4/27/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Mark. 100% Chardonnay from the Aube. A dry sparkling wine with a light straw color. Solid bead. Straight forward but very enjoyable. Crisp with notes of citrus and merangue. This went down way too easy. 91 points.

4/27/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

My last bottle. Lightly sedimented. Crimson color without any bricking. I was worried that this wine may have seen better days but it was showing quite nicely without any decanting. Rich red fruit with a rustic profile. Medium bodied. Round finish that showcased ripe berries. 89 points.

4/22/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered a glass at a restaurant. 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot from higher elevation vineyards in the Radda district. Garnet color. Notes of black cherries, lavender and pencil lead. Round finish. Fuller bodied. Rarely if ever disappointed by a chianti from this producer. 91 points.

4/21/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Lostverse. The grapes for this wine come from Mesnil-sur-Oger and are whole cluster pressed. Disgorged July, 2019. 100% Chardonnay. Clear straw color with an aggressive bead. Notes of brioche and chalk. Creamy finish. A very well put together Champagne. 92 points.

4/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

2nd time I have had this wine but the last time was in 2017. 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot from Sonoma County. 14.6% alcohol. Crimson color. Full bodied. An earthy wine with blueberry, cassis and wet earth notes. Firm tannins. This wine has gotten more rustic since I last had it. Drink now. 88 points.

4/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

3rd time I have had this wine and I still have 2 bottles in my cellar. The cork was wet and came out in 2 pieces. There was also signs of some slight seepage. However that did not effect the quality of the wine as it was really showing well at 21 years old. Deep gold color. Cotton candy nose. Good acidity to balance the sweetness. Tropical notes without any noticeable petrol. 94 points.

4/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Lostverse. I think this is primarily Mouvedre. Dark reddish pink color. Full bodied. One of the heaviest Rose wines I have had. Dark spices and alcohol. Blackberry and cassis. Not sure what to make of this wine and really hard to score. Metallic finish. Needs food. In the end it is just too heavy and over the top for my taste. 85 points.

4/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

70% Grand Cru Chardonnay, 30% Premier Cru Pinot Noir. No malolactic fermentation to allow for longer aging. Aged for 14 years on it's lees. Light gold color. Spice upfront. Tart lemon and citrus notes on the palate. This had a nice depth that comes from the extended lees aging. 93 points.

4/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Lostverse. I last had this in 2014 and it shown better then. I previously had the 1988, 1995, 1998 and 1999 vintages of this wine. Disgorged November, 2014. Deep yellow color. Lighter bead. A deeper Champagne with almond and toast notes. Well aged and showing a little oxidative note. Drink now. 89 points.

4/14/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

I brought a half bottle of this to Las Vegas to celebrate my nephew's 21st birthday. Decanted an hour before drinking at a restaurant. Parker's review of this wine was glowing saying the 2003 could stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the finest ever produced by Fladgate. Heavily sedimented. Blackish red color. Supple tannins and rather smooth. Notes of prunes, figs, molasses and sweet black fruits. Good concentration. No heat on the long soft finish. Fantastic Port. Drinking well now. 96 points.

4/14/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered at an Italian restaurant in Las Vegas. I previously had the 2015 vintage and this bottle was almost as good. Reddish purple color. A round texture with notes of cherries, cocoa and earthy black fruit. The tannins were rather approachable. I thought it was a deal at $15 per glass on the wine list. 92 points.

4/13/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered a glass at a restaurant. I've had quite a few vintages of this wine (1982, 1988, 1999, 2002 and 2008) but nothing recently. I always found this to be a consistently good wine. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Crimson color. Notes of pencil lead, currants and fig with some spice on the finish. Medium bodied and on the younger side so I would give this some time. 90+ points.

4/9/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered a glass at a restaurant. 100% Pinot Gris sourced from the La Esperanza estate vineyard. It appeared to have a slight pinkish hue but the room was dark. However the wine was give 12 hours of skin contact. Dry with notes of peach and ginger. Fresh and lively finish. 87 points.

4/9/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Another disappointing bottle. It tasted flat with very little tannin. 77 points.

4/7/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered a bottle at Salt of the Earth restaurant. Made by Clay Shannon. This Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for 15 months in French oak. Deep purple color. This was a fuller bodied wine with subtle tannins. Notes of currant, coffee and chocolate. Round finish. 89 points.

4/6/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

A blend of 50% Viura, 45% Garnacha Tinta and 5% Tempranillo. Purchased on closeout for $7. Light pink color. Light body. Notes of strawberries and cream with a touch of spice A nice Summer supper. 87 points

4/5/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Barrel tasting at the winery. I've had every vintage of this wine going back to 2017 when it was first made. I tried wine from 4 different barrels that will go into the final blend (a Wadenswil barrel picked at 23 brix, 2 clone 943 barrels picked at 21.7 and 22.5 brix and a clone 115 barrel picked at 23 brix). The color on all wines was a darker red (except the Wadenswil which was lighter). There were notes of cola, cranberry, pomegranate and leather. The tannins were beefiest in the 115 barrel. 90-92 points.

