4/18/2024 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. Deep dark ruby color. Blackberry, plum, raspberry thumbprint cookie, dark chocolate, and subtle sage. Dry, satiny palate, with fine, lingering acidity. Velvety tannins on the longish finish.

So young, but already so good. Quintessential higher end Napa CS. Terrific elegance here. Drinks twice its price point.

4/19/2024 - phill mz Likes this wine:

Leather and spice. Great condition and excellent drinking.

4/18/2024 - Henman wrote:

Very intense and pure ripe dark fruit with firm acidity and good tannic bite. Delicious. Stood clearly out in a flight of veneto red wines.

4/19/2024 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine:

Uncork the bottle 1 hour in advance. I agree with Julian Marshall's comment. The aroma of pencil shavings is very obvious. The vintage 2016 tastes different compared to vintage 2015, but both are enjoyable wines.
I will keep the 2016 for a few years as I still have 8 bottles of the 2015.

9/17/2023 - forceberry wrote:

Best before 28th of February, 2024. 5,6% alcohol.

Pale-to-medium deep reddish-coppery color with a moderately large and quite persistent eggshell-white head. The nose feels fragrant and quite hoppy, albeit a bit restrained with aromas of zesty citrus fruits, some resinous tones, a little bit of grainy malt, light Pilsner-like herby nuances and a hint of honeyed sweetness. The beer feels dry-ish on the palate with a medium body and somewhat linear flavors of grainy malt and herby spice, some resinous hop tones, a little bit of grapefruit and a hint of floral character. The carbonation feels very soft and mellow, and the hop bitterness comes across as pretty light. The finish is round and gentle but also pretty refreshing with a short-ish-to-medium long aftertaste of grainy malt, some herby hop spice, a little bit of pithy grapefruit bitterness, light zesty citrus fruit tones, a hint of biscuity malt and a touch of floral character.

A clean but somewhat harmless little everyday beer. Balanced and very drinkable, but so mundane that it's hard to find anything of real interest here. I really don't understand why many people think this is such a great ale, because to me, this is only a tiny notch above any large-scale bulk lager. There's a bit more malty character here than in those bulk lagers, along with a tiny dose of aromatic hops, but that's about it. At 3,98€ for a 0,35-liter bottle, this feels overpriced for the quality.

4/13/2024 - trastevere wrote:

Lemon gold colour. Tropical fruit aromas and more on the palate, with creamy oatmeal notes and a citrus finish.

4/12/2024 - trastevere Likes this wine:

Pale ruby red colour. Nice aromas of hedgerow. Good balance of soft berry fruits and spicy notes, with a smooth texture.

4/19/2024 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine:

Much better than my last bottle, this was really rather good - soft ripe fruit, less spicy than before, well-rounded and charming, whilst sturdy enough to warrant more cellaring as it may even get better.

4/19/2024 - Neumann U47 wrote:

A gift, so grateful of course.

If someone can recommend a paso that’ isn’t a blueberry blackberry jam, rubbing alcohol mess please tell the world.

This is an instant headache and at first smell you know what you’re in store for. It just gets more cheap rubbing alcohol with fruit compote as it sits in the glass.

It’s like literally having a spoonful of a senior citizen frequented breakfast restaurants ‘house’ jelly and soaking it in paint thinner/rubbing alcohol. Amazing.

4/19/2024 - Scott4227 Likes this wine:

Deep dark reddy purple to near the edge, initially a little dusty on the nose clearing to dark berry notes, persimmon, cassis and bay leaf. Medium weight on the palate, good dark and red berry fruits, a little sweetness complemented by the lite+ acid and some light, dusty tannins. Well balanced and certainly no rough diamond in my eyes! A very nice QPR quaffer at $16AUD

4/19/2024 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine:

Notes of strawberry and coffee amidst the blackcurrant aromas, with hints of spices and forest fruits. The attack is smooth, effortlessly charming, with pure blackcurrant fruit and waves of strawberry and plum, then already a middle section featuring dark cherry and vanilla, before a long, rising finish dominated by juicy blackberry, with silky tannins keeping it all in check. Delicious.

