4/17/2024 - cubswinws Likes this wine:

Sharp and intensive with grapefruit and green chile notes. Really classic NZ sav blanc.

4/18/2024 - SuperSomm wrote:

Pale lemon colour. Medium and developing nose with ripe yellow apples, ripe lemon, rosehip, charred wood and walnuts. Medium taste of ripe yellow apples, lemon, rosehip, cream, charred wood and walnuts. Long and dry finish. High acidity. Medium body. A very good South-African Chardonnay. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Goes well with fish or shellfish.

4/18/2024 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Tastes just fine, interesting, I'd drink it in a pinch.

4/18/2024 - Jonnhy99 Likes this wine:

Portuguese time. Aromas of red fruit, dried herbs, gunpowder, blueberry, cassis, mint, and dried Indian spices. After some time, it had a pleasant perfume. On the palate, the wine had flavours of violet, cherry, black fruit, red licorice, pepper, menthol, and salt. The nose was complex, but the palate was not quite as intricate; nonetheless, still a nice wine. Soft tannins with medium minus acidity.

4/18/2024 - cellarcat Likes this wine:

Easy drinking. Citrus and some yeast but not complex. I wouldn’t seek it out, but I still enjoyed it.

4/18/2024 - Dipet wrote:

Very good producer. Barnyard , leather. IMO a little bit high acidity even for acidity lovers

4/18/2024 - jmoore431 wrote:

While drinkable, this was far more advanced than (several) recent bottles. Cork/capsule gave no indication of a problem.

4/17/2024 - cubswinws Likes this wine:

Quite nice. Black cherry, touch of olive and mushroom. Great match with salmon.

4/16/2024 - nhaining wrote:

Noticeably brick color. Dark fruit and cinnamon spice.

3/23/2024 - canan wrote:

Translucent and elegant fruit. Dried but light cherry fruit with a touch of spice on the aftertaste. Lovely and fine despite being somewhat concentrated in the overall profile. Whte flowers and roses are showing nicely on the nose. Absolutely lovely wine that I just adored. 91-92p (14 views)

4/18/2024 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Well its delicious.

4/18/2024 - Blauweiss Likes this wine:

4/16/2024 - nhaining wrote:

Less balanced than I was hoping for. Dominated by tannins that outweighed the dark fruit. Try again in 10 years.

4/18/2024 - dionysiaka Likes this wine:

15 mins slow ox prior to serving, as advised by the producer, and served at cellar temperature in a universal wine glass
Transparent but dark pomegranate with transparent rims
low+medium- intensity: spicy fresh red fruit with a touch of chocolate
rather thin palate driven by acidity and fruit, tannins are only present as an ever so slight bitterness, lingering fruit & acidity on the finish.
This is good but unexpectedly PNesque. apparently towards the end of its drinking window, but doesn't feel tired at all. 100% syrah. destemmed. from Clay-limestone soil. elevage in oak but no idea, if there's any new oak involved. defo high qpr.

4/18/2024 - Christoph4204 Likes this wine:

Wow, still much alive after so many years.

4/16/2024 - nhaining wrote:

Wine of the evening at a Clos Vougeot 2005 horizontal. Lilac and strawberries with a long and velvet mouthfeel. Well balanced and structured wine.

4/15/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine:

Wow. One of the best examples of wine from Nuits-Saint-Georges I've had the pleasure to try. Domaine Jean Tardy works across five hectares of land for all their offerings and you can tell the refinement of their wines off of the first sip of one of their bottles. This 1er Cru from 'Les Boudots' was in such a magnificent place on the night - the type of bottle you never want to see the bottom of. The nose gave off hints of advancement as aromas of leather, herbs, tobacco and a light vegetal quality all came together. In contrast, though, the palate boasted so much life as the upfront had a sexy morello cherry note balanced out perfectly by sous bois. The mid-palate showed off Les Boudots' proximity to Vosne-Romanée as those lovely Vosne spices came into the mix, aided by the power of a meaty note as well. The tannins felt perfectly integrated across some good acidity, amplified by a lovely, silky herbaceous finish. I'm writing this three days after drinking the bottle, still thinking about the wine.

4/18/2024 - Christoph4204 Likes this wine:

2005 is an overrated year!

4/18/2024 - Pigeonski wrote:

Fruity
Tastes like it would give a headache

4/16/2024 - nhaining Likes this wine:

Concentrated dark fruit and tobacco. Remarkably long finish with refined tannins. As good as it is, likely to be better in the coming decade.

4/18/2024 - Christoph4204 Likes this wine:

Top, very pleasant with a lot of structure. Sweet, vanilla, smoky, ....

4/18/2024 - seijaro Likes this wine:

Wow, what an SB! Yes, pricey... but worth it. Among the best SBs I've ever had, back to the 2005 Rochioli. Buy some.

4/18/2024 - Christoph4204 Likes this wine:

Too early, lay down for another couple of years, will benefit from it.

