5/12/2024 - csimm wrote:

I finally figured it out… Anytime I can’t decide between a Hefeweizen or a Champagne, I reach for Ultramarine. The brats and kraut sparkling wine. The chotomy to my dichotomy.

No more sleepless nights. No more woe-ridden teeth clenching. No more, “Where does Ultramarine fit in to my cellar identity and how do I compartmentalize it in a way that doesn’t betray my allegiance to the cherished Champ?!”

Thanks Ultramarine; the Alka-seltzer of my wine anxieties.

5/8/2024 - csimm wrote:

(Fair warning, I had a healthy dose of green tea before scribbling this; so, buckle up friends…)

Let’s start out with a full disclosure type of confession on my part. In fact, it’s more of a developed bias that I seem to share among a number of those in my wine orbit who have been critical of California Chardonnay. Hanging around a bunch of Jungian wine pontificators who, like me, seem to have developed some peculiar joy in turning their noses at anything other than white Burgundy, just reinforces the constant slight I have given to the Golden State’s queen of varietals over recent memory. Without going down a wacky and now seemingly overplayed rabbit hole on the topic, it’s almost redundant to say that my home state Chardonnay has been betrayed time and time again with ripe, sweaty, sweet, over-oaked treatment by those who feel that masking its true character is worth the payout from those palates who seem to want for everything marshmallowy jumpy house gummy and slathering saccharine succulent. Good on ya… I guess…

Yet, I suppose it’s like anything fringe. On one end of the spectrum, I don’t want a flabby butter bomb that drags its gooey knuckles in pineapple extract soup before slothing itself in my mouth until it dies a slow death in a syrupy swallow. Also, having a searing, militant acid soldier hucking hydrochloric 0.00 pH and fossilized rock bombs at my palate is no kind of fun either. Who knew I needed such catharsis from my struggles with California Chardonnay (and don’t call it “Cali” Chard. No one says “Cali” unless they are visiting from Ohio; just like no one should say “Frisco” or “San Fran”). Dr. Phil seems like a guy who drinks Butter Chard with flapjacks and whipped cream. Maybe he can provide therapeutic guidance to me and my struggles with my nomadic palate…? Anyway, suffice to say I have loved big California Chardonnays some moons ago, but have personally become increasingly sensitive to (and critical of) the Lemontini movement that has all too often cast a sloppy shadow over what could be amazing fruit (from some sites at least), but for those who pick in late December and hammer their crop with confectioners’ lumber and candied fat fairy dust.

Ok…enough of that. This whole buildup boils down to one thing really. The 2022 Sphaerics “if and only if,” hailing from a nice little carve out of the Upper Barn vineyard, is an exquisitely balanced rendition of domestic Chardonnay, or any Chardonnay for that matter, so much so that I had trouble finding fault here. And mind you, I wanted to find fault (cuz that’s what insecure people like me do all day). After all, I was drinking California Chardonnay, right?! My initial notes read, “Calculated and poised in every way. Silky layers of lemony-lemon drop cloaked in a feathery encasement of almond milk and crème fraiche.” (ya, I actually wrote that – I don’t get out much). On the nose, it initially shows as slightly reductive, encircled by lemon curd and vanilla scents. On the palate, it’s a deliberate wave of lemon (did I mention lemon??), yellow apple, vanilla, cream, pumice, and, oh ya…lemon. This thing has curves that carve an exceptional lane of delivery for the giving fruit. The purity is unmatched. The mid-palate pauses for a nice chewiness before sashaying along with its salivating beam of measured acidity on the beautifully balmy finish.

Now, I didn’t want to do this, but the comparison to Aubert is difficult to remove myself from. This, of course, is not a bad thing by any means, but it is important that this wine stand alone with its own distinctive identity and not “just be another Aubert,” or some copycat. That would mean it’s somehow second to Aubert, which it most certainly is not. I’ll say this just once…For those who like Aubert’s Lauren, you’ll likely go gaga over the Sphaerics, which I find to be generally better balanced, show elevated integration of the oak (70% here), and exuding enhanced class overall. A longer fermentation seems to have added textural superiority and depth here as well. Perhaps less powerful and overt as the Aubert lineage, the Sphaerics is a trendier and more poised partygoer in comparison. Think Dominque Crenn versus Charlie Palmer.

The Sphaerics was served alongside a 2014 Stonestreet and 2006 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir, all of which were spawned from Upper Barn. The Sphaerics was closer in form to the Mon Plaisir, as the Stonestreet was a bit more angular and superficial in its presentation.

97-100 points right here folks. I suspect a little bottle age might make for an even more complex luminary. Tip of the hat to Laura Jones for fashioning this special wunderkind. Invite all your fancy friends over, blind the Sphaerics with a Coche Corton Charlie, and see where the votes go…

5/6/2024 - jamesabdavis wrote:

The nose on this is initially surprisingly fresh. A nice herbal quality. With time the overwhelming alcohol dominance of this wine reasserts itself.
Fresh acidity on the palate but again the fruit is masked by alcohol. There is lovely pure fruit in there and nice fine tannins but the alcohol just mutes everything.

4/29/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Does not like this wine:

Celebrating age (Oakland, CA): Aromas of concentrated cassis and heavy blackberry. Heat on the nose. It’s like fruited liqueur.

