The Whitman Express

Les Halos de Jupiter

Côtes du Rhône Grenache Blend 2014

This pops with vibrant strawberry and kirsch, but continues reverberating with incense, citrus peel, damp chalk, and licorice. I would happily spend $15 again, but this gives me the confidence to trade up to Halos Gigondas or Chateauneuf du Pape the next time around.

Finally trying this label... Considering the esteem to which I hold Philippe Cambie and my love for Grenache, it's been a long time coming. Cambie, along with a Michel Gassier, produce Grenache-focused bottlings from nearly all the Southern Rhone AOCs under the Halos de Jupiter label. To Cambie, Grenache is the king of all grapes, thus the comparison to Jupiter (Zeus in Greek), forming the basis of the label. The halo symbolizes the appellations that best express the personality of Grenache. http://www.philippecambie.com/en/les-halos-de-jupiter/
— 9 years ago

David, Daniel and 2 others liked this
Isaac Pirolo

Isaac Pirolo Influencer Badge

@Tom Casagrande But Parker stopped reviewing Southern Rhone, handing the reins to Jeb Dunnuck, so maybe Cambie's wines are now Jebberdized or Dunnucked 😜 But seriously, I get your point and while I might disagree with term, his wines are certainly extracted fruit bombs. Whose Grenache from Southern Rhone do you prefer?
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Any wine made by a member of the Reynaud family! . . . if you can find them. Chateau de Tours CD-R is probably the least hard to find. Fonsallette CDR (not the Syrah one) is the bomb, but $$$ and hard to find. As an appellation, I find Gigondas to have a lot of traditionally made Grenache predominant wines at reasonable prices.
Isaac Pirolo

Isaac Pirolo Influencer Badge

@Tom Casagrande Indeed, Rayas lights it up top to bottom.

Azienda Agricola Valentini

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 1998

Really complicated on these so suspect days, expose themselves with concepts such as: tradition, terroir, identity without falling into the most sinister rhetoric if not sounds just trite and hypocritical as the counterfeit currency with which even large-scale industries - supported by marketing - pays back its inattentive mass audience riding the wave of the country of origin or protected typicality. A diabolical mechanism this one for which even the most noble ideas probably the right practices and good experiences completed in the scale of centuries to human measure and not on massive industrial scale, are trivialized by sleazy slogan, emptied of meaning to be more or less surreptitious thanks to barbaric persuasion techniques and brain-washing propaganda.
Yet with the Valentini's Trebbiano you may not groped to summarize in words if not by drawing on terms so appropriate to express it. Now concerning this iconic label we've got behind it a local grape variety, a real family and a great wine that collect in a bottle the past and present story of a side of Abruzzo who claims to defeats victories and sacrifices to dominate the abuses (on and of) nature, miseries and splendours of agricultural seasons. Places, people, vision, wines such as Valentini are here to remind us how each bottle stay so proudly standing as non-reproducible beauty and fermented goodness expressing all its artisanal uniqueness and authenticity which are just that suspect to industrial wine production in manufacturing chains on standardized quantities; wines that are all equal to themselves even though wine itself is not much left at the end of the day/cycle. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Valentini 1998 is what we have to rate right now: rusticity with class; style, purity and glory of a local grape recognized by many admirers from all over the world: act local think global this is another slogan-cliché which in this specific Valentini's wine exemple could sounds a little less false and more effective.
— 9 years ago

Alberto BuemiGiovanni Carullo
with Alberto and Giovanni
Alberto, Giovanni and 25 others liked this

Domaine Tortochot

Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2005

Delicious aroma of black pepper, earth, moss and cherry. This wine is beautifully balanced and drinking well right now. Flavors of cassis, cherry, spice and earth express typical Chambertin power. — 10 years ago

Mac Taylor
with Mac
Mac Taylor

Mac Taylor

Will be perfect in a few years
9.1

Rombauer Vineyards

Carneros Chardonnay 2013

Charlie Beatty
9.6

Took 15 minutes to express itself. Bright refreshing touch of oak and nice tropical fruit balance. Quiet night with girl friend watching the Oscars / in background Julie Andrews from famous 50 yrs And Sound of Music. Songs song by a Incredible Lady Gaga! WOW! She was Incredible!
— 10 years ago

Charlie liked this
Charlie Beatty

Charlie Beatty Influencer Badge

INCREDIBLE!