4/5/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Barrel sample at the winery. 1 barrel of this wine is being made. Aged in new French oak. This had more body than the 2022 which I tasted from bottle earlier in the day. Aromatic with ripe apple and oaky notes. Fuller bodied. 89-91 points.

4/3/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Barrel sample at the winery. I think this will be better than the 2022 which I tried from bottle. 20% of the fruit was affected by botrytis which gave this wine a more viscous and deeper profile. Yellow green color. Honey aromas. Notes of apples, pears and nutmeg. Solid acidity on the finish. 89-92 points.

4/2/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Barrel sample at the winery. We tried 3 different barrels of the wines which will go into the final blend (2 Semillon and 1 Sauvignon Blanc). The final blend will be SB heavy as usual. We also tried a combined glass of all the barrels which will be the basis for this note. Very stony with grass and spice notes. There is some grip on the back of the palate. This blend was rounder and fuller than the individual barrel samples. 2023 should be a very good vintage. 89-92 points.

4/1/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

My first of 2 bottles. 100% Syrah aged in chestnut and oak barrels. Not decanted. Garnet color with a little bricking on the edges. Moderate to heavy sediment which my Nephew partially drank since he decided to pour the bottom of the bottle into his glass when I wasn't around. Notes of licorice, dark berries and some bacon fat. The finish was a bit spicy. 91 points.

4/1/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

48% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Muscat Blanc and 17% Viognier aged in stainless steel. Opened this with the salad course at Easter dinner. I've only had 1 other wine from this estate which was founded in 1946 and it was the Comte de M red. Medium yellow color with floral aromas. This was a nice dry white which was food friendly. Lower acidity but it had some very interesting vanilla, peach and apricot. 88 points.

3/31/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

100% Macabeo. Light straw color. Fine and persistent bubbles. Notes of apples, plum and flowers. Dry with a clean finish. Good value. 87 points.

3/31/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

This small grower is located in the Cote des Blancs and has been around since 1894. 95% Chardonnay and 5% of Pinot Noir from the first pressing. 5.65g/l dosage. Medium yellow color. Lower bead. Notes of apricot and tea. I think this bottle was a little off and hope my other 3 are better. Flat finish. 82 points.

3/31/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Ordered a glass at the Greek Islands restaurant. 100% Mavrud grape. Burnt red color. This had a chalky texture which made me think this might be the bottom of the bottle. Notes of smoke, cherries and black fruit. 83 points.

3/26/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Tasted from bottle at the winery. The final blend of this wine is 67% Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre clones) and 33% Semillon. Some of the semillon is aged in an Acacia barrel. Clear straw color. Apple aromas. This was a creamy white wine with notes of lemongrass, passion fruit and anise. Long finish. This bottle had been opened for a week so a fresh bottle is likely to score higher. 89-90 points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Tasted from bottle at the winery. Clones 95 and 96 from 25 year old vines. Aged in 2 barrels (1 new and 1 used) after malolactic fermentation. This was better than when I tasted it from barrel. Floral nose. Notes of pears, lemon merangue and creme brulee. Solid acidity. I was able to try a barrel sample of the 23 vintage of this wine after this and it should be even better. 90 points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Tasted from bottle at the winery. Clone 76 picked at 23.5 brix. 14% alcohol. 2 barrels made. Aged for 10 months in new oak. Light yellow color. Notes of pine, honey and sesame seeds. Light oak on the finish. 88 points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Mark. 70% Frappato and 30% Nero d'Avola. A simple but enjoyable red wine. Light red color. Cherry cough syrup on the nose. Notes of ripe berries and roses with a rather floral profile. 88 points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by a friend. This wine is made from the Carricante grape. Light gold color in the dry white wine. Lower acidity. Aromas of cotton candy on the nose. A smooth wine with apple and peach notes. 87 points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Mark. The grapes for this wine come from a strict selection of the smallest bunches from the estate’s oldest plot. The grapes are given 50 days maceration to produce a dark crimson color. Full bodied with black fruit, mocha and cedar notes. Overall not as fruity as the other two 2018 Chianti wines that we tried but very nice. Still very young. 91+ points.

3/25/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Mark. The best of the 3 2018 Chianti wines we tried. Silky texture with creamy red fruit. Notes of berries, licorice and wet earth. Solid tannins. 91 points.

3/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

I've had a half dozen Champagnes from this house and this bottle fell a little short. Mainly Chardonnay from the 2019 vintage with red wine from the Les Fontaines plot in Saint Thierry added. 4-5g/l dosage. Disgorged June 2022. Light pink color. Moderate bead. The only problem with this bottle was that there was some funky rubber aromas on the nose. The palate was fine. Notes of cherries and strawberries with a creamy texture. 88 points.

