1/4/2017 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Just opened. Fairly thick and rich. No brett in this bottle (a previous bottle that I tasted was affected by brett). OK but not great.

1/4/2017 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Dark color. Nose is still subdued an hour after opening. Full, rich dark cherry tastes with good length. Tannins are well integrated. Not especially complex at this point though the potential is still there. A satisfying drink for now.

12/31/2016 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I liked this OK, but I don't think that it was worth the $80 that I paid for it. I have had NV bottles from other producers at half the price that I liked better -- e.g., Roederer Premiere Cru.

12/22/2016 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I agree with the review by RAD below. This is a good reliable Barbera, year after year. This vintage is good but not outstanding. But I would still buy it over an unknown producer any time.

12/22/2016 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I drank a half bottle tonight. The cork broke as I was extracting it, and I had to filter the wine before I drank it. That said, it was an excellent vintage port with years of life ahead of it.

12/21/2016 - hstoll253 wrote:

Obviously mature but not especially complex. I have had several NV champagnes from other producers that I liked better.

11/25/2015 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I loved this wine tonight. It was balanced, smooth, and delicious.

10/20/2015 - hstoll253 Does not like this wine:

A serious disappointment given the vintage and the vineyard. Little aroma, thin & sour taste, lacks finish.

10/14/2015 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Nice color. Nose is still a bit shy and not complex. Taste is smooth, rich, and fairly deep with a long finish. Tannins are well integrated. Not very complex as yet, but seems to have good potential in a few more years. Enjoyable to drink now but should get better.

6/9/2014 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I had this for the first time tonight, and I also note the predominant pear note in the aroma. This is certainly a good deal for $30, and I would like to try a head-to-head with Nicolas Feuillatte at around the same price.

5/26/2014 - hstoll253 wrote:

Not much of a nose. Taste is so-so. Giving it the benefit of the doubt, but I do not expect much further improvement.

5/26/2014 - hstoll253 Does not like this wine:

No fruit in the nose. Thin body but fairly tannic. Perhaps that favors further development, but tonight it goes with an unimpressive, undeveloped wine.

5/26/2014 - hstoll253 Does not like this wine:

Funky, mushroomy nose. Thick and concentrated with a sour finish. I drank a glass and dumped the rest of the bottle.

4/8/2014 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

The cork was stained and so were my fingers from handling it. There was sediment. The nose was one of very ripe fruit, and the taste was a mouthful of rich, dark berry fruit. It was very well balanced. Alcohol was a reasonable 14.3%. The tannins have softened away. There is good, lip-smacking length. It went well with a steak salad. My only criticism is that it doesn't seem to have that extra complexity that separates a very good wine from a great one. This one might have a shot at greatness because of its balance, or it might just sit at this plateau and then fade away. Hard to tell, but it's still a fine bottle.

2/23/2014 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Fairly dense and concentrated. Not very aromatic or complex tonight. Still tannic. Good potential -- I think it is still young and needs several more years of cellar time. Will probably never be a great wine, but could be very satisfying when mature.

12/31/2013 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Nice nose, fine and persistent bubbles, good complexity. An elegant wine.

4/21/2013 - hstoll253 Does not like this wine:

This wine was DOA. Color was OK, but there was no fruit on the nose. The taste was tannic and flat. It wasn't corked or tainted by brett. I don't know whether the wine was ruined in transport or storage, but it did not improve over 2 hours, and I ended up pouring it down the sink.

3/23/2013 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I was very happy with this wine. It was enjoyable right from the first pour. Has potential to improve over the medium term (3-5 years). Had it with roast duck take-out from a Vietnamese BBQ place. Yum-yum (for both the wine and the duck).

2/15/2013 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I was very happy with this wine. It was perfectly ripe without any of the flaws commonly attributed to the 2004 vintage (e.g., green bean aromas or odd tannins). As best as I can judge, it has true Echezeaux characteristics in the aromas and taste. I think that this this a fine Burgundy; I wish that I had more!

