5/4/2024 - Tay JR Likes this wine:

Last tasted this a few weeks back at Jon's place in a Kvetna burg glass and this was showing a lot more sweet oak character.

This time, I had it in a much smaller GG StandArt and man, it's showing even better. The oak comes through a lot less aggressively and the wine shows a ton more minerality. Tastes closer to a CM now than California, while still retaining a good bit of that ripe character.

Interestingly enough, I had the remainder of this on day 3 in a Sophienwald bordeaux glass, and a lot of the fruit had died off, leaving behind oak and alcohol, which was not very fun. So if you're going to open this, just grab a few buddies and polish it off in one go.

5/4/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote:

Quite floral in nature, with lemon rind, tangerine, vanilla, honeysuckle, pineapple, and white peach with a dab of honey are a pleasure in your glass. Fresh, vibrant, racy, clean, and pure, with a salty-honeyed note accompanying all of the sweet, ripe, orange, and yellow tropical fruits really works here in the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine blends 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Gris, and 1% Muscadelle. Picking took place August 23 - September 7. Drink from 2025-2035. 95 Pts.

5/7/2024 - Tay JR wrote:

Clear medium ruby in the glass.

Really un-Yoichi-like nose here that's instead a lot darker. There a good mix of red and darker fruit here as well as a bit of spice and some menthol. It's still quite a lovely nose albeit leaning more towards savoury.

The palate is a different story and has fairly concentrated fruit and a certain darkness to it, not unlike spatburgunder or Central Otago PN. Plenty of structure here with fine but somewhat unresolved tannins, and I think this has the legs to go a long way, perhaps longer than most Japanese pinots i've tried.

Acidity is on the lower side compared to its counterparts, but the wine is by no means flabby.

Really curious as to the winemaking and viticulture here, because this is extremely promising!

5/7/2024 - Swintonblade Likes this wine:

Drank versus 1997, this had a lot more development, very complex & long fig finish with some spice. Preferred 1997

5/7/2024 - Swintonblade Likes this wine:

Amazing! Perfect spot for development but still bags of fruit. Softened/velvet tannins and a huge long finish.

5/7/2024 - rmalloy Likes this wine:

If wines are to be placed in cabernet-like and pinot-like buckets, then this easily tastes more like pinot. Ruby red, light body, high acidity. The flavor is tart, like cranberries and strawberries. It’s somewhat floral, but not especially so. There isn’t much to get excited about here. Unless you’re a somm…. I’d be excited about this as a somm because of the clean, tangy red fruit.

5/7/2024 - Uff Da wrote:

See why so many great wines come out of the Red Mountain AVA.

5/7/2024 - loj wrote:

Quite interesting. Lean and watery at first, but developing richness and body as it opened. Lemon peel, bruised pear, and a distinctive caramelized onion umami finish.

5/7/2024 - grapenomad wrote:

La Gravotte is 100% Pinot Noir that is hand-harvested at optimum ripeness with 10 days of carbonic maceration before spending 8 months in oak barrels. Super pale ruby in the glass. Strong VA on the nose and palate. Soft tannins, high acidity, moderate alcohol. Light-bodied, but the fruit doesn't seem to shine at this stage. Would be good to revisit in a few years, hopefully the VA blows off.

5/7/2024 - Mhbeaune Likes this wine:

Amazing wine. I don’t buy this very often . This is not a wine for aging and has seen no oak.
If you come across it and have the opportunity buy 1x6 and enjoy .
Super example of every day claret from a really good year.
Pleasant typical nose. Smooth entry and surprisingly full mouthfeel.
15-30 minute decant with no sediment.