4/19/2024 - HWG99 Likes this wine:

Fine one from JC. Salty lemon, honey and cream at opening. The palate was much better after an hour. Creamy, vanilla and long finishing. Very enjoyable wine.

4/18/2024 - Henman wrote:

Some cherries and roasted notes on the nose. Medium bodied, supple, showing good tart cherries with firm acidity and gentle tannic bite. Very nice.

4/19/2024 - finewinebuff57 wrote:

59% Roussanne, 23% Chenin Blanc, 18% Viognier in the 2019 of this field blend. Interesting and not unattractive but the acidity is very pronounced.

4/18/2024 - Raywilliams420 Likes this wine:

Magenta colored lip. Sweet fruits on the nose. Tart red fruits on the palate with drying tannins. Lil bit of spice an earthy flavors 40 sec finish. Good wine. Not spectacular Pair with food an it will be better.

4/18/2024 - Henman wrote:

Medium bodied, very supple with nice texture, tart red fruit, firm acidic structure and good tannic grip. Great stuff.

4/18/2024 - Henman wrote:

Slightly roasted and oaky aromas on the nose. Medium bodied, smooth and supple, showing very ripe red fruit with decent tannic grip and nice acidity.

12/9/2023 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:

Herbal and cool on the palate, with a heavy streak of smokiness. Dense, brooding, and darkly pitched, it had a real feral wildness to its palate presence. Great acidity, but not jagged at all. It showed really well tonight.

12/9/2023 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:

While rich, powerful, and creamy, there was sparkling acidity to maintain a taut structure to the wine. I get citrus, herbs, and a hint of toast on the palate. This has beautiful tension and was a pleasure to drink.

4/19/2024 - Deux Chevaux wrote:

Dark ruby. Bright, savory, with a suggestion of strawberry balsamic. (At Aux Crus de Bourgogne, Paris.)

4/18/2024 - Nora123 Likes this wine:

The wine is smoky, mineral, has a very subtle Riesling fruit and a wonderfully ripe, well-integrated acidity. There is a slight tannic grip at the end. Everything is subtle and in the right balance.

An excellent "Ortswein" that is wonderful to drink now, but also has plenty of potential for ageing.

4/19/2024 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine:

Classic Pauillac aromas of pencil shavings and cassis, plus a little black pepper and blackberry, then a very silky mouthful of blackcurrant and blackberry, typically Pichon Baron in the way it's composed, a little oak but fairly unobtrusive, plus some rounded but lingering tannins on the finish. Approachable now with a long decant but promising much more in the future. Plenty of core energy to the fruit but well-balanced and not remotely overdone. Still a work in progress but great potential. Very impressive.

4/18/2024 - Henman wrote:

On the nose slightly earthy and candied aromas. Light bodied, acidic, supple, showing a bit generic fruit. Nothing special.

4/19/2024 - drcordtz wrote:

Delicious, very aromatic. Drinking well now.

12/9/2023 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:

This is my first time drinking the Vielles Vignes du Levant from Larmandier-Bernier (from very old vines in Cramant). My previous experience with L-B has been with Longitude and Terre de Vertus, and I was expecting a leaner, more linear experience, but was surprised by how broad-shouldered and fleshy this champagne was in comparison. A touch of butter on the nose, a warm, creamy palate with the acidity seamlessly integrated. Surprisingly approachable right now.

I know there is quite a bit of debate about the virtues of single-cru champagnes versus blended, but drinking this and reflecting on how much it differed from my past experience with the Terre de Vertus, I really couldn’t help but think that both were excellent expressions of their respective terroirs.

I recently purchased Peter Liem’s book on champagne, where he wrote that the champagnes in the northern Cotes de Blanc (like Cramant) tend to be richer while wines in the south (like Vertus) tend to be more saline and tense: the VV de Levant and Terre de Vertus amply demonstrated these traits to me. In particular, I like a quote from Rodolphe Peters in the book, where he says, “Cramant is complexity, maturity, with a brown tone, sweet spices, cinnamon, licorice, green tea. It’s an autumnal wine.” L-B was able to capture that Cramant essence in this champagne.

