Martin G Rivard

9.7

Thank you @Daryl Calhoun for sharing this badass 2011 with me! Another incredible example of how 11 was a forgotten vintage!
I think all it needed was a little time and this was a phenomenal example.Badass in a glass. Balance, balance blue fruit And a finish which the energizer bunny would be proud of!!
Outstanding my friend! I hope this post finds you well. I haven’t heard from you in quite some time! 👏👏👏🙌 — 8 years ago

Misha Ko

9.5

Very good, bunny approved! — 9 years ago

Alexander Stewart

9.1

Yeah, this is an effing funk factory that's full of excess CO2...which means you need to grab the bottle, shake it like a Polaroid picture and toughen the f*ck up.
Because after all, this is Pegau and beneath the ugly duckling exterior there's an absolutely gorgeous, captivating wine just waiting to be unleashed.
— 10 years ago

Andrea Trapp

10

Very smooth and light for a cab. — 10 years ago

Montgomery Nathaniel

9.1

Very nice Pinot. Excuse the ugly marble in my photo please! — 10 years ago

Navin Kumar

9.3

Sweet apple start with a glassy smooth finish. I feel like Banzai Bunny makes the world a better place. — 11 years ago

Claire Gabaldon

Wine Club and Social Media Manager Spring Mountain Vineyard

9.3

Unconventionally beautiful or as the French say pretty-ugly, this was a breath of fresh air to my palate. Neutral oak, no malo, the complexity and breadth of flavor and aroma all coming from the care taken in the winery to coax the maximum impact from the fruit. — 11 years ago

Seth Liebman

Wine Director/Sommelier

9.1

This evolved the best of the bunch and it was the one I had the least thought about. Was kinda ugly when forts opened but then after an hour it started to show very very well. — 11 years ago

Cristin Brown

9.0

Ugly color but not an ugly wine. — 12 years ago

Todd Cutler

9.1

Rich Pinot with the ugly label. A trusted standby. — 12 years ago

Eric L.

9.7

Ugly label, beautiful wine. — 12 years ago

Jack Petras

8.9

Pinot Grigio with difference pineapple prickly pear, ugly fruit spicy white pepper, — 8 years ago

Connie Shea

9.2

Lovely, not as smooth as white peach though — 9 years ago

Peter Sultan

8.9

Mildly corked? Still, flashes of elegance. Either in ugly phase r corked — 9 years ago

Jeffrey Lew

10

Man oh man. WOTN. Ugly cork but masterpiece in a glass. Amazing almost every time I drink it. Classic. Yup 100 pts — 10 years ago

Heidi Hill

9.1

Just the thing after an ugly day! — 10 years ago

Amy Monroe

8.9

Proper Cab Franc - rose style. (Disregard the ugly label. Just enjoy the juice.) — 10 years ago

Derek Haas

9.5

A bubbly for the bunny, fantastic for an occasion. — 11 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.0

Has been one of the ugly ducklings in Grand Cru country for a while now, but based on this example I must plea unguilty... Bright, fresh, crunchy red fruit, cigar, cedar, smoke, graphite, some cassis in the back, wonderful roasted red pepper. Very nice, mid-weight, typical leftbanker. Although not very deep or long, there is lovely purity and plenty of fun. Tasty! — 11 years ago

Sheryline Soares

8.9

Ugly label, tasty wine — 11 years ago

David Traynor

Assistant Winemaker Vin du Lac Winery

9.0

Sadly a touch over the hill, but showing more in the pallette than in the nose. Thin on the back and mid, everything here is up front. What is there is delightful:-) would like to check up on another bottle, think there is some potential here... — 12 years ago

Mike DeFrancesco

9.8

Great Cab Sav for the price. Voted top 100 wines of 2011 — 13 years ago

Matt Bowman

9.2

Bunny approves !! — 8 years ago

TheSkip

10

So, I came home yesterday and there was a package at the door. I wasn't expecting anything and looked at the sender. @Martin G Rivard ! Well then! I knew santa was over, but perhaps Easter Bunny Rivard had struck?

I opened the box with haste. Surely anything from @Martin G Rivard would be of high quality. I saw a flash of orange and though, oh my! But there was only one bottle and it was oddly shaped. This must be the limited edition, double magnum of @Jason Chang's Nine Suns cuvée! I ripped open as if it were Christmas and out came Carlo Rossi.

I'd never heard of this producer but I trusted Martin. This bottle came with a very handy pour handle at the top. I was excited. Although it was only 4pm, I remembered what @Bill Bender said about 3pm so, I thought to myself, why not?

Hurriedly, I came into the kitchen and got my favorite Zalto glass, as inspired first by @Roman Sukley. I retrieved my corkscrew and opened the knife only to discover that this was a convenient screw cap! How thoughtful of Martin!

Open it went and the room filled with a lovely sweet grape must. I knew this would be special. I grabbed my winestop given to me by @Ron R and inserted to to insure there would be not a drop wasted.

Into the glass and my excitement prevented any thought of a decant.

What a wine! Those Concord grapes - what has Welch's been thinking? They've missed out on one of the finest varietals I've ever encountered. I knew I was truly lucky to try this rare wine.

But something felt...off. And I realized, I had nothing to pair with this! Thankfully there was a full 4L in this bad boy. And the screw cap allowed for prompt resealing.

Away I went in the car. What oh what to have? Aih! Exactly! @Paul T told me about the heaven of pairing McNuggets. Off to Ol' McDonalds I went.

Twenty McNuggets and sweet and sour sauce please!

I scurried to the back, and carefully withdrew my Zalto from my backpack. Opening the McNuggets, I knew this would be special. And indeed, I am with words to describe the experience. Yet, again, I knew something just wasn't right. The wine wasn't presenting itself. So I thought, how can I classy this up? And then I remembered all of @David L's posts with the classy silver wine coaster.

I had to have one. I asked the chap at the counter of McDonalds, but the response I received was less than satisfactory. I had to solve this issue myself. Thankfully , while returning to my table, I spotted a HomeGoods store immediately next door. I ran across and found a lovely silver charger.

And finally, returning to my table, I was now all smiles! More smiles than @Mike R !

What a special evening. I really wanted to end this off right. I grabbed a dozen roses and rushed home to the wife. Half a bottle Rossi still intact!

I showed her the bottle and wow! You should have see her eyes. I then suggested we retire to the bedroom and this was met with prompt approval.

And with such a great night, I wanted a lovely memento. I gently placed the bottle against her and snapped a lovely shot that is sure to be on the cover of the next issue of BBB with @Bill Bender !

Thanks for thinking of me @Martin G Rivard ! — 9 years ago

Liisa Ivask

9.7

This is delish! Sometimes u get the coriander, sometimes the orange peel and I get banana too! Happy bunny is me! — 10 years ago

Ruud Verhagen

9.0

...very ugly bottle, but most important...very well made Rioja with great p/q...! 2001 vintage — 11 years ago

Dan Weisshaar

9.5

Epic balance, ages long finish and and minerality, goes on and on and on. Multi orgasmic Energizer Bunny of dry Rieslings. Don't you kinda wish you had some? Thank you, Lyle Fass. — 11 years ago

with Lyle and Matthew

Michael Davenport

9.2

Very sexy...reminds me of a Washington cab, maybe from DuBrul. Now if only the Easter bunny would bring me a bottle of Le Dome — 12 years ago

Rick Hadsall

9.7

Peaty bunny! Yummmmmm — 12 years ago

Ethan Rosch

9.7

Very flavorful and light Red. Ate with peppery bunny pasta and paired perfect!
— 13 years ago