4/16/2024 - nhaining wrote:

Not what I expected. Metallic and unpleasant nose and flavor. Likely a bad bottle

4/18/2024 - paul195 wrote:

3 of 12…decanted at 4:00 drank at 7:30. Good fruit, tannins softened, nice minerality, good balance and finish.

4/16/2024 - nhaining Likes this wine:

Mushrooms on the nose. Dark cherries. Very well balanced

4/18/2024 - brigcampbell wrote:

PnP

Steve pulled this out in his office after work while chatting with Carly about the legal profession and employment opportunities.

Purple hue in a black background. Black fruit aromas. Black currant and ripe blackberries. Mocha and very intriguing olive note. Very approachable, tannins are well represented but not obtrusive. Probably great with a steak but worthy of just sipping and enjoying on its own.

4/13/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine:

Wanting to let this wine fully express itself, we allowed it to slow oxidise for three and a half hours during a dinner at Fulgurances in New York before we gave it a go. Following a 2002 Clos Vougeot from Domaine Michel Gros, we couldn't stop raving about how clean this wine was once it had hit its stride. The nose had a captivating florality note that was balanced out with tobacco and baking spices. The palate was extremely expressive as the upfront of lavender and blackberries created a leanness before the mid-palate introduced some signature Gevrey cedar wood and spices. The finish was long, clean and silky as tobacco and pepper came into the mix. This wine has so much life ahead of it, but is already drinking well now.

4/18/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Blind Champagne Tasting (Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC)): September 2021 disgorgement. 70% Chard and 30% Pinot Blanc with no dose, and I think sans soufre, too. I've had a few bottles of this vintage previously so I have some experience with it but last night's initial showing puzzled me. The nose was this odd mix of something herbal, what the group called juniper berry, and what I called white pepper and processed meat, like a salami. After some puzzled looks and some laughs, I found some pineapple that aligns to my past notes. Improved with air but still retained the gamy note that was part of the initial aroma. Another wine I would like to have retasted tonight. I have been buying Presence since it was first made in 2015, and have a vertical of all the vintages, many I have really liked, but last night's was a little weird, maybe off? Dunno know.

4/18/2024 - rossi.wine wrote:

Intriguing as always. Golden-yellow in colour. Waxy, notes of honey, dried fruit on the nose. On the palate a little bitter, but overall nicely balanced, medium depth, quite long. Probably the best bottle so far. Slowly drink up. 92-94

4/18/2024 - pavel_p Likes this wine:

A glass at Larnaca airport. Very pale golden yellow. Not very aromatic but with good freshness. On the attack reminds me a bit of a young Riesling, a bit fizzy, on the mid palate then with a bit more weight and concentration, a touch of bitterness as well that carries into the finish.
Very well made and refreshing white. Apparently the most common white wine grape in Cyprus. Keep wondering why so many warmer climate new world growers stick exclusively to Chardonnay, if the Greeks and Cypriots have all these native white wine grapes that handle the heat so much better. 89-90

4/13/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine:

I'm absolutely loving the reds coming out of the 2002 Burgundy vintage right now. Slow oxidised for an hour and a half prior to dinner at Fulgurances in New York, this is one of the better examples of Clos Vougeot I've had the chance to open up. The nose was highly aromatic, boasting great aromatic balance between scents of raspberries, smoke, leather, cinnamon, florality and light cedar wood. The palate, though, felt like it was dealing a tit for tat, continuing on with that theme of balance as red cherries created vibrancy on an upfront before a tertiary mid-palate of sous bois and licorice emerged. That tit for tat returned with a menthol-driven, short finish that re-introduced freshness to the backend. This beat out a 2017 Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 'Aux Combottes' on the night.

4/17/2024 - Canoehead Likes this wine:

Decanted initially more to warm it up from its cellar chill. Massive sweet dark red fruit aroma with spice and vanilla. Mouth filling and warmth from the high abv of 15.5. Intense, concentrated but just this side of flabby. Acidity is hanging in there.

4/17/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened at Le Cinq in Paris. Decanted and enjoyed over dinner.

You can tell that this will become an amazing wine when it finally loosens up. Unfortunately, it's still quite a long way away from this. This isn't a case of 'give it enough air' - we did this with a huge decanter - it just needs more time.

This wine also prompted an interesting discussion with Eric and the Sommelier team surrounding the usage of sulphur at the domaine. Perhaps the wines would benefit from a lighter application?

This experience also surprises me as to how open the 2014 is in comparison - I always have a great time with that.

Would put in the back of the cellar, and revisit in 5+ years. It can definitely use the time. I can't wait to see what this morphs into when it finally unfurls... however, patience will be rewarded best for now.

3/29/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine:

I'm a big admirer of Jean Grivot's wines and having never tried Vosne-Romanée from Les Rouges, I thought I'd give this bottle a go at 67 Pall Mall in London despite the poor reviews below. A pristine bottle, this was a superstar on the night, just entering its peak. The nose felt mature, boasting leather and chocolate with a lovely raspberry undercut. But the palate shone bright as cranberries and redcurrants added life to the upfront before tobacco and lavender created a good sense of power in the mid-palate. The finish boasted silky tannins, complimented by a licorice note. This wine was a joy to discover.