12/9/2023 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:

First time I’ve had Dom Ruinart, and I was impressed. Full-bodied, yet balanced, possessing a seamless, round texture with well-integrated acidity. Lots of cooler-toned, focused flavors, if that makes sense – hints of citrus, chalk, green fruit, and green herbal notes that I assume some may find off-putting, but the slight hint of under-ripeness added an appealing layer of complexity to the palate for me.

I did a little research, and my understanding is the '10 Dom Ruinart is 90% Grand Cru Blanc des Blancs fruit (Le Mesnil-sur- Oger, Avize, Chouilly & Cramant) and 10% fruit from “north-facing Montagne de Reims, particularly Sillery.” It’s an interesting contrast to the '13 Larmandier-Bernier VV du Levant, which I also had that night, which zeroes in on a specific parcel in Cramant (Bourron du Levant), and aims to be a “complete wine” by expressing a particular patch of Grand Cru dirt that, on its own, provides high levels of complexity and depth without having to rely on fruit from other areas to elevate it. In contrast, this wine draws from the strengths of a variety of terroirs to achieve “completeness,” and does so with a very different flavor profile. Fun and fascinating stuff.

4/19/2024 - Pianta-luca Likes this wine:

Pretty good bottle of Greco di tufo, savory but delicate, smells of see breeze and fresh pear, this two aromas dance with each other, one one whiff you get one, one another whiff you get the other.
In the mouth there is good acidity, although it doesn't last in the back palate, the finish is more salty that acidic.

I wouldn't serve it at fridge temperature but a 10-12 °C

12/1/2023 - ylkim30 Does not like this wine:

I could sense there was a deep, vinous champagne buried underneath, but I couldn’t get past this strong, dill pickle note. That sheen of dill just ruined it for me.

4/19/2024 - Southern Wine Buff Likes this wine:

Brilliant amber gold colour. Kerosene and dried apricot aromas on the nose. Getting some decent age on now at 16 years of age, bit still remarkably fresh and lively. Great balance of tart and sweet, with honeyed notes and lime.

4/18/2024 - GD77 Does not like this wine:

Opened well, perfect cork. Very fresh and heady. It is a really big Shiraz and very coonawarra. Lots of high quality fruit, good oak treatment and a bucket load of acid. Ripe fruit but picked perfectly. It only took about 3/4 of a glass before the acid started ripping my mouth to pieces. I wanted to drink more but could not. I really wonder why these people make their wines for 20 years down the track, or whatever it is. This would be great as a single bottle with a rich meat dish or big steak but on its own, it burns.

3/15/2024 - Vino-Rater Likes this wine:

Prisoner 2021 Red Blend
Varietals: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec
The initial aromas reveal a captivating bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, and raspberry, delicately laced with hints of oak and vanilla.
On the palate layers of dark cherry and blackberry with each sip revealing new facets of flavor and texture.
Pairs With: Grilled Steaks, Most other red meats, lamb, pasta and hard cheeses

Structure: Acidity: Moderate Body: Full Tannins: Medium
Vino-Rater Score: 91

4/18/2024 - davidk2 wrote:

$40

4/18/2024 - ameyer430 Likes this wine:

This was really phenomenal tonight. Fruity and mellow immediately after opening. Gained depth after an hour in the decanter. Quite well balanced. Lovely on its own and also with food. No fruit bomb, but still a California wine; no funk here. I would guess this is at peak. Totally worthy of Jim and Isabelle.

2/1/2024 - Vino-Rater Likes this wine:

The One Armed Man 2020 Red Blend

Varietal (s): Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah

On the Nose: Pepper, intertwine with the black cherry and blackberry aromas ,hints of spice

On the Palate: Dark cherry, nuanced by the bright, lively spark of raspberry.

Pairs With: Grilled Steaks, Most other red meats, lamb, pasta and hard cheeses

Structure: Acidity: Low Body: Full Tannins: Medium
Vino-Rater Score: 91

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. A single bottle I ordered from the club's wine list towards the end of the evening (S$130). No formal notes. Popped & poured, served lightly chilled. I was concerned that the wine might not show well since the Musars typically need a lot of aeration, but this bottle drank well right from the start. Very gamy, with great fruit, notable old-age sweetness, round tannin, and very good length. A great wine to finish an enjoyable evening with the team.