Flavors matches the nose completely, and not exactly in a good way. There’s a “film” that gives this a characteristic of being plastic wrapped and heavily manipulated.

I see.. damn, in a blind, I would’ve guessed this is something you’d find commonly in stores. I understand the two camps, and I know where I stand. If this were going for half it's price, maybe.

4/14/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Eyes Wide Shut - Day 2 (A quiet place): Nose: Dark red currants, barely ripe black cherries, lightly spiced clean oak, and fragrant earth.

Palate: Intense and brooding fruits but with surprising class and sophistication, no kinda sleaziness here. Lifted earthiness and dark minerals help keep the flavor profile proper and regal. Ridiculous amounts of oomf in this, really tasty. This shows solid restraint, only showing off if need be (don't need to at all, honestly).

This was the first bottle of the blind, and as we began tasting, the silence was deafening. The murmuring that followed that silence continued to arouse my curiosity, as I'm sure it did the others. More excitement was built as talks of what this could possibly be was being discussed, and especially being this tasty as the first wine of the blind.

The reveal seemed to came to no ones' surprise. This was that good. I couldn't be for certain that this was the MacDonald because I couldn't find the olive note. Didn't need it though, as this still killed it. Set the bar damn high for this blind.. might've screwed me as well.

Double decanted for ~18 hours.

5/16/2020 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [61°-62°] Dark red and black fruits, spiced tree bark, rich and rustic forest floor of deep earth, fresh grassiness, brooding undergrowth of brush, stems/branches and moss. [64°-67°] Fruit and earth grows darker, almost like dark forest berries and the oak becomes earthy and a touch smoke from fire that's been put out for a while.

Palate: [64°] Rich, dark black fruits (black cherries, black plums, blackberries), rich and intense deep earth, earthened oak, softly spiced tree bark and some bitter and savory minerals. [66°-69°] The dark earth smooths out tremendously while maintaining great energy. The red fruits actually lightens up a bit to match the smoothness of the earth. With time, there's a pleasant bitterness of steeped tea, a bit of graphite shows up and the fruits become just a bit juicier. The spice calms down as well.

Attributes: Clear, deep medium ruby slightly on the lighter side. Dry with medium-minus amounts of fine and grainy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium-minus acidity (if it's more, it's well integrated). Good finish of about 22-25+ seconds.

Thoughts: This is amazing, I've never had a Merlot like this (but this vintage has 3% of Cabernet Franc). So good and enjoyable straight out of the bottle and also good with some air time. There's a push of energy straight out of the bottle like a captive escaping and rediscovers life anew. Great energy and sophistication here. Great fruit, rich forest life, bitter minerals, a bit of pencil lead, nice spiced oak.. all so well balanced with great energy yet stays well put together, great sophistication.. life of the party without being overdone. Gets quite smooth with some air time. I'm kinda surprised by this body as well, I didn't think Merlot can ever attain this kinda body.. hell didn't think Merlot can get like this ever! 99-100, must try if you want to try a good Merlot.

Other notes: Bordeaux glass. Slow-ox'ed in bottle for the duration of consumption of over 3 hours.

4/13/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Eyes Wide Shut - Day 1 (A quiet place): Nose: Fresh lime, clean and dried hay, crushed dried stones, and crisp peaches.

Palate: Awesome freshness on the palate with lime and stone fruits. The crispness is on point here, with fresh crisp pears and nice juiciness. There's a gentle prickliness on the palate that makes this quite exciting. This was like a searing lightning bolt from the heavens, striking with amazing precision and freshness.

4/30/2024 - zimmy07 wrote:

over the hill, obviously poor storage before I bought as no way a 99 DV is that far gone. a throw away

11/20/2023 - Ebrim wrote:

Light, complex, greene apples, pear, lime, lime zest, very mineral drivven, long finish, very eleganta and yet powerfull, slim and defined, outstanding quality and long life ahead, 93p+++ with a huge upside

4/24/2024 - zimmy07 Likes this wine:

similar to my last tasting note. I have to stop drinking these!!! They need 10 more years and this may one of the greatest of all time! I think this may be better than the 2008 Krug and Cristal. This will be epic if you can wait until 2030 or beyond. This is special

4/14/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Eyes Wide Shut - Day 2 (A quiet place): Nose: Gentle sea breeze, light yellow fruits, grass and clean subtle minerals.

Palate: Deep yet gentle, ripe yellow fruits, and clean minerals. The saline note is nice here, giving the flavors a nice expansive feel. However, the finish was slightly flat.

The inviting type of champagne, one that lures you in and makes you want more. The salinity here really did it for me. Wish I was tasting this on a cliff overlooking the sea.

4/20/2024 - csimm wrote:

The best MACDONALD to date, without question. The refinement, polish, and sophistication that shines through in the 2021 vintage is no doubt a next-next level for what is already a storied legacy of wines from this producer.

If I recall correctly, this had been double decanted the night before, but whatever acrobatics Alex was able to do before service (to which we decanted it even further for a few hours before it quickly disappeared), it was singing like a red-handed informant on The Wire. The profile was the familiar black cherry, black olive, and dark-black soil/mineral core, but this possessed a silky conveyance on the back end that really took it to a highfalutin Augusta Masters level performance. Super sleek and distinctive from previous vintages in its razor focus and honed flavor expansion. A perfumed floral element was icing on the cake.