4/18/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Blind Champagne Tasting (Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC)): Dosage of 3 gms, no other label info. This is a true to place BdB, with a lemon signature, along with apple, in a juicy, fleshy style. There is some supporting chalk in the texture, with a mainly suave finish. This seems to be drinking pretty well now.

4/6/2024 - Oli_Vilmo Likes this wine:

Nice but nothing extraordinary

4/6/2024 - Oli_Vilmo Likes this wine:

Very fruity and flavoury

4/17/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened at Le Cinq in Paris. P&P and enjoyed over dinner.

Was a toss-up between this and some other young vintages, and decided to go for this upon the advice of the sommelier team.

Interesting Coche for me: this wasn't really showing some of the signature flint, gunpowder, matchstick aromatics that I have come to look for and love. That being said, it was still an excellent village Meursault, drinking above its category in richness whilst exhibiting very bright and lively acidity. It might not be the best Coche, but this is still always a treat!

I'd be interested to see how this evolves over time, as it definitely has the capacity to age. Perhaps revisit this in 5+ years, just to see how it's doing.

4/18/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Blind Champagne Tasting (Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC)): Disgorged November 2021, so a longggg time on the lees. 80% Chard and 20% Pinot Noir with no dose. The initial aromas on this was kinda weird, with a celery and white pepper, a little stinky. With air this becomes a lemony an spicy wine, with a lot of citrus peel that creates length. My challenge I had was the spicy aspect to the wine, an oily-ilke citrus. I would have loved to retaste this again today, and I just wonder if I have captured the wine properly.

4/18/2024 - Dantastic Likes this wine:

Balanced, tropical aromas of grilled pineapple balanced by medium-bodied layers of sliced peaches and golden delicious apples.

4/18/2024 - Philckw Likes this wine:

Rich plums, dark berries, fruity and rounded. Really nice blend with fine tannins. Some oak, liquorice at the end. Enjoyed it!

4/16/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened at Table by Bruno Verjus. P&P and enjoyed slowly.

Not quite as good as previous bottle in Geneva, but my god the 2020 DRC whites are drinking well. Rich, buttery, popcorn, toasted seasme, vanilla aromas - everything is there; balanced with great precision, acidity, salinity, minerals galore.

This may be infanticide, as I'm sure this will continue to age gracefully and perhaps even improve - but it really is so tempting now. If you are lucky enough to have one, you won't regret it!

Thanks again to B for looking after me - always a pleasure and a great catch-up in Paris.

3/28/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine:

Opened at Noble Rot in Mayfair, this bottle presented itself as tremendous value on the wine list. This wine was all about the nose for, something I've found myself saying more and more often as of late (and I think there's a note that usually gives it away for me!). Boasting qualities of smoke, cranberries, light cedar wood, licorice, menthol, herbs and a tremendous dark chocolate scent, I found myself reaching to smell the wine and putting the glass down, garnering satisfaction simply from its complex aromatic structure. The palate was clearly advanced as hints of fruit emerged through redcurrants in the upfront, but that quickly transitioned to iron and tobacco in the mid-palate before notes of oak, bell pepper and spices dominated a short finish.

4/13/2024 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

About an hour in the glass before drinking. Deep dark purplish magenta color. Raspberry, rose, and grilled pineapple. Very dry palate. Firm tannins on the longish finish.

This is decent for the poor vintage. Nothing I’d stock up on. The ‘20 NVD is equally enjoyable for half the price, although I wouldn’t stock up on that either.

4/18/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Blind Champagne Tasting (Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC)): I think I have picked the correct wine here for my note. Disgorged March 2023, 65% Chard and 35% Pinot Noir. Really loved the aromatic, and this was especially true as this wine competed blind with an array of very good blind Champagne. Moderate complexity. Layered with a juicy, fruit-forward style. Mainly a palate wine, with some anise.

4/18/2024 - Jhpozza Likes this wine:

Poor nose.

4/18/2024 - ivar@ordo.as Likes this wine:

A favourite from Tuscany

4/16/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine:

Opened at Table by Bruno Verjus. P&P and enjoyed slowly.

First experience with the 2020, and was very interested to see how this performed against the 2019, which has quickly become one of my favourite young DRCs.

This isn't quite as ready out of the bottle as the 2019: give this some air, and you will be rewarded. There is also an interesting hint of green in this wine - perhaps coming from the stems(?) - that I feel like still needs some time to fully integrate. The spectrum of fruit and the classic 'DRC nose' needed some time to come out properly, but when it did, this performed really well.

I think there's clear upside to this wine, and it has the chance to creep up a point or two. Would be keen to revisit this in 3+ years, and heres to hoping that I have the chance! Thanks to B for having me as always, what a pleasure.

4/18/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Blind Champagne Tasting (Basanti in San Juan Capistrano, CA (South OC)): I really enjoyed this, especially having it mixed into a dinner of blind Champagne. Lemony, Stony. Balanced and polished, with some red fruit edges in the finish.