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. A single bottle brought by a colleague. No formal notes. Popped & poured, I let the wine sit in the glass for a few minutes. Medium to dark ruby colour. Red and dark fruit, black currant, dark cherry, blackberry, leafy notes, light chocolate, earth, graphite, spices, and gravelly minerality, with good acidity, plenty of polished, dry but not drying tannin, and impressive length. Medium-bodied, well-structured, and well balanced, and very true to its place. Very Margaux! A beautiful wine. Still young.

4/17/2024 - PSPatrick wrote:

Team dinner at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore. Two bottles brought by a colleague. No formal notes. Brief decant. Medium ruby colour. Good black and some red fruit, cherry, smoke, and spice, with medium-level acidity, well integrated tannin, and superb length. Good structure, impressive quality of tannin, and great persistence. The wine drinks well already, but is still holding back and driven by its structure. Should age very well.

4/18/2024 - mac-eye Likes this wine:

The 2010 Il Poggione has consistently improved every year starting 2021. Now, in 2024, it has really opened up and balanced, and it's wonderful. In contrast to earlier years, when it was overly astringent, now it is well integrated and a real treat. Hard to put it down!

4/6/2024 - ylkim30 wrote:

Round, oily, yellow-fruited with a hint of herbs to keep it interesting. I'm not a huge white Rhone fan because of the lack of acidity, but this is an ok example (though I wish it was livelier).

4/18/2024 - JimSlatin Likes this wine:

Nice wine right now; dry, a richness that lingers but not in an over extracted way; Lemon, a touch of maybe papaya or some tropical fruit; Not necessarily petrol but something else I could not figure out, There are many layers in this Wine; It makes you think about where this wine is and what it Weill become; I have 2 more and will wait for 3 years or so for the next one

4/18/2024 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. This is nice, and a pleasant surprise. Full dark red, with good viscosity and no visible signs of age. Really nice dark fruit, with a lovely crème de cassis component as well. Drinking at peak right now, with no sign of imminent decline. Still, no reason to wait as it is great right now. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.

4/18/2024 - PDXinSEA wrote:

Just delicious from pop n 'pour. Great black raspberry Grenache nose with whiffs of white pepper and a touch of herb

4/6/2024 - ylkim30 wrote:

This was a mouthful of tannins that has completely buried all of the fruit. Seems closed down very hard right now.

4/19/2024 - jellison17 Likes this wine:

Cherry cola icee and nectary on the front. Very soft and elegant mouthfeel. Hang onto it for 3-4 more years.

4/6/2024 - ylkim30 Does not like this wine:

I'll be honest: this is just too big, too monolithically fruit forward, with no sense of minerality or complexity to make this of interest for me. It's not undrinkable wine, but it is super boring. If you like ripe, lush, and round with lackluster acidity and structure, have at it.

4/6/2024 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:

Plummy on the nose, with dark purple and blue fruit on the palate, but a hint of herbs and garrigue, a streak of minerality, and some nice grip from the tannins.

I am not normally a CdP fan, but I think the restrained nature of the vintage made this a little more pleasurable for me than would normally be the case in a more solar vintage. The alcohol seemed in check and the wine was nicely balanced.

4/18/2024 - kevrob822 Likes this wine:

A very nice PN from Siduri. One of my favs.

4/18/2024 - Aravind Asok wrote:

Hmm. Needed 2 hrs to settle. At first, reminded me a bit of 04 Cote de Nuits with the ladybug issues (definitely not a positive). Loads of forest floor, red fruit, but a hard edge, that seems more like the hardness in 2005 red burgs with air. On the palate: lovely acidity, solid density, more red fruit, forest floor, and a ton of minerality, but.a hard rustic tannic finish that makes this quite difficult. We'll see whether this softens tomorrow.

4/22/2023 - ylkim30 wrote:

This is a very dense and dark fruited wine. While it has elegance and a decently silky texture, and not as ripe as some '20 red Burgs I've had, it just feels a little too brooding and big for my preference.

4/22/2023 - ylkim30 wrote:

Jammy blackberry on the nose. Deeply and densely fruit forward, with fine, drying tannins on the finish. This has an elegant texture and weight on the palate, but its too dense and ripe for my tastes.