5/13/2024 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine:

Excellent balance, intensity and depth. Long and very aromatic. Excellent Zin, drinking beautifully now!

5/13/2024 - jkclifton@gmail.com wrote:

I think this is not ready yet. Blind might have mistaken it for Rhone. Expected New World fruit was either not present or overwhelmed by the whole cluster tannins. Dense, potentially complex wine, but the tannins were rough and green tasting. I was wondering if they'll ever integrate, but must admit the last glass was the best.

5/13/2024 - Phlyphisherman Does not like this wine:

I like a little funk, but this makes me feel like I’m sitting in the barnyard rather than at the dinner table. Glad I only have this one bottle.

5/13/2024 - CDT Likes this wine:

No formal tasting note at this time.
This bottle was opened after the end of the drinking window recently changed in CellarTracker from 2028 to 2022.
On night #2 the wine still has good flavour, structure, acidity & tannins to last a couple of more years at least.

5/13/2024 - ParisWine75 wrote:

Le vin est bien en place. Il n’a pas pris une ride. Cependant, il manque un peu d’émotion. Il est techniquement bien fait (bonne maturité, extraction maîtrisée, tannins fondus, etc.) sur un terroir très qualitatif de Santenay mais il ne me transporte pas. D’autres convives sont plus élogieux que moi. Je suis un peu nostalgique des Santenay 1985 du domaine qui étaient (et sont tjrs) exceptionnels.

5/13/2024 - jkclifton@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Second bottle, and my experiences have been consistent. Enigmatic. Seems very fresh and natural, especially on opening. Nose is some typical smoke, black olive, and animal, but heavy on the animal along on with barnyard floor and red fruits. On the palate, initially seems almost spritzy and carbonic, but maybe this is just relative to my expectations for Cornas. The typical dark fruit, bacon fat, smoke, etc. are also there on the palate, to be clear. On day two it was the same wine, but maybe a little more calm and integrated. I'm left thinking that this is what a terroir-driven lighter (younger vines / earlier drinking) Cornas should be like.

5/13/2024 - BGK810 Likes this wine:

Red fruit flavors, good acidity and oak finish. Lighter style than many zins. Tasty.

5/4/2024 - prism wrote:

Slow O'd for a hour. Served at a party; drank the remainder the next evening. An excellent C9P, though it did take a while for the brett to blow off. Well made; could probably improve with a couple more years sideways. Drink or hold.

5/13/2024 - Vinnut Likes this wine:

Medium reddish garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, mulberries & plums with overtones of floral & earthy/dusty notes, some tar, spices, minerals & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced & smooth textured ripe fruit flavors of cherries, mulberries & pomegranate with spices, herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with extended airing but should develop further with additional aging.

5/13/2024 - ash_then_chase Likes this wine:

Add it to the all-time greatest hits of Oregon… album. White Room by Cream. Sensual Côte de Nuits bliss, salinity, plush red fruit, hints of toasted oak, and cherry cola too. Over time, fresh cut strawberries and raspberry coulis on the nose… pairing with light tannins. Forest detritus after a cloudburst, damp potting soil right out of the Scotts bag, and a sprinkle of shaved dark chocolate. A tension — a second grade field day tug-of-war — of fruit and earth.

5/4/2024 - prism wrote:

Decanted for an hour or so; served at a party, drank the remainder over a couple of evenings. An excellent Bordeaux blend, though not a standout. Drink or hold; could improve.

5/13/2024 - thereallondynk wrote:

Pearchy and anise

5/13/2024 - KPB Likes this wine:

Inky purple, with a complex nose: ripe black caps, peppermint, cracked walnuts, hints of lilac. Dry and richly flavored with the fruit ripe yet not at all overripe, soft tannins and a tart long finish that seems very saline and tactile.

5/13/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

A bit more tropical fruit than the Domaine Leflaive bottling. Good depth and intensity. Minerality lurking below the flesh. Persistent and sappy finish.

5/13/2024 - Vinnut Likes this wine:

Deep, dark garnet in color. Full, forward and attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & spice notes of cinnamon & cloves, minerals, cherry-cola, mocha, herbs & a hint of vanilla/oak in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, lush, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blueberries & plums, with spices, cola, cocoa, spices, herbs, minerals & oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with extended airing (+90 min.) but should develop further with additional aging.

5/13/2024 - ParisWine75 Likes this wine:

Ce vin se révèle avec le temps. C’est une très belle réussite sur ce millésime avec une excellente maturité et une réelle finesse, reflet de son terroir de sable. J’aime bcp cette cuvée que je considère comme la plus régulière de la gamme du domaine et tjrs de très bon niveau. Rapport qualité prix exceptionnel.