5/7/2024 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:

Retail $65. Exceedingly Heavy Bottle. Under cork. As I mentioned in a previous note, I do not have a ton of experience with Merriam Vineyrads. Nor do I have a ton of bottles of Merlot under my "tasting" belt (insert *Sideways* joke here if so inclined). But. This is delightful. Fairly dark in color with black and blue berry, cassis, and a hint of plum on the nose. The palate is both more reserved and acid-driven than I had expected. Yeah, I would say this is more Old World than New, but at this point does it matter? This is delicious.

www.thedrunkencyclist.com

5/8/2024 - Yohansmas Likes this wine:

어마어마하게 싸게 구한 건 아니지만 그래도 꽤나 괜찮은 가격에 구했던 이태리 레드 와인.
가격을 생각하면 한병을 더 사서 마시고 싶은 맛이긴 한데 반대로 가격을 생각하니 셀러링을 해야 하나 싶기도.
그럼에도 결론부터 말하면 왠지는 모르겠지만 보르도 와인의 좋은 점을 가지고 있는 와인.

노즈에서는 검은 과실의 향기와 오크향기가 지배적이다.
약간의 연유 향이 나긴 하는데 발효되었다는 느낌은 있는데 달달하지는 않다.
시간이 지나니 약간 시큼한 향이 나는 것 같기도.

입에서는 발사믹 식초를 마시는듯한 산도가 꽤나 재미있다.
이어서 약간 달달한 맛이 나는듯 싶은데 거슬릴 정도는 아니다.
몇 시간 정도 지나니 시큼한 맛이 지나치게 강해져서 먹고 싶은 감정이 많이 사라진다.

4/28/2024 - portman63 Likes this wine:

Still showing well especially for a rosso in a hot year. Although it could really pass for Brunello from most producers as it met the aging requirements. Medium bodied and still retaining good cherry fruit to go along with the tobacco and clean finish. This certainly doesn't compare to the big brother bottlings here, but quite nice with fatty charcuterie or tomato based sauce dishes. A lovely wine, but a drink now/soon.

5/7/2024 - grapenomad wrote:

Pale ruby in the glass. Sweet-fruited on the nose and palate, very straightforward. Light-bodied, virtually no tannins, high acidity. Glou glou, balcony kinda vibe here. Nice.

5/7/2024 - JorgePrlta Likes this wine:

Tasted in a blind tasting between Washington and Germany.

Visual: Golden yellow.

Nose: Intense aromas of citrus, Meyer lemon, stone fruit, and tropical notes, with a zesty character.

Palate: Reveals tropical flavors of pineapple and mango, accompanied by zesty notes. Medium-plus acidity and a light body contribute to its easy-drinking and enjoyable nature

5/7/2024 - Motz wrote:

Perfumed and pretty fruit drowned in wood, likely chips. Yuck!

5/7/2024 - JorgePrlta Likes this wine:

Tasted in a blind tasting between Washington and Germany.

Visual: Pale straw with hints of green.

Nose: Herbal and petrol notes dominate, with lower nose expression.

Palate: Green fruit character shines through, with medium-plus acidity and flavors of apple. The palate offers complexity and opens up nicely over time, revealing a more noticeable floral character.

5/7/2024 - Paschap Likes this wine:

Рубиново-пурпурный цвет средней плотности, полупрозрачное. В аромате красные ягоды, морс, пастила, ваниль, сливки, какао. Во вкусе плотное, ягодное, интенсивные жестковатые танины, высокая кислотность. 87/100

5/7/2024 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:

Decanted 30 min, a pearl of Syrah🇫🇷❤️🍷

4/26/2024 - portman63 Likes this wine:

Opened as starting meal prep to watch it open and get some air for say 90 min. Really opened in the glass up as is usual with no decant. Showing leather, tobacco with cherries and some minerals in the really tart finish. This showed it's best with an Italian sausage ragu with pasta. More of the fruit comes out and the acid structure really cuts through the sauce. So delicious and I don't think it's gonna fall off for a while so enjoy when the food is a match.

5/8/2024 - bugles Likes this wine:

What it lacked in weight, it made up for in its finesse. Ethereal bomb. Drink it slowly as every glass would give you a totally different experience.

5/7/2024 - rmalloy Likes this wine:

Agiorgitiko is a fun word to say. G’s are hard, stress is on gi. Greek pronunciation is similar to Japanese.

That’s the most interesting thing about this wine for me. It’s not bad though. It tastes like an average bottle of Fleurie. Delicate, juicy red fruit with violet overtones.

