9/18/2021 - BryAG Likes this wine:

From 45 year old vines located in the commune of Marsannay, this shows candied, ripe strawberry, faint baking spice, rhubarb, vanilla and wet clay on the nose. The attack shows a hint of sweetness from the strawberry / raspberry moving lithely to a core of bright acid while maintaining soft creaminess over the mid. The finish is clean and linear; tannin drying with good length.

9/15/2021 - BryAG Likes this wine:

A fine example of mature Pinot Noir with rusted iron tinged raspberry, blood orange, sap, vanilla and cedar. Time has been kind; fine acid, soft creamy core with dark mineral kissed dry tannin with a long finish. Outstanding spot for enjoyment; Blind would have pegged as Volnay. Last bottle of this gem.

10/11/2015 - BryAG Likes this wine:

Our turkey wine this year - only 12.5% Floral and slate, lightly honeyed with granite mid-palate and kiss of sugar over a light finish. Wonderful foil to the rich saltiness that is dark turkey, gravy and mashed potato.

5/4/2014 - BryAG wrote:

A clean nose with notes of vanilla, loam, wet clay, cinnamon, barnyard and cigar. Its fruit is still evident with fainter notes of cassis, cranberry, dried cherries and blood orange.

Palate: Stylistically, this is more like Burgundy and less like what we know as Bordeaux today. It is carried by a wonderful core of acidity which carries the now faint primary black berry and dried red berry fruit. The secondary and tertiary characters picked up on the nose show themselves on the palate. It has good length over its finish and has a medium body with medium flavour intensity. The tannins are soft and still slightly grippy. Overall, the wine is elegant and the experience is memorable.

- See more at: http://yycwine.com/post/84754841786/1995-chateau-darmailhac-grand-cru-classe-pauillac#sthash.khCRYHpD.dpuf

8/29/2012 - BryAG wrote:

Price: $15.00

Eyes: Out of the bottle, this 2009 showed a rich, dark purplish red hue indicating its youth.

Nose: The bouquet has intense blend of smoke tinged plum, prune, raspberry, underbrush and hints of game.

Palate: An interesting attack with flavour characters of prune and raspberry with a bit of green foliage immediately transitioning to ultra bright acidity. Tannat wines tend to be highly tannic however this one carries an unexpected elegance over its dry finish where the experience is eased by the softer Merlot and winemakers hand. The rustic ruggedness that Tannat is known for hasn’t disappeared completely but the effort to tame it is admirable.

Conclusion: This is a surprisingly approachable example of young Uruguayan red wine that should be considered for experimentation. It is a food wine and as such, I’d pair it with game meats like elk, deer or bison as their game qualities should be accentuated by the unique bouquet and flavour profiles of the wine. In terms of cellaring, I would consider holding it for 1 to 2 years but know that it can be ready to drink now.

1/6/2012 - BryAG wrote:

smokey dried cherries and cranberries. Hints of charred meat on nose. Bright acid. Pleasant for a Friday night pizza wine. Won't change your world though.

5/11/2011 - BryAG wrote:

Blend of Shiraz from the Hunter Valley and McLaren Vale regions of Australia. Each of these regions has its own terroir and this wine meshes those regional characteristics in its expression of the Shiraz / Syrah varietal. Decanted it for about 30 minutes and looks wise, it carried a medium bodied, dark ruby red core that moved to reddish orange on its edges. This bottle was stored on its side and it gathered a large amount of sediment so careful pouring was imperative. On the nose, it had a glass filling aromatic density showing powerful scents of cherries, blueberries and charred oak. There was also a remarkable glycerine / herbal aspect adding complexity and indicating high alcohol. On the palate, it had an explosive, fruit forward attack coating the palate demonstrating a wonderful blend of sweet and tart via black and red berry fruit. The experience was what we think a liquid, black berry fruitcake would be like. Over the mid palate, it showed medium acidity carried by a lengthy finish. The tannins were soft yet dark with a wonderful teeth staining intensity and silky persistence.