3/20/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

The grapes are sourced from the Malmaison Estate in the Vallée de la Marne. A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay. First time having the Green Label. Light yellow color. Fine bead. This was a very well balanced sparkler with notes of citrus, chalk and lemon peel. Plus acidity. Really nice non vintage. 91 points.

3/19/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

2nd and last bottle. Tried alongside 2 other 2018 Chianti's. Medium red color. Firm tannins. Notes of leather and dried cherries. Still 88 points.

3/18/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by a friend. 100% Glera from the Cartizze Hills in the Veneto. Clear straw color. Melon aromas. Moderate bead. Notes of peaches, apples and cantaloupe. This tasted like a dry version of a Moscato d'Asti to me. 87 points.

3/18/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by a friend. 100% Sagrantino from Umbria and aged for 24 months on it's lees. Orange color. semi sweet. Floral nose. Grapefruit, sweet tarts and sharp red fruit notes. 83 points.

3/18/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by a friend. 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from 30 year old vines. Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta purchased this winery which is the oldest Spumante maker in Italy. The wine is aged for 7 years on it's lees. Yellow color. Lighter bead. I found it to be off dry but some of the others drinking it thought it was dryer. Rich texture with white fruits and minerals. Some bitterness on the finish. 85 points.

3/15/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

I found a bunch of half bottle of this wine on clearance for $13. 35% Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. The base vintage is 2018 with 35% being reserve wines. 4g/l dosage. I've opened a few of them now and enjoyed them all. Solid bead. Crisp and clean with less sweetness which I prefer. Plenty of citrus and white fruit notes. Nice round finish. 89 points.

3/13/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. The base wine is the 2010 vintage. Disgorged 12/2013. 6g/L dosage. 2nd time I have had this wine but different disgorgement dates. Pinkish orange color. Fuller bodied with a lively bead. Strawberry notes with some spice and a slight bitterness on the finish. 89 points.

3/13/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Allred. Decanted 2 hours before he brought this to dinner at Pa Lian restaurant. A wonderfully floral nose. A light to medium red color with very little bricking. An elegant, seamless and silky wine with well-integrated tannins. Notes of bing cherries, cranberries and baking spices. Smooth finish. Excellent and a pleasure to enjoy over the course of our dinner. 95 points.

3/12/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

An estate that we visited back in 2013. 70% Pinot Meunier, 15% each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vines averaging 40 years old. Disgorged Oct. 2020. 5g/l dosage. The base wine is from 2014 but this is a solera going back to 1998. This was a fuller bodied champagne with a leesy nose. Moderate+ bead. Light yellow color. Well rounded with apple, chalk and honey notes. Playful finish. I have one more bottle which I will hold for a few years. 92-93 points.

3/9/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Opened by Otis. 100% Sangiovese from Bogheri. 2nd time I have had this. Austere and rustic. The tannins were still firm. Notes of berries, tobacco and pepper. Drink now.90 points.

3/4/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

Paired with a creme brulee that my wife made. This was not as fruity as previous bottles and centered more on tea notes. Only mildly sweet but I would characterize it more on the dry side. The worst showing for this wine so far. Drnk now. 88 points.

3/4/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

We visited this winery back in 1998. Made from 100 year old vines in Sonoma Valley planted in 1892. 79% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah. Not decanted. Inky purple color. The aromas of dark fruit exploded from the glass. I don't drink a lot of Zinfandel but the couple who invited us to dinner at their home is a red Zin fan so I borught it. Full bodied with ripe black fruit and oaky notes. Long finish. The tannins were firm but not overpowering. 91 points.

3/4/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

A Pinot Blanc blend. This vintage was much better than I remember from previous vintages I've had. Pale white straw color. Crisp and clean with bright white fruit notes. Just the right amount of acidity. A steal for the $8 I paid on sale. 90 points.

3/2/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

4th time I have had this wine. This is made from 25 year old vines. Most of the grapes were whole cluster pressed. Aged in 1/3 new Cadus oak barrels and 2/3 used Freres oak barrels. Crimson color. This was holding up very well. Cherry notes with plum and tobacco. The tannins are well integrated. This is in a really good spot right now. 92 points.

3/2/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

My last bottle. Of the 5 bottles I've opened this has shown consistently fine. It has changed over the years adding here and losing there but always a nice drink. Soft cork so we decanted it. Deep yellow color. Moderately sweet. Notes of pears and tea. Lower acidity. 91 points

2/26/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

This supertuscan is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Not decanted. We paired this with a homemade Cacio e Pepe. Deep purple color. This was a heavier red wine with notes of tobacco, licorice and black fruit. Still very young. I would give this a few years. 89 points

2/19/2024 - Vino Me wrote:

100% Melon De Bourgogne from 50-60 year old vines. Aged sur lie for 10 months. 0.5 g/l RS. Light yellow color. This was a very fresh and tart wine. Light body. Notes of lemons and tea notes. Crisp acidity. 88 points.