Fourth of the blind red wines at this quarter's S&E Wine Club, which for red was either Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot from either Rutherford or Stags Leap District. Thanks Tom and Andrea!
Deep purplish red. Layered nose with anise, licorice and dark fruits. HEavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of minerality, dark berries, twigs, cinnamon, anise, spices and some great structure. Long and lingering finish. Have only briefly heard of this wine before and quite impressed. Drink till 2028. — 7 years ago
Tom is a great wine maker. One of my favorites — 8 years ago
Actually the estate Merlot reserve '04. Of course there'll never be any more if this. If you never visited the winery or net Tom, you'll never understand how satisfying it is to drink this truly great bottle. Beautiful medium garnet heading toward tawny. Fresh blueberry, black pepper, cinnamon, smoke and vanilla mix with a little tar and a loamy, clay quality. Like some lost right bank appellation, one of the best wines I've ever had. I'll never have it again. God bless America. — 8 years ago
The 2008 Barn Burner is a beautiful, well-constructed and integrated wine. The nose has the intense blueberry blackberry, nectarine, honey, vanilla and spiced pear that are married with wood aromas in the form of cedar and oak. The long creamy, velvety palates ones on forever and has intense Dried blueberry black currant and apricot flavors layered softly with intense dark chocolate and a hint of clove (indicative of a little petite verdot) and is finishing with black cherry and a touch of medium toasted oak. This wine is drinking amazing now and all the layers really shine through. I only wish I had more.
— 9 years ago
Natural! Update: had this last night with bbq chicken marinaded in yoghurt-garlic-chili- ginger etc. Lovely stink of river mud, briar fruit and fine acidity. No fining or filtration? — 9 years ago
Really tasty merlot !!great job naked wines. Lots of fruit with mild tannins. Nice aromas — 9 years ago
This was such a wonderful surprise! Best thing to come out of Vermont since grade A maple syrup! A true sipping gin - absurdly smooth - spice, juniper and honey. This is the Pappy of gin. — 9 years ago
signed bottle of NZ SB @tomeddywines — 10 years ago
Was going to bring this to Tom and Caroline's for the barbaque... Brought a 2009 Cakebread Cab and one of my recent favorites a 2004 Bran Caia... The Bran Caia just ROCKS; 50% Sangiovese, 45% Merlot and 5% Cab... You barely recognize it to be Italian... It is yummy!!! — 11 years ago
Exquisite Brunello di Montalcino. Artisan organic winery. My first Brunello ever was 2004 vintage in Firenze on my birthday five years ago. Great notes of earth and ripe cherry. Tipica comes clearly on the nose.
Full body, medium plus acidity and dusty tannins.
Absolutely gorgeuous! Happy 100th birthday Finland! — 6 years ago
Very good wine but not great. Full bodied and very smooth but almost too smooth to the point that it's a little underwhelming on the back of the tongue. A little sweet. Better with aerator. Bought at Tom Thumb. — 7 years ago
Thanks Tom for bringing this over. Deep ruby red with purplish hues. Super tight and dark nose with notes of blackberries, dark cocoa, and baking spices. Very young on the palate and rich. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Long and lingering finish with a slight spicy bite with lots of baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Even vanilla too. Coated in dark berries but needs more time to fully open up. Drink till 2028. — 7 years ago
Nose: jammy! Blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, schnozberry. Fresh box of tissues. Cooking flour.
Palette: immediate pleasure. A quintessential expression of purity of fruit. Long finish with tea, oak, leather notes.
Bottom line: Tom Futo makes a knock out great wine. Can't wait to try more. — 8 years ago
Just delicious, so soft, with just enough of the dirty French tom your tongue — 9 years ago
I just opened a 2007 Mas Sainte Berthe Le Baux de Provence varietal, purchased in that village in 2009. It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet. Excellent medium bodied, very smooth to palate. Accompanied a halibut fish dish. Tom and Dorie Ockenden — 9 years ago
Sunshine in Dallas courtesy of Tom Gamble! — 9 years ago
Enjoyed with Laura Lang, Roma & Tom Steffanacci and my husband during Blizzard of 2015 — 9 years ago
Love it. From bin 104. Nice start (Tom says reminds him vaguely of grape juice but I don't think so) and smooth throughout, and nice finish. Doesn't seem as high as 15% alcohol! — 10 years ago
Clean citrus flavor of grapefruit with smooth vodka of Finland. A greyhound without the pulp. — 10 years ago
Another example of how great the wines being made by Dakota Shy are. Todd Newman and Tom Garrett have a knack for making great wines. This Cabernet, even very young, sends a message to every other iconic Napa cabernet they have something to contend with. Lots of black fruit and blue fruit on the nose with incredible flavors of blackberries, plums, and currants. I love this wine. — 7 years ago
I'm generally not a fan of California Sav Blanc, but this was refined and had character. Another value at at $20. Who knew Al had a brother who could make wine? 😄 — 7 years ago
Brunello, my favourite and this is one of the best. Vintage was selected based on it's ability to travel in a car boot from Tuscany to Finland in July heat ;) — 8 years ago
One of my highlights from Rootstock Sydney (2015) — 8 years ago
Full purple color and a great nose if cherry, licorice and smoke. On the palate was full of rich red fruits with a mineral undertone. — 9 years ago
Earthy savory - reminds me of old Mirassou Pinot, naturally. Great winemaking by Tom Stutz. — 9 years ago
Tom Calder introduced me to this wine 7 months ago and I have been thinking about ever since. One of the best dry Chenins I've ever drunk, will be in heavy rotation at my house for the foreseeable future. — 9 years ago
Pretty well made. Polished, plush juice backed by a solid spine. Napa meets Bordeaux. Killer nose of cassis, plum, cedar, olive tapenade. — 10 years ago
Jay Kline
Popped and poured; consumed over the course of a couple of hours. Lean and mean. This was high toned red fruits, gravel, black tea and underbrush on the nose. Tart red berries on the palate. Thanks for sharing Tom! — 6 years ago