2/17/2011 - BryAG wrote:

Its body held a vibrant goldish yellow hue and it exhibited a pearly luster. While it was served in a standard party style wine glass, the sheer amount and persistence of the bubbles were remarkable and I can only image their concentration served in proper flutes.
On the nose, the freshness of the yeast was primary and right away I got the olfactory sensation of lemon juice squeezed over crushed soda and graham crackers. On the palate, its most striking component was its laser guided, pinpoint acidity. I picked up a wonderful citrus and peach driven minerality as it finished with profound elegance and length.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

The body of this wine is very light and is quite thin. It is brickish orange moving ever so slightly to clear on its edges. The nose is very introverted with hints of cherries and rhubarb with notes of vanilla and rustic game. On the palate, its is extremely lean and diluted. It goes dark on the finish with a bitter herbal note. In terms of finish, it is quite short and is ultimately uninspiring. With some time, this wine opened up a touch, but not enough to be more than just a basic, somewhat boring example. A tough, unyielding wine from a tough vintage.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

In the glass, the wine exhibits a wonderful, vibrant purple hue that displays its youth well with its light to medium body. On the nose, notes of ripe and sour cherries, raspberry and plum are the primary fruit components. There are also notes of cinnamon and cedar which add nice depth to the aroma. Initially, the nose on this wine is less Pinot Noir and more indicative of Merlot, but this will undoubtedly change with time. On the palate, the attack is dark and elegant, with chaulky, tart cherry and black plum leading with a precise transition to a high acid, green herbal-ness over the mid-palate. The finish goes dry but is lengthy and mouthwatering. The balance and tannins on this wine are deftly executed and it is easy to see the high level of quality it exhibits. It has fleeting moments of angularity but I see these disappearing with some additional bottle aging.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Its look is a deep, rich black purple that trails slightly to its edges. It comes in advertised at 14.7% alcohol but I suspect its higher from the slowness of its legs. On the nose the aroma shows notes of vanilla, milk chocolate, charred oak and stewed fruit. It reminds me of a chocolate fruitcake with touch of heat. On the palate, the mouth feel is full as this fruit bomb delivers shale dusted blackberries, cinnamon with herbal minerality punctuated by a nice pang of acidity on the mid. The finish is lengthy with a fig driven tartness noted from the acidity push it ahead. The tannins are soft and round, making the experience rather enjoyable.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

The wine was a touch cloudy, with a brickish red hue moving to clear on its edges with a core of light red. The nose was faint and was just holding on with notes of cola, earth and a slight game quality. With time, the nose opened up more and became more expressive. In the mouth, it was elegant and restrained with bruised strawberries and sweet cherries upfront moving seamlessly to velvet soft, dark tannins that still remained structured. Both the sommelier and I commented that it was drinking like a 1990 rather than a 1976.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Out of the decanter, the medium plus body of this Chianti was ruby moving to brickish red on its edges showing its age with grace. For the nose, aromas of tar and violets presented with some slightly poopy, barnyard action coming through . On the palate, it showed a elegant, balanced approach with a rustic cherry play along with the tar noted on the nose. The acidity and tannin execution were brilliantly coupled with its profoundly long finish. To me, an outstanding Chianti will be one that can be enjoyed on its own or with a food foil and this example from Terre Delle Falcole meets both criteria. Drink now if you are able to source it or order it if you see it on a wine list at your preferred eatery.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Out of the bottle, it shows a vibrant yellow body with green tinting, with copious amount of bubbles. The bubbles have excellent persistence with tight perlage which is a good quality indicator. In terms of aroma, it shows a yeast driven, soda cracker component with secondary notes of green apple, honey and oak essence. The palate is greeted with notes of toasted bread, granny smith apple and perhaps a touch of sweet pear. The acidity is lip smacking and it cleanses the palate wonderfully. There is a hint of bitterness on the finish but it adds to the experience rather than detracts. In terms of food pairing, I see its as a wonderful foil to red berries especially where tartness is exhibited in the fruit. This tartness will counter the bitterness observed on the wines finish.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Out of the bottle and through the Vinturi, this wine has a fully opaque, dark purple core. Its color gives way ever so slightly moving to its edges and it is beginning to show its age as it moves to a pinkish orange hue on the rim. The nose is less Cali and more Cote Rotie with the stewed black berry fruit being secondary to notes of butchers block, dried / cooked meat and undercurrent of hoisin sauce. On the palate, the sensation of tart, black berry combined with roasted meat are most present. The acidity it displays is high however the tannins have mellowed nicely with its bottle age. This wine shows a firm backbone and it goes dark over its short finish. With all these positive traits there were some detractors however. I found it to be quite hollow over the mid palate as it missed the mark on that important taste dimension in terms of its balance and complexity.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

I ran this wine into a decanter to allow it to open up and tested it in a Burgundy glass. It was immediate that this was Nebbiolo as it had a light, reddish core moving to a pinkish orange hue trailing to the edge of the glass. From a nosing perspective, it was quite closed initially but with time notes of spice tinged raspberry began to emerge. There was a definite unidentified floral play coming through with hints of sweet tobacco and a charming mineral core. On the palate, the sensation of light prune and raspberry merged with a spiced, mineral component. Over the mid-palate, some bitter orange peel began to emerge and the tannins worked their palate drying magic to round the experience out.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