My advice: Buy this wine but don’t keep it. Don’t flip it, cuz that’s just insane lame behavior. Instead, Sally Struthers yourself into donating it to me; think of me as a mere caretaker of these little gems, like a docent at the Smithsonian, or a Walmart greeter. After all, giving is the real gift. …I mean, if you don’t already think these wines are 100 point artifacts, then best stick with your Barefoot berry-flavored Cabernet or your dad’s 1946 Mouton (after all, you can flip that trick for $7K) and let the rest of us (me) focus on building my mini empire of Macs in my humble cellar. Thank you in advance for your continued contribution… :)

4/13/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Eyes Wide Shut - Day 1 (A quiet place): Nose: Clean and fresh raspberries and exciting cranberries, clean new oak, red and purple flowers, clean forest floor with a gentle and exciting spiced tree bark. So aromatic on the nose here with fruits and flowers while maintaining nice elegance.

Palate: Clean all around. So well polished with seamless blending of fruits, minerals, earth and clean oak. A precise strike of light graphite and minerals that lingers nicely in the mid palate and onto the finish, providing a nice savoriness. The crazy part is the build up of the energy as it finishes. Awesome gains on the finish here.. it's like it ramps up the more you keep tasting.

My first Lafleur - I mean Latour - ever and boy, it did not disappoint.

3/31/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [59°] Gently ripe yet fresh, aromatic cool blueberries and raspberries. Soft tree bark, damp soil, and fresh green undergrowth. It's literally like the scents from a breeze you get while taking a stroll through an open forest. With time, dark and fresh plums surface, with a very subtle hint of milk chocolate tailing behind. Purple and dark flowers top the aromas off.

Palate: [59°] Black and dark blue fruits take over the palate, with a light dusting of graphite throughout. A tiny drop of tar taints the pond of pure fruits, in the best way, bringing a nice bitter contrast to the tasty fruits. Savory river minerals and lingering mulch rounds everything up on the finish.

Attributes: Dark, clear ruby. Dry with medium to medium-plus amounts of fine tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity (the acidity is nicely integrated if it's on the higher end of the range). Good finish of at least 16-18 seconds.

Thoughts: Mighty enjoyable. Unfortunately, seems to gain a bit of a boozy flair on the mid-end palate. Would be nice to check back on again in about 3-4 years. Kinda surprised how it's showing so well still at this age now. I think it's has a good amount of age already, hitting almost 10 years but I'm sure others will disagree. If you want more leather, tobacco, mushrooms, by all means, hold it for another 15 years. If you enjoy good fruit, check back again in about 3-5 years.

Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Served one glass and kept open bottle at cellar temp of ~54° and consumed over 6 hours. Recommend serving ~54°-60° and decant as needed.

3/29/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

The Future of Wine Seminar /w Jancis Robinson (Dogpatch, San Francisco): Nose: Clean stones, crisp and lightly ripe stone fruits. White berries, distinct ripe halved mangoes, and subtle kiwi notes. Amazing nose here.

Palate: Pleasureful ripeness with awesome racy acidity that cuts through the weight, bringing nice balance. Great juiciness, lightly bitter minerals brings a lift, like puppet strings.

My bubbles on my first pour dissipated from waiting too long, and for the better! The notes were all from letting the bubbles fizz out. I had a second pour after and it was still good, but the flavors weren't as pronounced because of the bubbles. Good either way, but I'd rather have it almost slightly flat.

3/28/2024 - ozziewine Likes this wine:

Given the glowing CT reviews, just had to open one of these. My first Kinsman Eades Cabernet. Drank on three different occasions over four days (while storing on nitrogen).
On Day 1 on PnP, this is pretty challenging, rough and tannic, a literal wall of wine emblematic of its’ youth. Drank over a few hours letting it aerate in the glass and it mellowed somewhat.
On Day 2, with a three hour decant (after sitting on nitrogen overnight) it has mellowed and blossomed into a beauty. The color is like India Ink in the middle and burgundy on the edge. And the nose, oh, the nose…from the get-go it is riveting with floral and dark fruit aromas. Wow.
The improvement from the Day 1 process was stunning. It had piercing dark fruit, was super complex with incredible energy/brightness and was velvety on the palate. This was a joy to drink, continuing the trend, for me, of 2019 Napa Cabs drinking great over the last year or so.
If you got a 3-pack you should absolutely try one now if you haven’t already.

1/9/2024 - ozziewine Likes this wine:

Not really a fan of Chenin Blanc (their cloying nature is not my style), but was looking forward to this after Shae mentioned that this Aberro CB "...is bone dry". So was pleasantly surprised by how fantastic this was (I've gone from, ok let's try the one offered... to...wish I could get a 3-pack!)
Interestingly, I got pear notes on the nose and palate, similar to their Aisana SB.
Love the silky viscosity, almost creamy. Plenty of acidity to drive this as well (my problem with more traditional CB is a lack of acidity). Also had an intriguing bitter note that really intensified the pear and subtle cirtus flavors. Complex with great depth of flavor.
After a week+ on nitrogen it lost some oomph but was still great.
Drinks great on opening and with a slight chill from the cellar. If I had more I'd drink sooner than later as it seems like it might lose some character if aged too long. Though if you prefer your CB more mellow this will easily go a few years.

