| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2019 Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Rutherfordmore |
4/28/2024 - Iskama Likes this wine: NRI definitely like this better than my last note from almost a year ago. The alcohol really sticks out though that may have something to do with the food pairing. Not a rebuy but not bad and would be happy to drink it again |
| Red |
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo MonviglieroNebbiolo more |
4/9/2024 - Iskama wrote: NRThe wine has definitely entered a new phase since my last bottle. Beautiful and typical nose, but the palate was all stems and pretty devoid of fruit. My concern with 2018 was whether the fruit would come back, and if it did, what kind of shape would it be in. Still a fascinating wine to drink and we agreed that blind it would be pretty difficult to identify as Barolo. Looking forward to continuing the journey with this one... |
| White - Sparkling |
2008 Vazart-Coquart Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Special Club BrutChardonnay more |
3/6/2024 - Iskama Likes this wine: 94 pointsThis is in a really fantastic place right now. Hard to say if this bottle was aging ahead of its curve, but it was showing lots of caramel and toast in good balance with the fruit, acid, and bubbles. Really nice early aged champagne, wish I could get more but sadly that ship has sailed. |
| White - Sparkling |
2021 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val VilainePinot Noir more |
2/25/2024 - Iskama Likes this wine: 93 pointsThe most open and enjoyable VV I’ve had on release, maybe since the 2016? Pear and red fruits, savory and mineral, and the je ne sais quoi that I am always looking for from a bottle of champagne. Showing better than either the 2020 VV or 2018 UR did on release, both BdNs which will need much more time to develop in bottle. Wonderful. |
| Red |
2021 Maître de Chai Cabernet Sauvignon Gala Mountain VineyardNapa Valley more |
2/1/2024 - Iskama Likes this wine: NRGood. Enjoyable. “Classic”, on the lighter end of the spectrum, nice peppery streak on the finish. Opened up really well with air. Compared favorably to Frog’s Leap at this price point, maybe a small step behind DI CO for me. Would rebuy though. Nice! |
| Red |
2021 Kelley Fox Wines Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Star of Bethlehem Flower BlockDundee Hills more |
1/27/2024 - Iskama wrote: NRI love the KF wines. This is extreme though. Very watery rim. Nowhere close to the potency of the 2019. People say these gain weight with age but I have a hard time seeing this having much held in reserve. |
| Red - Fortified |
1963 Dow Porto VintagePort Blend more |
12/29/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: 97 pointsI was a little apprehensive after reading some recent notes on here but this stopped us in our tracks. Initially had a very spicy birch beer type of flavor after opening, but well balanced. Mellowed out after 30-45 minutes with the fruit taking center stage and the alcohol more noticeable. But this was shockingly fresh for a 60 year old wine and it has at least 5-10 more years of good drinking ahead for well stored bottles. An absolute treat. We drank this next to a 2004 Taylor and that wine felt way too young, I would’ve wanted at least 20 more years for it to approach anywhere close to the complexity and ethereal character of this 1963 Dow. |
| White |
2020 Morgen Long Chardonnay X OmniEola - Amity Hills more |
12/29/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: NRYou know how sometimes you open a premium wine very young and it doesn’t show much, and you say, it must be closed down or it’s too young, it’ll get better, caught it at a bad time. But you really don’t know. This was maybe the first wine I’ve had where I could see clearly into the future - and there is greatness ahead - but I would say to absolutely not open now, or at least not without a long decant, and not serve too cold. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Rosé - Sparkling |
NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut (2013) Les MaillonsPinot Noir more |
9/23/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRRuby red color. Tasted like an effervescent Pinot noir with a hint of citrus and herbs. The first rose I’ve had that smelled like roses. I don’t know if I’d say it’s more interesting than good - it’s both - but it’s definitely more intellectual than hedonistic, nowadays worth the price of admission once but I wouldn’t crave it regularly. |
| White - Sparkling |
2012 Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Comtesse Marie de FrancePinot Noir more |
9/20/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: 93 pointsBetter than expected. Had a really nice complexity to it. Some bottles of this cuvee tend to have a one dimensional apple flavor but this definitely had a lot more going on. |
| White |
2018 Beta Chardonnay Chuy VineyardMoon Mountain District more |
9/19/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRI honestly hated my first bottle of this a few months ago. New world oak monster. But I loved the bottle I opened last night. Was it the pairing with a hearty chicken soup that stood up to it? Maybe… it definitely tasted more integrated and the oak didn’t stick out as much. A little more noticeable on day two but still a pleasant drink. Perhaps needs food. |
| Rosé - Sparkling |
NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Brut RoséChampagne Blend more |
8/6/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRBase 17 disgorged 7/22. I usually like my rose much closer to disgorgement than regular champagne (or at least in that vein - high acid, steely, mineral) but opening this was a complete waste. Zero fruit. Maybe a victim of a weak Pinot noir vintage, tried giving it a few hours of air but not much change. This was my first dance with Egly’s rose so I’ll pick up an older disgorgement for comparison’s sake, seeing as a lot of trusted tasters really love it. |
| White - Sparkling |
2017 Domaine Vincey Champagne Grand Cru OgerChardonnay more |
7/5/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRFine, but not particularly interesting. Apple, lime, acid, acid. A little creamier on day two. This feels like what people have in mind when they use the term “grower champagne” as a pejorative. |
| Red |
2019 Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Rutherfordmore |