5/7/2024 - SpenceP wrote:

Quite enjoyable even immediately after the bottle is opened, but needs more than (very approximately) an hour and a half in the glass to be at its best. Red plums, raspberries, watermelon (!), black plums, spice cake, a faint hint of orange peel, minerals, cigars, tannins. Vanishes disconcertingly just for an instant mid-mouth, but quickly returns leading into a long, intense, and lovely aftertaste. A delicate touch of coconut in the ghost aftertaste, the part that lingers after the main aftertaste is gone. No hurry at all. [Tasted over two hours from the Jancis Robinson glass. The description combines notes from over that entire period--not all of these were present at any one time. The score reflects the wine at its best.]

5/7/2024 - GFischmann Likes this wine:

Drinking perfectly

5/7/2024 - puffinscellar Likes this wine:

Pours a rich reddish purple, dense but not opaque, some brick fading around the edges so definitely showing some age at this point but still showing lots of color.

Ripe black cherries and black raspberries on the nose, the prettiest vanilla, and after some time, pink flowers, then the green and the spice swoop in, alternating green and dried, sweet cicely vs. star anise, fresh wild sage vs. dried marjoram, and a pure note of steeped cloves. The minerals show more as a meaty character which is quite pronounced, like ground beef browning in the pot. A fascinating book kaleidoscope.

Supremely juicy on the palate, almost syrupy in concentration, the tannins are refined and sculpted, the acid vibrant but balanced. Chewy black cherry and black raspberry fruit, licorice, and woody spices. A long, resinous finish that sticks to your gums in the best way. Enjoyable on its own but better paired with well-seasoned pasta or meat dishes. This one can stand up to fat so meat and cream sauces, bring it on.

I’ve had one bottle of this each of the last two years and now this year, and it is getting better yet not yet altogether harmonious, I feel the prime drinking time is a few years out and this can go decades beyond that if stored properly, ideal drinking window 2026-2035 but it is good to go now with almost any red meat or pasta based Mediterranean fare you have at hand.

5/7/2024 - Mike6743 Likes this wine:

I could drink this every week and not tire of it.

5/7/2024 - Mike6743 Likes this wine:

Flavors showing more terroir than I expected, more grass and field with tangerine and fruit.

4/28/2024 - portman63 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with some browning at the edges - not surprising. Raspberry, red currants and cedar & forest floor mixed both in the air and in the mouth. Resolved tannins and mature but very supple and enjoyable to drink. Still has good acidity. Certainly a drink now especially from a standard bottle instead of a mag. This was a pleasant experience but not surprising as I have had good luck with good right bank producers in this vintage. After 30 years, it's not falling off any cliffs, but it doesn't seem like it needs time unless you have a large bottle.

5/7/2024 - Neurowine1 wrote:

On the beach in Maui this is perfect. pretty indistinguishable from the ocean of other Provençal roses out there, but nothing wrong with this.

5/7/2024 - GregBates Likes this wine:

Wonderful at 54 years old.
Still some acid and mature fruits.

5/8/2024 - Rezy13 wrote:

Initially very wound up and red fruited and slightly muted; a couple days later and this is in a very nice spot, darker fruit, more generous texturally, plums, spice, sour cherry, juicy and lithe, herbs, a little Tuscan earth, vibrant fruit, and a kiss of oak; very nice.

5/7/2024 - Giggs wrote:

Needs a half hour of air to open up, but the initial pungent sour red fruits soon coalesce into a sophisticated, structured, masculine wine. Black cherry, cola, evergreen pine, pastille candy. Surely will gain some flesh with a few more years in the bottle. Only 75 cases though.

4/16/2024 - MN Wine Junkie Likes this wine:

Tasted at VHR - Received a fair amount of air, but I didn't note the length of the decant.