2/5/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

N: Juicy starfruit and fresh white gooseberries without any of that subtle funk those berries usually gives off. White flowers help elevate the aromas here. Crisp fresh pears develop with some air. Amazing aromas here.

P: If only the starfruits from the nose showed up here on the palate.. but instead I get squeezed lemons and limes, bitter grass and minerals, whole uncut pears with its stem, and incredibly thin slices of pineapple flesh. A soft kiss of creaminess and caress of vanilla on the sides of the tongue and back end that accompanies the fruit through the finish (real nice actually, like a really light and milky butterscotch).

This is very much like a spy to me. A fresh white masking as a heavy chard, or is it the other way around.. either way, masquerading as a swifty (no Taylor) with its freshness and lift really helps with its delivery at this weight class, and especially without showing any kind of speed (think liveliness). The acidity seems like it wants to break through glass ceiling but due to its weight, alas, it cannot reach far enough. If this were lighter, which I’m sure 10-16 years of cellaring could do, this would be nice but might have more nutty notes introduced by then. 94+

12/17/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Hard Seltzers vs. Hard Liquor vs. Wine: N: Aromas of deep earth and also as if it were somehow roasted (not heavy like scorched earth), dull black fruits with a hint of freshness, and light graphite with damp light oak.

P: Dark and bitter red fruits with a highlight of lightly bright blue fruits that provides an overall freshness to the fruits. Swiftly scribbled graphite, light on the oak, with earth and drying, steeped tea on the finish.

A fresh drinking cab that doesn’t hit heavy on the palate. 93-94

3/10/2024 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:

First bottle of the week while settling into our Sedona redrock views.

Very approachable early. A good amount of oak influence which took me by surprise upon opening. Could have mistaken for Keplinger's Fuego y Mar, which I love.

Balanced with a lengthy finish so there is no harm in opening one early but assume this will have have some awkward phases in the future. Glad I loaded up when HiTimeWine was running their Rhone special for the month of Feb.

95+

10/19/2023 - Collector1855 wrote:

Domaine visit. It was interesting to taste this wine as we just had the Mouton 2015 at the Domaine a few hours ago. Both wines are a great success. Both are at the same quality level, the Latour was more masculine, precise, with cool blue fruit, the Mouton more exuberant. The tannins are really polished for a young Latour. One can see the progress here. I have visited this estate several times and on each visit I am impressed about the attention to detail and the professionalism. Also, one has to congratulate Latour to release wines only after ca 10 years and shoulder the capital cost. That will help consumers, especially restaurants, to have more mature wines on their list and be able to offer a better customer experience.

2/23/2024 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine:

The aromatic equivalent of a Black Sabbath power chord with an array of aromas all deep and dark ranging from hot asphalt to the classic Latour array of pencil fillings, walnuts, and cigar ash. The tannins are a fine powder but abundant enough to give this a slightly drying, eggshell veneer, especially since it's pretty sleek and restrained in body. When Latour announced their move away from the standard en primeur calendar to release wines when "ready to drink" I was deeply cynical they'd actually go through with it, far more likely they'd only hold them back for just a few years and release them exactly when they're *not* ready to drink, and indeed I can't imagine this is in a happier place today than it would have been five years ago if released on the normal calendar. Still, it is expressive enough to show a lot of what it has to offer and seems well-poised to develop along the same lines as a vintage like 2001.

3/8/2024 - WindFlyer Likes this wine:

greenish pale straw and quasi medium body. hints of honeysuckle and wet rock waft thru the lime and green apple fruits on the nose. juicy and bright in the palate, green apple and white plum glide along a chalky mineral base. saline and spice accents enhance the finish.

moderately-concentrated and well-balanced, this is an attractive Village Chablis that bears the ravages of the 2021 vintage (both in the reduced yields and the lighter concentration).

12.5% AbV; all Estate fruit (as denoted by the "Domaine" category); 5-10% of the wine ages five-six months in oak that averages six seasons of use.

3/6/2024 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine:

This might be my favorite Macdonald wine ever. Obviously super young, so hard to say at this point, but what a beauty. As usual, Alex opened the night before and we had this around noon the next day.

No formal notes since we were at a restaurant, but here are thoughts from memory. The word that comes to mind most is seamless. All parts are just perfectly aligned. Displays expressive fruit character, well integrated and perfectly pixilated tannins, a silky mouthfeel and long mineral laced finish. This year the fruit is darker and everything feels more polished. There's an elegance I don't typically get from these wines. The acidity is crisp and keeps the wine fresh without overdoing it. The tannins have come a long way from what was present in earlier vintages. IMO, this is the culmination of an evolution for Graeme and his winemaking over the years. Just an epically good vintage and not like anyone would pass on this wine but in case you needed a reminder - just don't. :)

3/3/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [61°-65°] Red and dark purple flowery aromatics are followed by fresh, pure dark red berries and some fresh plums. This is quite awesome on the nose, showing dark fruits but is lifted with pretty flowers, bringing freshness and a subtle brightness. With some air, a gently musty, rotting type of forest funk surfaces, which is actually quite nice.