From bottle to decanter, I noted a wonderfully rich, reddish purple hue from its body. As it moves to the edge of my Bordeaux tasting glass, it begins to trail to pinkish red and is fully opaque at its core. It is beginning to lose it vibrancy in terms of color and is showing signs of its advancing age. On the nose it presents a complex bouquet of cooked beets, stewed prunes, black berries and red currant. There are secondary notes of black pepper, green pepper and menthol. From the palate, the diversity showcased on the nose is evident with sweet black berries and plums upfront mushrooming to beet leaves and charred caramel laced oak. The acidity on this wine is moderate and its tannins are supple and elegant. The finish is a melange of black berry, shale and black tea sensation which lasts 45 + seconds.

12/18/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Out of the bottle, it is very light and faint in terms of body with a reddish brown hue. It moves elegantly to orange and then clear as it approaches the edge of the glass. From a nose perspective, it is quite reticent with faint hints of dried herbs and tart cherries. It has a nice dusty, barnyard like scent peeking through which is quite enjoyable. On the palate, it is a touch on the thin side but it demonstrates sensations of tart cherries, elegant spice and dusty tannin coupled with Sangiovese’s signature rustic-ness. It finishes clean and drys the palate. I would see this wine being very food friendly in terms of pairing as its style lends itself to high versatility.

9/24/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Ran through the Vinturi and decanter. Found the wine to be a touch on the thin side with nice levels of palate drying tannins. Really enjoyed the nose with notes of cherry, cooked meat, and Slovenian oak. Food wine for sure, but found it to be more and more approachable as it opened up. Very old world style, less about massive fruit and manipulation. Kind of a Chianti you might expect in the early 80's. There are better CCR's out there at similar prices

9/14/2010 - BryAG wrote:

On to the wine, out of the bottle this wine has a vibrant, purplish black core with a medium to full body. On the nose, there are loads of dark berries with a wonderful cream like aspect from the oak treatment. Its bouquet is surprising soft and delicate for a wine of its stature. In the mouth, it is fresh, clean and juicy. It delivers loads of blackberry, sweet herbs and currant up front. It glides softly and without effort to dark tannins that caress the palate. The finish lingers beautifully and in general, this wine has great balance.

9/14/2010 - BryAG wrote:

We let it sit for 30 minutes and then poured my first taste. Its bouquet was delicate with herbal and earthy notes of rubber, tar, black pepper and licorice. The fruit sensations were secondary with hints of dried orange peel and prune. At this point, I was floored that it was still alive and I spent at least 15 minutes sniffing its wonderful fragrance before I tasted it. When I did, it showed wonderful soft prunes and raisin up front with those undeniable Barolo-eque notes of tar and peppered licorice. Over the mid-palate, the acidity remained evident and it transitioned to velvet soft yet remarkably fine grained tannins. Its length was epic with the finish lasting upwards of 30 seconds. What surprised me the most was that despite it not being optimally cared for, it remained fresh and was still very much alive even with all the challenges it had seen.

5/6/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Coming out of the decanter, the body of this wine is medium and it remains vibrant purple moving ever so slightly brickish orange to its edges. Color is a great indicator of age and potential longevity and this wine is still quite youthful with many good years ahead of it. On the nose, there is a intoxicating spiced vanilla mixed with cedar. In terms of fruit, there is a captivating blackberry play with cassis and cherry adding to the fragrance. This wine still has a delicate youthful freshness on the nose, yet another indicator of the many years this wine will live for. In the mouth, this wine has a finesse and lightness that is reminiscent of a Burgundy. Up front, there are aspects of tobacco, leather with a undercurrent of red berry fruit. At 12.5% alcohol, this is a classically styled old world claret with tremendous balance and impeccable levels of acidity. Its tannins are soft and elegant and it finishes with good length.

4/2/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Outstanding in terms of value, plums and prunes on the nose, stoney minerality with spiced aged oak. Very soft on the palate, fruit is secondary with gentle dark tannins. The finish is graphite with the sensation of chewed on #5 pencil. Very nice Barbera and am looking forward to enjoying this again and again.

2/8/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Plucked from the cellar too late, served it cool at 13 degrees Celsius. Nose has a beautiful blend of crushed violets, toasted oak and forest floor. Very seductive. The body was blackish purple and inky. Gorgeous, rich black berries upfront moving lithely over soft tannins. The finish goes a bit tart and for a wine of it's stature maintains fabulous acidity.

1/6/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Special value play from Jadot. Great freshness and complexity on the nose. Vibrant acidity with tart berries and herbs on the mid palate. Finishes lengthy and clean. Tannins are structured but never intrusive. Lots of complexity for a value priced example. Will buy more.