6/8/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRA nice wine but it feels atypical for Frog’s Leap. It’s lighter, less black fruited, more earth than bell pepper. Some spice on the finish. No green streak. Not like the 15, 16, 17, 18 which were all classic and easily identifiable. I like it, but I probably won’t be reloading. |
| Red |
2020 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Nebbiolo LangheLanghe DOC more |
6/4/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: NRThis is in a really great window. I love Fabio’s Langhe for its freshness and usually enjoy it most right after release. I remember the 2018 at this stage taking a real turn for the worse (for my palate) and the 2019 really maintaining its youthfulness. This bottle is showing a little development and maturity and I find that little added complexity an improvement from the usual linear red-fruitiness. I ought to hang onto these a little longer instead of going through 6-12 bottles in a flash and moving onto the next vintage. Alas… drink up |
| Red |
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo MonviglieroNebbiolo more |
5/23/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: 94 pointsSixth bottle in the past year. What I might appreciate most about this wine is that each showing has been perfectly consistent. Feels too rare in the world of artisan wine, in my experience at least. Here I know exactly what I’m getting every time I pull a cork. 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (7) |
| White |
2017 Cameron Blanc Clos ElectriqueOregon Chardonnay more |
5/21/2023 - Iskama Likes this wine: 93 pointsLoved this. Perfect bottle. Same notes as soyhead. Everything in great balance and harmony, with minerality, lemon, a deft oak touch that creates a little roundedness that brings everything together. Cohesive. Wish I had more. |
| White |
2020 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les ChenevottesChardonnay more |
3/9/2023 - Iskama wrote: NRSuper oaky and rich on day 1, balanced and delicious on day 3. Pretty good! |
| White - Sparkling |
2014 Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru Special ClubChampagne Blend more |
1/22/2023 - Iskama wrote: 94 pointsEn magnum. This was excellent. Way, way better than expected. Just perfect balance between white fruit, florals, and toast. In the upper echelon of champagnes I’ve had in a while. Magnum effect, or just a really good wine? |
| White - Sparkling |
NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut (2018) Les MaillonsPinot Noir more |
12/21/2022 - Iskama Likes this wine: NRBeautiful and classic Collin nose. Pear, jasmine, ginger, peach, mineral, blah blah etc. Palate hasn’t caught up though. The 2017 was more open on release. Bury these for a few years… |
| Red |
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto BaroloNebbiolo more |
12/21/2022 - Iskama Likes this wine: 92 pointsLoved this. Easy drinking, light but structured, classic Burlotto signatures. If a retailer ever blew this out for <$50 I’d buy a case and drink it over the next 2-3 years. Maybe it will age well but the combination of approachability, freshness, red fruit, and spice makes it delicious now. I see no reason to wait long on this - for my preferences, I’m not sure it’ll get better. Next I’ll try side-by-side with the 2020 Langhe Nebbiolo as I’m curious to see how this stands up at twice the price. I see some similarities but the Barolo offers much more depth and a little more structure, as one would expect. |
| Red |
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo MonviglieroNebbiolo more |
10/21/2022 - Iskama Likes this wine: 95 pointsHad this a few times now, very consistent showings. It’s a really beautiful wine with great aromatic complexity and the silkiest of tannins. It mops the floor with every other 2018 I’ve tasted. I personally prefer it to the exotic nature and sandy, drying tannin of the 2017. But it’s also much more delicate and lighter bodied. No idea how it will age but it sure is good now. 95-96? |
| White - Sparkling |
2016 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Millésimé Blanc de Noirs Les UrsulesPinot Noir more |
9/25/2022 - Iskama wrote: NRI seem to be in the minority here but this was not particularly interesting. Fine, elegant, and very much identifiable as Bouchard. But a bit simple and to me not worth any more than the €130 paid off the list (based off today’s showing). I do think this has a ton of room for improvement so I wouldn’t open another bottle for at least 5 years, and it can definitely go a whole lot longer than that. But for now probably the least exciting of ~10 different RdJ bottles I’ve tried. Also a stark contrast to a 2015 opened a few months ago that was absolutely rocking, maybe not a surprise given the vintage… that was really, really good. |
| Red |
2016 Château Calon-SégurSt. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more |
9/10/2022 - Iskama Likes this wine: 94 pointsMuted on PnP. Decanted for 5 hours, tons of sediment already, very little perceptible tannin. Really liked where this was after a decant but not what I was expecting. Lot of herbal character, which I liked, some bell pepper. Black fruited and very classic. Not much signature Saint-Estephe smoke, ash, incense I get sometimes. Saved a glass for 24 hours later and it was not quite as expressive, but creamier and a little more exotic like the 2018 with none of the bell pepper from the night before. I’m 93-94 on this, but I really liked it night one so 94 it is. However I was drinking side by side with a few other bottles that night including a 2018 Frog’s Leap. For me that wine is a very good value at $60, this one at $175-200 is not. Enjoyable but not a rebuy. I’ll go with the frog and if I’m going to splurge I’ll trade up to Montrose or Pichon Lalande for another $25-50. |
| Red |
2016 Produttori del Barbaresco BarbarescoNebbiolo more |
8/21/2022 - Iskama wrote: NRBeautiful perfume when I pulled the cork. Roses, tar, licorice, a little cherry candy / slight medicinal, really nice. I then double decanted 4-5 hours before serving later in the evening and that was probably a mistake because the wine was very closed down all throughout a long dinner. PnP was probably best bet, or opening the day before, or the wine is just closing down (which other notes don’t really seem to indicate). First bottle in close to a couple years I think and this definitely didn’t put on the same show my last one did. 14 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
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- Tasting notes: 62 notes on 57 wines
