Leonard's. Even gets good ratings from the professionals. Works for me — 8 years ago

with Ali

David Langstaff

9.3

Great wine. Nice acidity but with creamy undertones. Not a wine for the ‘professionals’ as it doesn’t fit their oaky template. Just a wonderful wine with food. 2013. — 6 years ago

with Lee, Allister and 3 others

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

This Anthill is well extracted. Too much for how I like my Pinot’s. It is also has a slight alcohol burn in the back of my throat which; I & other professionals consider a fault in wine. It’s like Oregon fruit & florals meet the over-extraction of Bella Glos. That aside, there are some merits here.

The nose reveals slightly stewed, yet ruby & candied fruits of; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, creamy raspberries and notes of pomegranate. Pronounced baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Black, rich earth, black licorice, sweet tarry notes, limestone, dark spice, dry, crushed rocks and bright; red, dark, blue and purple florals.

The body is big, thick and lush. She still has sticky, meaty, tarry tannins. The structure & tension is quite big. The length and balance are good but, still require some more time to hit their peak. Slightly stewed, yet ruby & candied fruits of; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, creamy raspberries and notes of pomegranate. Pronounced baking spices; vanilla, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Black, rich earth, gravely, dark volcanic minerals, black licorice, sweet tarry notes, limestone, dark spice, stem inclusion, leather, hints of graphite, dry, crushed rocks and bright; red, dark, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and good. The big, long, finish is, rich, ruby, elegant, well polished and persists for minutes.

Photos of; one of the vineyards they source fruit, three friends & partners that founded Anthill; Anthony Filberti, David Low, and Webster Marquez who met while working at Williams Selyem and the staff working the process in the cellar. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

This is the 2003 D.R. Stephens Premiere Valley IX Lot No. 045 Moose Valley Vineyard. Bottle number 23 of 60.

I picked it up yesterday in honor of Premiere Napa Valley happening this week. If you have never heard of this event, it’s a gathering of Napa producers, industry professionals and re-sellers bidding on lots of wine. Many of these lots are special bottling’s of a producers best barrel etc. Quite an event of; tasting, bidding and a little partying.

If you haven’t tried D.R. Stephens wines, I suggest you give them a strong consideration in acquiring. However, these wines are made to cellar. While you can drink them young, if you do, you will sell yourself short of the harmony and bliss they will give you properly aged and enjoyed at their peak. As delicious as this bottle is tonight, it hasn’t achieved its peak.

The nose reveals; beautiful, ripe, candied and floral fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum skin, baked strawberries and stewed blueberries & raspberries. Black licorice, layered baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon, berry cola, warm spices, caramel, mocha, some black pepper, dry top soil, dry crushed limestone minerals, leather, graphite, notes of Provence herbs, bay leaf, dark rich turned earth with fresh red flowers, violets and lavender.

The body is rich and full. The tannin's still quite big but, well rounded. The structure and tension are about 60% up the top of bell curve. The length & balance are beautiful and will hit their peak in 7-8 more years. Gorgeous wine! Ripe, candied and floral fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum skin, baked strawberries and stewed blueberries & raspberries. Black licorice, steeped tea, layered baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon, berry cola, warm spices, caramel, mocha, dark chocolate, some black pepper, dry top soil, dry crushed limestone minerals, dry clay, leather, graphite, notes of Provence herbs, bay leaf, dark rich turned earth with fresh red flowers, violets and lavender. The acidity is perfect. The long, elegant, gorgeously rich, we’ll balance finish is amazing and is everything you look for in a quality Napa Cabernet and then some.

Photos of; an auction shot from a past Napa Valley Premiere auction, tasting & dining area on the Estate (2nd home for owners - Don & Trish Stephens), another property shot complete with pond and shot of the Estate as you walk into beautiful property.

Thanks to @Jason and Jennie for exposing me to D.R. Stephens. — 6 years ago

with James and Christina

Chris England

9.5

One of my favourite St Juliens in great vintage @ £75-£110 and very underrated by professionals bizarrely!

📍 Chateau Talbot 2005

🏵 94-95 points

🍇 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot & 4% Petit Verdot

🍷Dark opaque ruby

👃 Earthy wet leaves & smoked oak through dark stewed dark berries w/ farmyard, lead pencil. gravel, liquorice, minerals, fig, date, soot & dark cherry

👄 Med silky smooth body of earthy dark berries, plum galore w/ mocha, liquorice, minerals, cherry & prune

🎯 Long dark fruit earthy mocha liquorice mineral munchy mouthful w/ a light red fruit, prune & fig kick — 7 years ago

Ted Napolitano

9.5

Fantastic wine of the region! Similar to the Riserva of the Contucci Family of Wines, this full-bodied (yet lighter) Nobile has an aromatic nose but not overpowering. A smooth and drier finish rounds out the taste! ... when did we start talking like we were professionals at this? (Maybe that's only in my mind...) — 8 years ago

with Kat

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Always delicately beautiful and one of the best values in Champagne. I have poured this for many professionals and most have never had it. However, they are always amazed by it's quality. Further, by it's jaw dropping value for Grand Cru Champagne. Absolutely a great pair with the vinaigrette Endive salad with apples & walnuts. — 8 years ago