1/1/2010 - BryAG wrote:

Outstanding QPR here....wonderful bubbles, clean and refreshing. Exhibits characteristics of cherry lemonade. Excellent everyday sparkler that will fool your wine snob friends. Load up of you can find it.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

An excellent example of an outstanding medium bodied Nebbiolo from Northern Piedmont in Italy, delivering a slightly hard candy, floral bouquet with a orangish hue. Time has been kind to this wine, as the tannins have softened considerably but still remind you of their presence. There are sour berries (maybe choke cherries) up front, followed with a medium mouth feel and a lengthy delicious finish.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Color wise, this wine is showing a nice light straw like hue, and I could envision this wine aging gracefully with that color deepening over the years. On the nose, there is sugar poking through indicating that this wine maybe a bit sweeter than I had anticipated. Along with the sugar, there are hints of stone, honey and apricots which I am really enjoying. The first taste, those sugars really come strong and those notes of honey, apricot and some non ripe peach are on the finish. There is some good acidity here, which makes the taste crisp and tightens up those sugars that are so evident up front. I must say that it is a nice, elegant balance of sweet and sour that reminds me of those delicious Sour Kids candy I used to savor growing up. This is a very tasty wine, that I would drink on its own or match up with some poached or grilled fish. I will mention though that over the course of the evening, this wine changed significantly depending on the temperature it was served at. Right out of the cooler, the sugars this wine carried were far more evident than when when it was exposed to the atmosphere for an hour or so.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

The color of this wine is rich deep dark purple and is opaque and is most certainly a tooth stainer. The nose gives off hints of chocolate and fresh berries, tea and is herbal and medicinal. On the palate, the front is pure fruit with a port like richness with sinewy tannins over a long smooth finish. Even with its high alcohol levels, there is no heat at all and it is balanced and fresh and very delicious. Do yourself a favor and the next visit to your local market, splurge and seek this one out. It is a cellar candidate for another 15+ years but is accessible and enjoyable today.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

I let it aerate for about 3 hours before I tasted it. As far as color, this wine showed youth, with vibrancy and a tone that you would usually see out of a new Cabernet. On the nose, it presented a seriously introspective fragrance with notes of berries, spices, caramel and vanilla with even hints of shale. In the mouth, this wine was lively and fresh showing tart berry fruit with some greenness ( I thought Bell Peppers) with velvet tannins over a long, integrated finish. As well, those shale notes that showed themselves on the nose came through on the palate, which was great. There would be no way that I would have ever pegged this wine as a 2002, although I am sure this wine has the tools to age gracefully for another 12 years.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Coming out of the bottle, this wine showed a dark, ruby body trailing to garnet on the edges. There was a bit of sediment showing and it was fully opaque. An exciting start to be sure. On the nose, the perfume wasn’t immediately giving itself away but as time progressed a wonderful aroma of plums and prunes presented along with hints of dark chocolate. It was now this wine fully had my attention. In the mouth, the additional bottle aging had softened the tannins further showing a wonderfully elegance to this dark, brooding brute. It showed a good amount of plums and oak over a spiced, signature shiraz finish. One things I really enjoyed was the restraint that was put into this wine; no over-extracted, over-oaked fruit bomb here. I would recommend decanting this 2003 for at least 1 hour before service and as far as food, the standard red wine pairings apply here of grilled red meats etc.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Straight out of the bottle, the body on this wine has a vibrant purple core trailing to a brickish red. On the nose, a captivating blend of crushed violets, red currants and raspberry concentrate. Additionally, notes of plum and prune presented as well with a touch of heat. In the mouth, this wine was soft and elegant on the palate. It was contemplative, with mild dried berry fruit showing on the front and moves gracefully across the mid palate. It finished dry and somewhat quick. For the Élu blend being primary Cabernet Sauvignon, the tannins were lighter and less textured than expected. As far as faults, it showed a touch raisiny which might be attributed its warm serving temperature. If I could turn back time, I would have aspired to review it at 16 degrees Celsius and given it some time in a decanter to mellow it out.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Eyes – This wine is an elegant light yellow color, and is perfectly clear.

Nose – Restrained initially on the nose, with light notes of green apple and pear peeking through. It is slightly nutty and has hints of oak. After some time in the glass, this wine opens up and its fruit shows itself further.

Mouth – Very soft and restrained with light green apples and pear peeking through a creamy lightly oaked core. Full bodied, it has enough acidity not to be flabby, but is delicate and elegant. A great wine to be paired with food!