Palate: [61°-65°] Prickly dark plums, spiced oak, bitter mulch, with black minerals like graphite and steeped tea rounding out the finish. The plum fruits become riper with time while keeping a nice breadth of freshness still (pure berries/neon-berries/fun central coast berries/Jolly Ranchers), and eventually losing its plum characteristic and moving into a more general dark fruit realm. The gentle forest rot from the nose is reflect here on the palate as well, with a bit of freshness weaving in and out like a forest path would take.

Attributes: Dark ruby, hard to see through but clear. Dry with medium amounts of fine tannin. Medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Good finish of at least 20-24 seconds.

Thoughts: Surprising amount of elegance eventually graces the palate with its presence, providing a bit of excitement. One thing I cannot shake off, is the heat. It's still very there, making the wine boozy and spicy. It honestly isn't any kind of herbal spice but rather alcoholic spice that shows on the palate. These, this and the syrah from yesterday, brings the "hard" in hard liquor. I don't know how this kinda heat will be like with age.. I just hope it really calms down with time.

Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Slow-ox'd and left uncorked at room temp, and consumed over 3.5 hours. Recommend serving ~62°-64° and decant as needed. Serve this at room temp, it showed better and more openly.

3/2/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: Beautifully ripened blackberries, black and red cherries, dark cranberries without any of its bright characteristics (in a good way), blueberries, and just a touch of earthy gooseberries. Dark and damp earth, with dark green herbs that has a gentle spice and roughness to it, like a sweet basil crossed with a perilla leaf. A hint of rubber tire on hot asphalt graces the fruits presence with some air.

Palate: Lots of dark berries with a punch of freshness and a dab of bitterness. Dried twigs snap and breaking the mid palate, bitter graphite, and a stony forest floor. This thing finishes on a note of high octane (15.8% alc.. might as well call it 16.5%) and graphite, with fresh bright cranberries.

Don’t do the sucking-air thing with your mouth - you will choke due to the high alcohol levels (you’re welcome). The labeling is also very fitting: biting into a hard candy and what appears to be a ball of cactus on a stem.. I know damn well that ain’t a dandelion (it most likely is but a ball of cactus on a stem makes much more sense). Also, serve this at room temp, the flavors seem to show better and the alcohol is more hidden. 94-95

2/3/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

"I'll drink anything" (San Carlos): Aromas of soft but deep black and blue fruits (fresh, dark blue and purple plums, black cherries, and blueberries), earth, and subtle shiny minerals.

The palate showed dried oak and dark but fresh plums. Bitter earth accompanied by a light dusting of dark graphite. There's freshness to this but it didn't seem to match the vibes of the flavors.

There's something about these Amoenus' in that they reflect its sibling, the Materium, very much but just a few notches turned down. Maybe I caught this at a bad time as well. Or maybe bottle shock (if that's even a thing).

2/3/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

"I'll drink anything" (San Carlos): Aromas of bitter pineapple slices (with its skin still on), a bit of dried bitter minerals and field grass. There is a very subtle buttery note and something like a fresh, halved longans. Nicely perfumed, a treat to smell.

Palate showed yellow fruits, a bit heaviness but with soft creaminess, good freshness and acidity that provides lift.

I wish I had more time and attention to pay to the wine.

2/3/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat wrote:

"I'll drink anything" (San Carlos): The nose showed fresh eucalyptus, red plums and fresh blueberries. There’s a sharpness though that made it somewhat annoying. Hope it fades with time. Still aromatic though, just some possible VA in the way?

Cherries with dry and clean spiced oak. Dried top soil and light minerals.

Fresh, light and bright, but there's something a little erratic about this, especially on the palate, like static on a television. I have a feeling it's just this bottling, unfortunately.. possibly bottle shock? I don't believe this is how it should be. Hoping for a better pop on my next bottle. No score for the record, but if I had to, ~92.

1/30/2024 - ledocq Likes this wine:

A treat. This one is a worthy, and unusual, addition to the portfolio - it’s bolder, more accessible, and more of a blue-fruit wine than the other single vineyard wines that I’m familiar with. It’s not showing all its cards, but it’s not, like, an obvious wine. As I found out on day two, it still holds a lot in reserve. The key differences here are the aromas upon opening, which lean toward the tobacco and the earthy, and then this thing that happens in the finish that I thought of as chaparral, but I’ve seen in the notes called “sage,” and I wouldn’t disagree. As ever, there’s this serious structure indicating that it will evolve long past the end of civilization (okay, I guess that’s IMO). The next day I had a 2009 Leoville Barton and felt there were some strong similarities in the profile, but I haven’t had a ton of LB, so take that with a grain of salt.

9/3/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Welcome home pt. 2 (FermentedBeast's Lair): Clean, crisp and light orchard fruits with good intensity on the nose. Flowers, dried stones and minerals, and with time, green apple is more prominent.

A clean cut of fresh green apples on the palate, gentle ripeness but with good bitterness from minerals that brings it lift. Subtle notes of honey that gives the illusion that this has a bit of weight but this maintains grace and swiftness. Just a slightly lighter (flavors, not weight) and cleaner taste compared to the chard next to it. Might be better with a chilled temp. 94-95

3/18/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Napa tasting (K&L Wine Merchant - San Francisco): Nose of fresh, small and ripe red and blue berries with intense florals.

Flavors of intense and prickly dark red fruits, softy spiced oak and shaved graphite.

