4/23/2024 - WinoRick wrote:

Purchased on release, one of Altare's few bottles sold. The rest were tainted by bad corks and withdrawn from the market.
Tasted with the 1997 Sandrone (Boschis) and the Scavino (BdF). All three wines were beautiful, with tannins faded and Barolo bouquets. Very similar wines, with the Sandrone the biggest, the Scavino next and then the Altare. These three were 'modern' Barolos, made under the influence of their importer, Marc De Grazia. Some critics claimed these wines wouldn't age, but these sure did.
We tasted the above against some current releases and it verified one of my beliefs: Barolo's bouquet evolves as the wines age and is often muted at first. Their bouquet only increases and gets better with age... a lot of aging!

4/21/2024 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Purchased on release and properly stored. Medium garnet with only the smallest amount of browning. Had with lunch and friends with two other bottles of red wine. The Buehler was the first finished and had no tannins with multiple tertiary flavors. Worth the wait. My last bottle I scored 83 in 2013.

4/6/2024 - WinoRick wrote:

Acidic and tight. Purchased on release and stored in a temperature controlled cellar. Running it through an aerator helped a bit.

3/14/2024 - WinoRick wrote:

A half bottle from our hotel minibar for 15 US at the Brunton boatyard in Kochi. Straightforward Sauvignon Blanc without much herbaceous character. Our third Sauvignon, Blanc in India, and in the middle quality wise. Very drinkable in a wine challenged environment.

2/6/2024 - WinoRick wrote:

Everything in perfect balance. If this were a Burgundy it would sell for three times as much IMHO. Dark cherry, with an acid edge and a bit of minerality.

12/25/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

More of everything than the base model, especially the long finish. You can taste the lava the wine has so much minerality.

12/25/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Good QPR, a touch sweet but liked by our group.

12/9/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Losing baby fat, more complex than last time. Nice, and certainly ready to drink.

12/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Purchased at the winery (does that influence my score...Maybe?)

Very drinkable, with no astringent character. Dark cherry notes with a nice amount of complexity. Drink over the next 5 years.

12/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Not too dark, deep golden in color with most sweetness resolved. Tasted with a caramel apple tart, but the d'Yquem can be a dessert unto itself. Paired with a bottle of 1983 Lafaurioe Peyraguey which seemed insipid compared to the rich, complex Yquem.
I don't think there is any hurry here to drink this beauty. This was purchased upon release, but even at current prices d'Yquem is a great value for drinking not investment. A friend of mine had a 3L bottle of 1983 d'Yquem that he wanted to package with his outstanding cellar for auction by Zachy's. They took everything but the 3L of d'Yquem. (maybe he should send it to Yquem and have them rebottle it in smaller bottles?)

11/19/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

OK, last week we had an ‘86 Meyney, which had lost its fruit and was only tertiary flavors and an interesting nose. Not what I had hoped, and graciously scored it an 88. ‘86 was a well regarded vintage, deemed tannic and long lived…very British. All the ‘86’s I purchased were very very slow to become drinkable. Some have come through, but it’s been slow. Then came the ‘89’s… called the “vintage of the century.” (Until the next year, 1990!). 1989, like the 1982’s, were fruit forward and very approachable at a young age.
All that said, thank you Robert Parker for proclaiming we want fruit not tannin or thin wines. The ‘89 Meyney was delicious, totally different from the ‘86. Both purchased upon release for under $20 and stored properly. The ‘89 had a touch of browning with a dark fruit nose and balanced medium body and long finish.
As vintners started to make wines for Parker’s palate, wines got bigger and bigger. Now Parkerization is a real thing and becoming less and less. Still, thank you Robert Parker for the fruit that we all enjoy… across the board with some overdone, but no more thin and tannic presentations.

11/16/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

This wine sings to me. Bright with perfect balance and a long finish. AOC Graves

11/7/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Transformed from a muscular '86 to a silky, complex wine. Still some acidity and only slightly brown. Tired, however and I should have consumed it 10 years ago. My cost in the late '80's, $12.70.

10/19/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Classic P/M, and hitting above its classification. Or is it that village wines today are better today than 10-20 years ago? Some are definitely 1er Cru quality.

10/4/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Bright and fresh, with balance and complexity. Not identifiable to me as Sangiovese. A good change of pace, and it’s acidity will carry it for several more years.

9/8/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

2020 is tops for reds and this is a nice wine, village quality and good QPR. Plump and tasty.

9/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Purchased on release ($26) when the property was owned by others. Good color without any browning. Some of the fruit has dropped out to be replaced by complex aromas and taste. At a nice place and will hold for some years ahead.

9/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Not profound, but bright and fruity with a crowd pleasing balance. No hurry here. 2016 is great across the board in the southern Rhone.

9/3/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

The last time I had this was three years ago and scored it 92 while grumbling about the cork breaking despite the wax capsule. This time I used the Durand with no problem.

Dark red, with no browning, this wine was outstanding. We had it with a grilled steak and paired it with the '95 Dominus (which I scored 92).
Over the years, I have waited for Dunn's wines to come into their own as RP predicted, opening many too early. I'm glad to have lived long enough to drink this voluptuous beauty.

9/3/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

With a steak dinner, paired against the Dunn Howell Mtn 1995. Bordeaux structure and nicely balanced, but the Dunn had developed into a crowd pleaser that I scored 96.