6/25/2012 - hstoll253 wrote:

I agree with others who felt this was too extracted and untypical for Burgundy. It is very rich in the mouth but with no complexity in the nose or the aftertaste for me. It could easily be a New World pinot, and I would be hard-pressed to identify where it came from.

4/9/2012 - hstoll253 wrote:

Fairly closed, even two hours after opening. Well balanced but I am disappointed by the aromatics and lack of taste complexity tonight. This is the third time I have tasted this wine: the first time at a trade tasting was great, but two purchased bottles have not lived up to the first exposure.

2/9/2012 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Had a 2 oz. taste at a wine bar. The body was a little light and mineraly, but I liked it, especially the long, balanced finish.

2/9/2012 - hstoll253 wrote:

Ripeness without complexity or flavor interest. Finish is dull, no length. I am disappointed. Fortunately, I paid less than $20 per bottle for this.

1/16/2012 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Smooth, Burgundian, very enjoyable. Golden color, pleasing aromas and tastes already, so no need to wait.

1/7/2012 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I was pleasantly surprised by this wine, given the reputation of the vintage and the previous tasting notes. Color, aroma, and initial tastes were all fine. It was nicely balanced, with good acidity and length -- no green bean flavors. It drank well now but might have another couple of years of upside potential. All in all, a nice Burgundy.

1/4/2012 - hstoll253 wrote:

I agree with pkatz: good nose, but light taste and not much complexity. Finish is good, so perhaps there is room for development with another couple of years.

8/15/2011 - hstoll253 wrote:

A bit tannic and acidic, and the nose was lacking, especially for a Volnay. Yet I still felt that this was a well-structured wine that had good potential to blossom over the next 3-4 years. Too bad that I don't have another couple of bottles in my cellar to see if it develops.

8/14/2011 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I thought it was moderately good but not great. Might improve with 2-3 more years but not more.

4/17/2011 - hstoll253 wrote:

A pleasant drink tonight with a lamb chop dinner. Not complex, but I would not expect that at this price point. I appreciated the lighter body and alcohol vs. similar American wines.

3/25/2011 - hstoll253 Does not like this wine:

There is a sour taste in the wine as I drink it tonight. It might be corked. I am sorry to disagree with the others who have tasted it and liked it.

2/12/2011 - hstoll253 wrote:

Drank well tonight. Still has some room to mature and improve, but a satisfying red Burg for now. Premiere cru quality but perhaps it will be a little more complex in another 1-2 years.

2/11/2011 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I quite liked this wine. It seemed nicely mature, and drank well over 2-3 hours. A quarter-bottle saved for the following day was dull, so I would drink it with company and finish it in one evening.

12/1/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Color OK but not bright. Not much nose. Best part: good mid-palate taste and a long finish with some complexity. Wish that it had more going on in the aroma. Otherwise a moderately good red Burgundy.

10/25/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

A pleasant, ready to drink Bourgogne. Decent nose and finish, no flaws.

10/2/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I agree with previous comments. This is a smooth and impressive Grenache-predominant wine. It was delicious tonight and has room to improve over the next few years.

8/1/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

I had it last night and it was excellent -- long, subtle, and refined.

7/21/2010 - hstoll253 wrote:

I agree with achim_m. It's a nice Burgundy, but not great. B+ at this point. It is drinking nicely now, has the potential to get better over the next 2-3 years as well.

5/9/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Still young, but starting to pick up color in the glass and roundness in the taste. Many years of life ahead for this one.

4/21/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Subtle, balanced, and enjoyable. I only tasted it over 2 hours, so it might have improved given more time.

4/14/2010 - hstoll253 wrote:

Somewhat disappointing. No particular aromatics two hours after opening. Decent fruit in the mouth, but a bit stewed in the taste. No complexity on the finish. I bought it at auction, so perhaps it had poor storage.

3/31/2010 - hstoll253 Likes this wine:

Delicious. Medium weight flavors and finish. Entering its prime drinking window. Should be lovely to drink for the next few years.