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Eyes: Out of the bottle, this wine is clear, with deep purplish red tones. Swirling it in the glass shows it’s viscosity and full body.

Nose: Immediately, there is a bit of funk to this wine, probably due to sulfites (decant for best results). Once settled out, this wine has a complex nose of scorched earth, stewed dark fruits, licorice, spice and tar. Just a stunning bouquet of cherry and game! Really spend some time getting your nose into this one.

Mouth: From the first sip that hits your lips, this wine is a roller coaster of dark, racy fruit hitting the front and mid, with a brilliantly long smooth finish. This is an wild and intense introspective wine that makes you savor each taste. The experience keeps you coming back. This wine has great tannin structure but has been made in such a way so they are never intrusive in the mouth, and really add to the smoothness and the character this wine reveals.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

The body on this wine is clear with a wonderful light intensity, ruby-ish orange hue. The bouquet is offers notes of bright raspberry and vanilla spiced oak which is a touch simplistic but pleasant regardless. Upon the first sip, the sensation of sour rhubarb, cherry and pomegranate cleanse the palate with an acidic pang. Over the finish, the vanilla and oak aspects noted on the nose resurface. The tannins are evident however, they are soft but leave the palate with slightly bitter sensation. Even after 4 years in the bottle, the Adamas remains a touch angular. Its no wonder that WineSpectator called it ‘hard’ when they reviewed it in 2007.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Eyes – This wine is a perfectly clear, beautiful straw yellow. It's coloring looks like it was kissed by the sun.

Nose – Right away you get a nice lemon-lime component, reminiscent of a Sprite or 7-Up aspect. This wine is showing some nice grassiness to it, and is a bit green, a bit herbal, and medicinal with some nuttiness.

Mouth – Up front, there is some nice sweetness showing some green apple and lime along with hints of peach. The acidity on this wine is great! Mouth watering and fresh, this is a nice change to the world of buttery Chardonnay. It finishes lengthy and clean.

12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Eyes – Out of the bottle, this wine displays a beautifully rich dark purplish garnet hue. It shows good clarity with medium opacity.

Nose – Rich concentrated fruit with notes of cherries, vanilla and dates. Exhibits hints of charred oak. A touch of heat is peeking through as well. To tone this down, serve it a bit cooler, probably around 17-18 degrees Celsius.

Mouth – Fruit forward with youth and vigor poised on a frame of spiced oak. Black cherries and chocolate notes here as well... reminds us slightly of chocolate covered cherries! Good tannins remind the drinker that this wine has some oomph and backbone, which makes it appropriate for some potential cellar time. Not quite a true fruit bomb, but is one in training.

12/27/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Quite closed on the nose, perfect kiss of sweetness that paired with roasted turkey perfectly. Food friendly with subtle laming

12/12/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Still retained some freshness on the nose; cranberries, minerality with an underlying barnyard. Soft and gentle in the mouth, almost Burgundian with refined elegance. Candied red fruit, subtle oak.

11/16/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Still lots of life left in this wine, showing beautiful blackberry and terroir notes in terms of its tannin. Very elegant and refined, just as properly cellared wine should be. Bought on the cheap from K+L wines in SFO for only 20 bones a bottle. Wish I could have brought more home.

10/14/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Super fruit forward; big time blackberry play on the nose. Brimming with sweet dark berry fruit up front, moving a touch soft perhaps on the backend. A fantastic example that new world wine lovers go gaga for. Its fragrance just envelops a room.

10/11/2009 - BryAG wrote:

Into the glass, the wine exhibits a rich garnet color that is so deep that when put up to a halogen light cannot be seen through. Just tons of red berry fruit and prunes on the nose. The taste can only be described as powerful with bold yet settled tannins. Tons of body here with a full and firm mouth feel, this one is full of fruit and smoke, pepper, charcoal and spices that are so alluring and so aggressive that each sip is a marvel into what a full bodied red should be. The finish is lasting and the fruit delivers in what seem like waves. This is a red wine persons red wine, and it is unapologetic about it.

10/11/2009 - BryAG wrote:

I was anticipating some signs of age however the body on this wine was violet trailing ever so slightly to its edges. So much for thinking this one was on the decline! The nose was presenting hints of barnyard and caramel with plums / prunes being the primary fruit aromas. It also had characteristics of torched earth and tar. On the palate, the wine was out of this world, showing off complex layers of elegant, dark red fruit flavors with smooth dark tannins on a epically long finish. Overall, the entire experience was very old world in its style with the nuances and intricacies being the highlights rather than over extracted fruit. The wine evolved considerably over the one or so hours it was decanted, and after about 30 minutes, the tannins had softened considerably which added to the experience.