Fresh and almost too light on the palate. Might gain some weight with more time. Obviously way too young. 93+

9/6/2023 - oldwines Likes this wine:

I was really looking forward to a thorough and detailed tasting with Evan Martin, but on arrival at 10am for our appointment, we were informed he only had at most 30 minutes due to the not-totally-unexpected fact that he was going to have to start picking that morning. When the moment is right you can't wait. So, we had to run through a bunch of wines rather quickly. I took cursory notes and will not rate the wines as a result. Every previous experience with his wines on the whole has been excellent, I just had a hard time processing things as quickly as required and was not feeling my best either.
As suggested in the name this is from very stony soil and the wine spent 40 days on the skins with 50% not destemmed (i.e. whole cluster fermented). Tannic, bright acidity, black fruit, spices, pretty distinct Syrah typicity. Elegant yet full-bodied. (probably 94-95)

12/29/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [60°-64°] Dark and fresh red berries and fresh plums, the smell of an empty and dried out cigar box with pencil shavings and powdered graphite inside of it, cedar with light and gentle forest floor notes as if it just finished raining, and smooth wet stones. With some time, aromas settle down to become more clean and gentle with red floral notes.

Palate: [60°-64°] Black plums with the firm, fresh yellow flesh with just enough ripeness to tip the scales so that it's not just a world full of tannin, bitter minerals and stone. Loose and damp earth with deeply rooted trees, and smooth wet slate. Heavily steeped black tea on the finish.

Attributes: Lots of sediment. Clear, dark medium ruby. Dry with high amounts of firm, grippy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium acidity. Good finish of at least 18-20 seconds.

Thoughts: Towering tannin and structure, like the treefolk you read about in fiction novels. Though not the brute or aggro type, it's rather more calm and stoic. Tannin for YEARS, so much that it's kinda like literally steeping 5-6 English breakfast teabags in a single cup. Great acidity to keep things fresh. Definitely one of the kind you want to cellar away for at least 7-10 years. Can't really rate this as this was stupid young, but if I had to, 95-96+

Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Slow-ox'ed at cellar temp ~54° and consumed over 4.5 hours. Recommend serving ~58°-62°. Decant ~2-4hrs if opening now.

1/8/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: Crushed blackberries and black cherries, dried and frayed tree bark, a few sticks of unlit incense, soaked mulch and wet stones.

Palate: Brooding black fruits, the tree bark is now damp here, fresh new asphalt as if you’re riding down Highway 1, deep earth, and powdered 8B graphite and savory stones that trail onto the finish. Awesome freshness for a dark wine, making for an amazing lift and speed on the palate.

Thoughts: This was quite expressive with no kind of decanting, pop and poured and consumed over ~4 hours. Swirling in the glass helps a lot. Tasty now but can use some integration, about another 2-5 years of cellaring. I thoroughly enjoyed this the way it is though. A bit more grace would be nice so just a bit of patience can be rewarding.

11/23/2019 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: Floral, red fruits and sweet earth when swirling from afar. Some earth funk like deep, wet earth, mushrooms, some moss, wet bark, barn leather, a pleasant soft spice or pepper (not black) and a slight smokey dried meat scent. A little bit of dried herbs with some time in the glass.

Palate: A blend of deep earth, ripe red toned fruits, an underlying of similar wet bark from the nose, softly spiced, a slight lacing of oak, a slight mineral on the finish.. and I'm playing 'Name-that-note' on this one flavor.. it's some sort of clay? Maybe candle wax or just the forest funk, kinda hard to tell but very good.

Dark, clear medium ruby. Dry with medium to medium-plus amounts of chewy tannin. Medium body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Amazing finish of at least 26-27+ seconds. Full of flavors that are dense and concentrated but is somehow elegant across the palate (the body call was somewhat kinda hard because of the elegance). So well packaged together. This is really good now and obviously can stand the test of time, at least 7-8 years as the structure and acidity seems to suggest. So this is Northern-Rhone Syrah, eh? Oh.. I'm learnin'

Other notes: No decant, time in glass only and you shouldn't decant, the flavors seem delicate and too much air might change it some. Burgundy glass. Served ~60° and enjoyed over the course of 1.5 hours.. I tried taking my time but I couldn't. Really enjoyable.

12/24/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [59°-61°] Wet and clean black mulch, buried cedar, black and purple fruits, and clumps of clay with thin veins of graphite. With plenty of time, minerals surface in the earth.

Palate: [60°-61°] Black fruits with dark yet fresh red fruits that give the flavor profile an amazing lift and freshness. Clean savory wood and graphite, and pleasantly bitter earth and minerals on the finish. With almost an hour of time in the glass, a heavier pitch of earth, savory minerals and even a clean metalic note (in a good way) develops on the finish, while keeping a dark profile of fruits. Too much air though, and the wine seems to bring bitter green shrubbery and dried twigs.

Attributes: Clear, dark ruby. Dry with medium amounts of grippy tannin. Medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Great finish of at least 20 seconds.

Thoughts: This seems ready from the get go. I preferred this much better on pop and pour. The notes were more distinct and fresh, while delivering with intent. I'm starting to learn that too much air can make really make the tannin aspects stand out a lot. Pop and pour and journey along, but maybe not let this air out for too many hours. If you're gonna air this out for that long, might as well cellar it for a handful of years.

Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Served one glass and emptied bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~54° and consumed over 5.5 hours. Recommend serving ~58°-62°, and only decant if needed.

12/23/2023 - sean7711 wrote:

Bought in the secondary market. Wondering if this was a slightly off bottle. Medicinal, harsh finish. Decanted for 3-4 hours. Had next to a 2009 Hundred Acre which was better.

12/23/2023 - Pontifax Likes this wine:

So....a bit of a splurge for a pre- Christmas, post shopping dinner, of seafood pie, winter veg, and herbed pasta salad.
On nose: roasted almonds, toasted sourdough bread, and gooseberry jam.
On palate: all above flavour notes firing on all cylinders,
With Meyer lemon, warm stone, dried peach, a ghost of savoury, and very subtle vanilla/ oak....all on a superbly balanced , cleanly acidic medium body.....at 4 years of age this entry level Chassagne, from Marc Morey, makes one wonder what his 1er Cru wines are like ....this is superb.
Pleasingly approachable now, but can age well for at least a decade .

7/22/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

White Burgundy tasting @ K&L (K&L Wine Merchant - San Francisco): Beautiful and pretty floral aromatics with some gooseberries, if they somehow smelled sweet and ripe aside from their usual scents. Cut, crisp white peaches (the hard, crunchy fleshed ones).

On the palate is a very subtle creaminess, I wanna say vanilla but it’s not, while having no heaviness from it. Clean white fruits with intense flavors but with almost dried flesh (in a good way).

So airy with an awesome flavor profile, so blissful and heavenly. Another gem for what you pay for.

12/17/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Hard Seltzers vs. Hard Liquor vs. Wine: N: Aromas lean towards tropical aromas of deep and earthy pineapple, and scents of whole guavas. Bales of hay, a sprinkling of lime zest, and notes of washed stones.

P: Imagine if there was a hybrid fruit that was a crossbreed between a pineapple and a cantaloupe, having the fresh crispness of a pineapple while also having the comforting, ripe cantaloupe flavors. Freshly cut green grass brings the swiftness on the palate down a bit, without completely slowing everything down. Light notes of damp neutral oak, prickly tree bark and bitter minerals on the finish.

Great balance here while still delivering a deep pitch of flavors. The deep flavors of this chard somehow manages its flavor profile that isn't heavy or weighty in terms of flavor and body. Restrained freshness, enough to stay exciting.

12/15/2023 - MN Wine Junkie Likes this wine:

Robert's Holiday Party (Margaux's): My WOTN...and I am not a Nebbiolo fan! This bottle opened my eyes to why some people collect Barolo wines. This was reminiscent of a nicely aged Bordeaux. Shockingly good, especially for a 70 year old wine! This had the "WOW' factor in spades! Everything you could expect from an older wine and more! The fruit was still present (tart and sweet cherry) with plenty of mushroom, Unami, forest floor, earth, leather and some herbal notes. Utterly delicious and would never have guessed a Barolo nor anywhere near 70 years old! Truly a treat....Thanks Kevin! 96-96+ for my palate, and that is likely conservative!

12/11/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

If I can just scoochie on in here.. (Napa): Aromas dark red fruits, very similar to the Oakville bottling, but with a bit of opulence and richness. There’s a touch of citrus that gives the aromas a nice complexity and refreshing quality, along with a gentle caress of pencil shavings.

Palate matches nose with dark, opulent fruits but without any citrus notes. Brooding in profile but holds the same freshness and class. Awesome cedar notes on the finish, followed by pleasant savory notes.

Loved the freshness on this one, but the fruit still seems somewhat youthful. The acidity is doing a lot of the carrying here, keeping the fruits in check, never allowing it to become rich. This should be had in another handful of years. Wouldn't mind following this over the course of a long evening neither.

3/4/2021 - msuwine wrote:

Offering a prediction of the future of a wine is somewhat like describing philosophy as the search for truth - i.e., “a blind man in a dark room searching for a black hat that isn’t there.” I offer no credentials, clairvoyance, or even certainty, but I will assert against it all: this is a spellbinding wine that shows - however early - greatness. I cannot defend, even to myself, the decision to open this bottle tonight, but I do not regret it. Poetry aside, wait a few years to open this, but expect the real deal.

Dark red in color and full in body, the wine offers enveloping aromas of black cherry (freshly picked, stems still there, inches from your nose), along with graphite, fresh thyme, and cardamon. The flavors are distinct but integrated, with notes of blackberry, bay leaf, ground espresso, and anise, followed by a layered and lingering finish that needs time to calm down - but glides with a balance that should serve it well for many years to come. Blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. 14.5% alcohol. Decant at least two hours.

This is one of the most impressive (and most expensive) 2018s I have tasted so far, but it’s ridiculously good now - and should be better later. 96-97 at the moment, with upside - all the way to three digits - in 2023 or later. This is such a classy and delicious wine.

11/11/2023 - gymnastpro wrote:

What a wine. I would say this is the best dico yet. The Coombsville influence is evident and lovely. The cool climate of oak knoll and Coombsville makes the wine so fresh and lively. The tannins are there for a long life ahead. I love this wine so much.

12/3/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Imma have to start calling your secretary! (Sunset District): I looked at it.. I was just passing by.. I noticed it, came to a stop, and looked at it.