8/16/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Burnt cherry flavors. Overly extracted ? Okay.

7/15/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

94… at least. Silky and complex. At the top of its game, with all tannin and hardness resolved I’d drink it now or over the next year or two.

7/6/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

As reviewed, a classic Southern Rhône. You must have the right food accompaniment If so, it sings. That’s why I rated it well. Good QPR.

7/5/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Lightweight,spicy and beautiful

6/18/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

A gift from my friend Livio. In short, head and shoulders above any East Coast wine I've ever had. Whatever the blend, its tannins are resolved and everything is in balance for current drinking... or aging for several more years. Bravo!

Edit 6 months later: I praised the wine to a wine knowledgeable friend, and he said that they source their grapes from California. Can anyone comment on this??

5/21/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Picked up this on WTSO as a curiosity and forgot about it. Then, just to taste it with two other Brunellos, opened it and drank about an inch from the bottle. Then vacuvinned it. Two weeks later, opened it with an Italian dinner and was very impressed. Dark cherries and fruit, dark color, balanced with a long finish. Worth the price (unlike some other Gajas?)

5/12/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Shocked at such a good Pinot from Paso. Dark cherry and complex. Numerous years of life ahead

5/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

12 years after my last bottle. It blew me away. I can't remember when I last scored a wine 100. Bravo!

5/7/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Never had a Ratafia before, and while it matched well with the raspberry desert, it may be my last Ratafia.

5/7/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

This wine sings. Not too big (14.5 ABV), with silky dark cherry notes. Recent vintages are bigger and a bit hot, thanks to global warming. When at the winery a couple of years ago, I was told by the proprietors that "It's the hand we are dealt."

4/23/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Medium garnet, medium bodied, and a little bit of chunky sediment. Silky and at the top of its game. Drink up.

4/17/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Purchased on Ebay 30 years ago as I was trying to collect a full vertical of Mouton Rothschild. I ended up with two and with a marginal fill this one was relegated to my regular cellar collection. A wine tasting friend replicated the 'Judgement of Paris' blind tasting 3 French vs 3 California cabs.
So, I pulled out my 2nd '70 Mouton since it actually was one of the French wines in the 1976 tasting. Label by Chagall. This bottle had a mid shoulder fill, and good color: medium garnet with moderate browning around the edge. So I was hopeful, but the fruit was 90% gone as were any tannins. Acidity was nicely balanced and my other bottle might live up to prior CT ratings. Fun for all at the tasting.

4/13/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Burgundy in Chile

3/9/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Tasted alongside of the 2005 & 2015 Beaucastel. Properly stored and no browning, but the wine did not have the stuffing of the Beaucastels. I would suggest drinking up as it might be tiring a bit.

3/5/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Perfect with our grilled steak. Dark ruby, medium weight and balanced with a moderate amount of complexity. Numerous years left, but drinking very well right now.

3/2/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

SJM’s review is spot on. Purchased at the Utah state store and paired it with a sausage and spaghetti dish. Medium bodied and easier drinking than most Aglianicos, it was a perfect pairing. 14 ABV, balanced and approachable, with the aforementioned cherry and some dark fruit notes. Drink now or over the next 5 years.

2/23/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Tough to evaluate on a Utah ski trip Still, a nice add pinot noir.

1/22/2023 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Wow, I paid $32. Nice but nothing special Lots of oak.

1/15/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

California all the way and very plump and enjoyable. Minimal minerality. A crowd pleaser.

1/11/2023 - WinoRick wrote:

Last of four, and seemingly the best. Wait a couple of more years and it’ll be even better.

12/30/2022 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

What a easy drinking crowd pleaser! RIP Dominico.

12/19/2022 - WinoRick wrote:

A tiny bit of browning, but dark ruby, well balance with the classic Mouton Bouquet. Totally representaive of Mouton Rothschild, and a good value from our purchase.

12/14/2022 - WinoRick wrote:

Dark garnet , with no browning. In good shape with life ahead, but I’m not sure it will improve Not much sediment
A tough vintage , with record breaking heat, this was harvested in August and has a burnt character, and is a touch raisiny underneath its full bodied, dark cherry mouth. Not my style. Somewhat like a midrange, overly extracted California Pinot.

12/3/2022 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Big and complex. Barolo weight, with Barbaresco complexity and somehow light on its feet. No hurry here.

12/3/2022 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Purchased on WTSO, good value, balanced Brunello. No hurry here.

11/25/2022 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Working my way through a case. Each time the wine is better. That’s Bordeaux. Other than the typical Bordeaux character , this bottle had some dark fruit spiciness that was purrfect with our grilled lamb chops. This has really evolved into a beautiful wine.

11/20/2022 - WinoRick Likes this wine:

Silky with all tannins resolved. Moderate amount of sediment, decanting suggested. Drink now.

11/5/2022 - WinoRick wrote:

Same as last. Very nice.

10/31/2022 - WinoRick wrote:

Drinking against the 2016 Rancia. Tough call. The Rancia was smoother and complex. But tha Montefioralle was neat: more rustic, with multiple dark cherry notes and a nice long finish. I sort of liked the Montefioralle. Different wines

10/31/2022 - WinoRick wrote:

Low end Sancerre.