Dirty & Rowdy

Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard Mourvedre 2012

Jannae Lizza
9.9

Words can not express — 12 years ago

Hardy, Julia and 2 others liked this
Hardy Wallace

Hardy Wallace Influencer Badge

Thank you!!!

Viticoltori De Conciliis

Antece Paestum IGT Fiano

2009. I doubt I'll ever be able to fully express my adoration for De Conciliis wines. Somehow simultaneously cutting edge and ancient. Skin contact Fiano with none of the highly oxidative qualities of lesser attempts. — 9 years ago

Ted, Phil and 2 others liked this

Henri Jayer

Échezéaux Grand Cru Pinot Noir 1997

Was super wound up at first. Decanted and then the treat yourself express pulled into the station. The prices of Hankey J's wines are way to high but it's still a treat to drink them — 9 years ago

Lone, Rob and 6 others liked this

Volker Eisele Family Estate

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

Good aroma. Its garnet color is quite good to express 2000 vintage. Dry taste even in California wine, but is it due to matured? @,sun square,160412 — 9 years ago

Terroir al Límit

Pedra de Guix Priorat Garnatxa Blanca Blend

Great example of a white showing oxidation but still manages to express a complete wine instead of one ruled by oxidative tones. Walnut skins, canned pears, quince, sea spray, minerals, laced with citrus. 1/3 PX, 1/3 Macabeu, 1/3 Garnacha Blanca. — 9 years ago

Olivier Jouan

Les Bussieres Vieilles Vignes Chambolle-Musigny Pinot Noir 2002

Elegant. Wound when opened. Needs 30 minutes to better express itself. Strawberry, some hay. Light bodied. Core of acidity that frames it all and softens with food and time. Medium long finish. Very pretty and far from being over the hill. — 10 years ago

Domaine Hauvette

Les Baux-de-Provence Grenache Blend 2011

Allow it one hour to fully express the fruit and silky tannins, such a beautiful wine! — 10 years ago

Anthony liked this

Tendril Wine Cellars

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2010

Tony Rynders is one of the most dedicated winemakers in the world. His Tendril label reflects his passion for crafting wines that express the terroir of the various Oregon microclimates he chooses for his wines. — 11 years ago

Seavey Vineyard

Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Brian Duffy
9.4

This was an amazing example of Napas ability to age. Fruit was present but the non fruit qualities were starting to express. It was amazing! — 9 years ago

Ira liked this

Drinkward Peschon

"Entre Deux Mères" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Charlie Beatty
9.7

Wow Blockbuster 2012 Napa Cab from a Great Lady winemaker . Loaded with black fruits that really express itself. We let it breathe a good hour. Showed beautifully against all the other cabs! I would give this a clear 97 Rating. A must sought after Cab, do not miss out here. CB — 9 years ago

Karen BeattyKurt Scheifele
with Karen and Kurt
David, Velma and 8 others liked this
Gerry Borreggine

Gerry Borreggine

Great, big Cabernet.
Maria Pepe

Maria Pepe

Love this wine.

Giesen

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Erik Helms
9.2

Nose explosively exhibits greens as only New Zealand can express; limes, gooseberries, green tea, green melons, wild herbs, and green peas, to name a few. Palate is untamed, raw, and savage. Not bogged down by any oak, this wild and dry Marlborough screams of place. #kiwi — 9 years ago

Lauren and chelz liked this

Domaine Tortochot

Les Jeunes Rois Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2012

This #burgundy needs time to express itself. Sour cherry notes, good acidity & plenty of earthy structure — 10 years ago

Vouette et Sorbée

Fidéle Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne Pinot Noir 2010

Fall blanc de noir. Reductive style needing lots of air to express pure fruit, creamy richness, loads of orchard fruit and mineral cut. Light and silky in the mouth. Vintage 10/disgorgement 13 — 10 years ago

Andie Moody
with Andie
James, Nelson and 1 other liked this

Château Recougne

Bordeaux Supérieur Carménère 1952

Austin Ferrari
9.7

Absolutely outstanding Bordeaux. Shows what the wine from the region can be and what it truly can express! Very old, yet very alive! — 10 years ago

Anthony, Lisa and 1 other liked this

Bodegas Valderroa

Val de Sil Valdeorras Godello

Another lovely piece of Valdesil! Aged over lies, this white express all the power of native grapes of Valdeorras! High acidity and green apple, slate aromas... — 11 years ago