Aromas of ripe dark red and black fruits, with the profile of the fruits becoming more serious being propped up by dark graphite, pencil shavings, and deep earth. A good floral airiness graces the fruits with aromatic earthiness.

Palate showed black and dark fruits with a backing of savory graphite, dry tree bark and deep earth. There's a gentle but firm woody spice like cedar. The fruit is brooding, with restraint. Plenty of life ahead and would love to see how this shows in another 4-6 years.

1/29/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Nose: [57°] Black earth, blackcurrants, stone, spiced and damp new oak and a dark scent of graphite. Floral aromas ride with the spiced oak notes very nicely with a purpose. [61°] With some time, roasted dark green herbs surface along with some fine coffee and cocoa powder. Tar you get from the palate eventually shows up on the nose as well. Dark red fruits eventually tags along.

Palate: [57°] Indulgent blackcurrants from the nose that drains deep into black earth, dark graphite, minerals as if they were somehow burnt, spiced damp oak and steeped black tea on the finish. With some time, black tar develops on the finish alongside with pleasantly bitter minerals. [62°] Develops a macerated fruit profile that I love but is kept within bounds with its black, bitter mineral notes.

Attributes: Dark ruby. Dry with medium amounts of fine, grippy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with medium to medium-plus acidity. Great finish of about 26-28 seconds. Some sediment already in bottle.

Thoughts: Been wanting to taste Dalla Valle for a while now and glad I am finally able to. This thing is layered and very tasty. Dark and brooding characters yet shows restraint. At its current youthful stage, I love how the wine exudes fun and liveliness but knows how to control itself and hold back a little, knowing well not to go overboard with it, almost precocious. This should have an amazing life ahead of it as the flavors did not waver once throughout the tasting, holding strong throughout. Excited to see how this will be with some age, if I can even help it. 97+ easy.

Serving notes: Bordeaux glass. Served one glass and emptied bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~55° and consumed over 8 hours. Recommend serving ~58°. Decanting was not necessary but do so as needed.

11/13/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Duck, duck, abortion!; 11/11/2023-11/17/2023: Aromas of eucalyptus, and fresh red fruits with brightness. A touch of bright, sour blueberries as well. This reminds me of a Paso grenache (neon berries, or the Jolly Ranchers artificial notes).

Palate showed dried earthiness, dried jerky, and dark and austere red fruits. This did not show what I thought it would, and it is hard for me to see it getting there.

Day 2 [technically day 3, (bottle recorked, stored in cool temp) did not taste on day 2 but did on day 3]: Aromas showed darker red fruits, with a freshness with the aromas of neon berries/Jolly Ranchers moving more into the background. There are some notes of Iberico ham and red floral notes. A strong scent of dark earth and plenty of dark, wild undergrowth.

Flavors show a bit more of a juicier tartness of dark red berries from a grenache, some graphite, deep earth and dried leaves. There’s notes of dried twig and tree bark as well. Finishes with plenty of tannin like steeped tea, bitter minerals and that dried oak note lingers on.

This showed much better with a ton of slow-ox (corked back and stored upright in a cool area ~56°). I hate saying this but this is gonna take a good amount of time for it to integrate and develop more, guessing around 8-10+ years. It can use a healthy decant if you plan on opening soon.

11/3/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:

Careful planning and consideration went into which bottles to pull for our first trip to the “farm”.

I landed in Thorevilos with consideration to all the recent changes to what is now called Ecotone Vineyard. Brilliance in the bottle under the guidance of David Abreu and winemaker Brad Grimes. Thorevilos is a unmistakable name and so is the wine.

2010 Thorevilos is true to vintage and terroir. The structure of the cooler vintage with the energy and ripeness of a warm vintage. Decanted one hour in advance of our main course at the Dogwood, this wine continued to develop in the glass down to the last drop. This complex wine has a lot going on in all the right ways. Dark fruits on the savory side of spectrum, Thor is the Yin to Madrona’s Yang.

On the early side of this wines drinking window.

98+. Approach with a proper decant. Drink over a long siting with the best of friends.

Closerie Les Beguines
Chateau Simon Blanc 2012
Abreu Thorevilos 2010
JL Chave Hermitage 2019

10/17/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Cracking the whip; 10/16/2023-10/23/2023 (Eagan, MN): N: Clean new oak (akin to that new leather smell of a brand new car), cut stems of a flower, a clean and dry forest floor with a blend of black and dark red fruits, and a subtle dusting of graphite.

P: Black and red fruits, a core of beautiful dark graphite and tar, deep earth to soften the landing of any roughness, fine black minerals, and golden steeped tea on the finish. There’s an aura of savoriness that envelops everything, protecting everything from sharp edges or random stiff arms. With time, flavors come together in a beautiful integration of everything, while keeping a dark, serious profile. Deep roasted coffee beans develop as well, with its tasty bitterness, strong earthiness and bright, savory stones.

A regal darkness but with such class and grace, like a badass villain that you would cheer for.. you know you shouldn’t be, but you do anyways because of the charm and charisma the character brings (like Loki or Wukong). Amazing now and should develop into near perfection within a handful of years. This is something you should definitely try to follow along throughout the years if you have the bottles. If you’re having now, pop and pour and journey along.