5/13/2024 - Gdaguilar wrote:

Super Sweet. Mom liked it. Tastes like sangria.

5/13/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

Green melon, white peach and smoky mineral. Rich and heady through the mid-palate. Layered and long. Beautifully balanced and vital and fresh.

5/13/2024 - Gerhard3 Likes this wine:

Yes, hazelnuts... or almond paste. Dry fruits. A little alcohol shines through. Beautyfully balanced in the mouth: sweetness, acidity, alcohol, the same hazelnut/almond notes, plus some bitter orange. Good length.

5/13/2024 - Wilt Chambertin wrote:

I have never really found my taste for Chenin Blanc so take this with a grain of salt, but I found this to be pretty unremarkable. Pleasant enough as an apertif, but nothing here that really took my interest.

5/13/2024 - halprewitt wrote:

Nice. Easy to drink

5/13/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

Plenty of green apple and flint and a hint of caramel. Rich and powerful, yet light and fluffy. Possesses a strong minerally line and good cut to the finish.

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Aromas of red berry fruit, blueberry and peppery spice. Full-bodied with flavors of herbs, red berries, plum and briary dark fruit. Balanced. Juicy and lush, with a lingering finish. Excellent. 92+ pts. (R&D)

My #3, Domino's #8
Group #3, 26 pts.

5/13/2024 - halprewitt wrote:

Very nice

5/13/2024 - Vinnut Likes this wine:

Light golden yellow in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of apples, lemons/limes & a touch of tropical fruit notes with overtones of floral notes of honeysuckle, minerals, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium body with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of green apples, lemons/limes & tropical fruits with minerals, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks well at present but may develop further with additional aging.

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Aromas of black fruit, prune, spices, pepper and dried herbs. A bit more simple on the palate than the bouquet suggests. The fruit is a touch on the ripe side, hinting at prune. Black raspberry and pepper in the finish. (R&D)

My #5, Domino's #9
Group #8, 48 pts.

5/13/2024 - broccoliflower wrote:

PNP, drank from Zalto champagne glass. This evolved quickly and was a joy to drink pretty much right out of the gates. Broad spectrum of aromas, from bright lemon, to fresh quince and quince paste, almonds, marzipan, and so many rich aromas of brown butter and brioche. A real lactic backbone here, quite leesy but in a very enjoyable way, which eventually gave way to some cheesy Camembert notes. Can see this evolving beautifully for many years to come.

5/13/2024 - Putnam Weekley Likes this wine:

Landwein der Mosel. 13 % abv. L 06 21. 50-60°F. Opened and poured.
EYE: butterscotch/peach; perfectly clear. NOSE: brooding, dry sensations of apricot, marzipan, lime blossom, apple blossom, brittle soil brulée. I find contained oxidation enough to move into its own category (hence "Landwein.") MOUTH: mildly troubling at first, and arresting within 10 minutes. A doughy blur yields to unexpected definition and detail. The aromatic statement requires revision! Fleshy, sheer strata of dry drupe perfume—inter-layered with milled almond and hazelnut—are held aloft with determined, thin cables of sedge and citrus peel. Beautifully edged lines. Contemplative, intensely aromatic (plum, apricot, raspberry, prune, greengage, sloe), radiant purity. It fits idealized notions of an endless thimble slurper—this standard bottle compares to a magnum of something ordinarily grand. Food pairing will not be a problem here.

“𝘏𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩” is 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘜𝘭𝘭𝘪’𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳; a single fuder, picked on the late side, 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 (a 𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺, 𝘰𝘭𝘥-𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘭) —VB

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Notes of red fruit, sawdust and boysenberry. Medium-bodied, with flavors of raspberry, plum and spice. There's a subtle plasticy/chemical quality here as well that I don't particularly care for. (R&D)

My #7, Domino's #7
Group #6, 41 pts.

5/13/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

I didn’t catch the disgorgement date, but it certainly had some age on cork and showed brilliantly. Rich and nutty and crammed with orchard fruits. A touch of vanilla spice too. So complex, layered and long. Each sip engages and invites another.

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. A touch funky, along with plum and briary red fruit and raspberry, but the funky, almost feral/wild undertone is always there. It's unique in the lineup, and I like it. Dark fruit, plum and pepper flavors. Becomes more meaty than feral as it breathes, developing herb and leather notes as well. Balanced; good fruit. 89-90+ pts. (R&D)

My #6, Domino's #4
Group #4, 28 pts

5/13/2024 - S-C-S Likes this wine:

Pop & pour … if you decant for 1 hour, the wine is smoother, but loose a little energy.