Bruce was kind enough to provide us with a sneak preview of the 2022 vintage. Although this was a barrel sample and not a completed product, it nevertheless gives an insight to what's to come! Needless to say, the wine was fantastic! Of course, just a barrel sample, and extremely fruit forward, but comes across as having great structure. Dark red fruit takes center stage and the purity of fruit is excellent. Shows enough tannins for aging and enough acidity to keep the fruit lively for a very long time. This sample would require a fair amount of bottle age to realize its true potential.

My best guess based on this tasting, and the 2022 barrel samples of other winery tastings, is that the 2022 vintage will mirror 2011, i.e., you will need to be choosy on the wines you select as some will be stellar and others not so good. I also suspect the 2022 VHR will be one of the wines of the vintage. Bruce and his team do a remarkable job every year of making the best possible wine from all the blocks at his disposal. The magic of VHR wines is not that they consistently taste the same, but rather that they consistently are great wines. While Bruce and Heather could make wines with consistent flavors, instead they focus on making wines with subtle inconsistencies in flavor, but the very best wines the vineyard can produce. The result is that the wines may vary from year to year (as evidenced by the blocks chosen that go into the wine of a particular vintage), but the quality of the wines remain consistently outstanding! This will be one of those 2022 wines worth seeking out!

5/8/2024 - mr-sefri wrote:

Leckerer Bordeaux, der auch nach 8 Jahren noch super schmeckt

5/7/2024 - rmalloy Likes this wine:

I like cinsault and have yet to taste a bad example.

This wine reminds me of grenache due to its glycerin-rich red fruit. It’s very floral, and it has some murky, earthy complexity too. I know I have outlier tastes, but I would prefer this wine to be leaner (juicier, less glycerin-rich), so it doesn’t score that highly for me.

5/7/2024 - jdonnerstein wrote:

Not what I was hoping for.

5/7/2024 - Doblk wrote:

Much like 5 years ago. Lots of tannin and smoke with a bit of black fruit, all working together. Still going strong.

5/7/2024 - Chuck Miller wrote:

Lovely bottle of bubbles. Great pinot fruit. Might have been even better if served slightly below cellar temp.

5/7/2024 - AMC Eagle wrote:

Pnp with some fizz. Light translucent hay in colour. Nose of fresh cut green apples with a touch of melons and limes. On the palate, a light flavour profile of guavas and lime with a slight hint of minerality. Light bodied with a short+ finish.

5/7/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

Plenty of wine here. Ripe berry fruits and vanilla spice. Full flavoured and warming. Some earthiness and grip.

5/7/2024 - Brian Glas Likes this wine:

Tasted after 90 minutes of air. Nice blue berry fruits. Nice grip. Excellent balance.

5/7/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

An elegant, bright and vibrant version. Perfectly ripe, briary fruits still have some crunch. There are lavender and Provence herb notes. It has flesh and moderate chew from savoury tannins. Sealed under screwcap and quite delicious.

5/7/2024 - Lamb Lounge wrote:

Sweer

5/7/2024 - dmartin12358 wrote:

Very good pinot.

5/7/2024 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:

Really fresh and punchy. Citrus and freshly cut pear and flinty, mineral notes. Good shape and texture. A nice line of crunchy acidity. Balanced and refreshing.

5/7/2024 - David J Cooper Likes this wine:

Really nice Northern Rhone. Earthy, berry fruit, pepper and plum. Dry and balanced.

5/7/2024 - beachbum wrote:

really nice concentrated fruit, juicy, tannins are softening and this will s a nice bottle

5/8/2024 - zpieces Likes this wine:

Great chenin. Excellent reminder of why I love the Loire Valley

5/7/2024 - vizcacha Likes this wine:

Deep ruby. Medium aromatic intensity. Olive, raspberry, black cherry, cured meat, thyme, black pepper. Dry. Medium acid. Medium+ body. High alcohol. Medium, chalky tannin. Medium+ intensity. Less savory and more fruity on the palate. Medium finish.

5/4/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote:

Sweet cherries, flowers, and chocolate show in the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, elegant, silky, and fresh. The fruit is sweet, ripe, and pure, with vibrance, and a touch of cocoa in the finish. Produced from 100% Merlot, 14.3% ABV. Drink from 2026-2036. 90-92 Pts.