5/13/2024 - europat55 wrote:

I was expecting more...

5/12/2024 - Charlie.Gail Likes this wine:

A very nice Cab. Full-body, integrated tannins. It was a hit for a Mother’s Day steak dinner.

5/13/2024 - Vinnut Likes this wine:

Medium bright ruby red in color. Full, fragrant & attractive nose of ripe fruits aromas of red cherries, strawberries & currants with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes of roses & violets, herbs, spices, mushrooms, minerals, leather, camphor & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of red cherries, tart cranberries & currants with spices, herbs, minerals & oak/vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but should develop further with additional aging at which time it may merit a higher score (93+).

5/10/2024 - JoeDwine Likes this wine:

Black Steer with Prime Rib…..very stubborn cork.
Elegant red fruited and delicious on it’s own but stood up to PR. Peaking

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Opens with a sawdust note, along with plum, clay and raisin. Full-bodied and a bit hot, with flavors of plum, prune and rosemary. Picks up a chocolate note as it breathes, but the ripeness of the fruit also shows more strongly, becoming more raisined/pruney. Briary fruit in the finish, ending with raisin and pepper. (R&D)

My #8, Domino's #3
Group #2, 24 pts

5/13/2024 - jkclifton@gmail.com Likes this wine:

This is my fourth bottle, and my experiences have been consistent. This is fairly rich and wild for Chablis. It's giving more Côte de Beaune than New World while still maintaining a steely Chablis character. This is great (and fresh) now, but I think it should hold up and develop for a while.

5/13/2024 - John McCabe wrote:

Similar to previous notes, with some nice Christmas-cake aspects; a little thinner than I had hoped. Not one of the better vintages of this. I first fell in love with this producer with the '05 vintage. Got a case of the '19 as it's quite stacked-and-packed.

5/10/2024 - JoeDwine Likes this wine:

At Black Steer…..
Lively full of fruit dominate cherry and subtle earth.
Kept coming back to it.

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Notes of red berry fruit, plum and coffee bean. Medium-bodied, with flavors of briary red fruit and pepper. Takes on a slight blue fruit quality with air- could be a stable mate to wine C...Biale's wines can sometimes take on blue fruit notes. Balanced, with a fruit-filled finish. 92-93 pts. (R&D)

My #2, Domino's #1
Group #1, 22 pts.

5/13/2024 - DCornutt wrote:

Delicious!

5/11/2024 - AllRed wrote:

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Blind. Red color with a slightly lighter meniscus. Quite different from the first two with a dominant blue fruit overtone with plum, red berries and white pepper underneath. Full-bodied with abundant ripe berry fruit and peppery spice flavors. Mellows slightly in the glass but retains the blue fruit quality that makes it rather distinctive in this lineup. I like it. 91+ pts. (R&D)

My #4, Domino's #2
Group #5, 29 pts.

5/13/2024 - photoguy wrote:

Nice nose, some tannins, smoothing out though, a nice find for the price point

5/13/2024 - jkvedar Likes this wine:

At first, chilled, opened, poured into a decanter for 20 minutes before consuming. It was still too cold in the beginning to get much. After another 30 minutes, aromas of citrus peel and wet stones dominate. Maybe some white flowers in the background. On the palate, medium minus mouth feel, medium + acidity. A tinge of phenolic bitterness and significant salinity on the finish. Paired with grilled swordfish, grilled potatoes and salad. I enjoyed it, but I think it would go better with something briny.

5/13/2024 - Rupert wrote:

Tba

5/13/2024 - Rupert wrote:

Tba

5/11/2024 - ParisWine75 Likes this wine:

Vin très élégant et à parfaite maturité. Je suis très séduit par le style moins puissant et moins tannique (que le grand vin du domaine) mais très maîtrisé et abouti. Bel équilibre et très gourmand. Les notes confiturées n’enlèvent rien à la fraîcheur du vin. Un petit côté madeleine de Proust dans ce vin. Il est à son apogée mais je pense qu’il a encore 10 ans devant lui.

5/13/2024 - melzar wrote:

May merit a higher score in a few years. Highly reductive at the present; it reminds me of a white Burgundy. Very un-California like. Personally, I find reduction at this level to be a fault, but many will find a great wine here. Cristom remains my favorite new world producer of Pinot Noir.

5/10/2024 - Mr. Magoo Likes this wine:

2014 vintage. Purchased through allocation from at least a decade ago. Not bad for a Cab Franc.