3/7/2024 - jrick Likes this wine:

I'm on a newly started exploration of cabernet franc - I never drink the stuff, having not been enticed on the first occasions I tried it, way back when starting out as a more conscientious wine drinker. I bought three bottles, this being the first that I drink.

This was a really lovely start to my re-evalutation journey! It's a CF in a style that is very compatible with other styles of wine that I like, such as Beaujolais, Burgundy and atlantic reds from Spain. The tell-tale signs of the grape are there, graphite, currant, pepper and bell pepper but after some thought, the bell pepper is more red than green as the note while certainly there is subtle. The freshness is marvellous and this does not show "age" but maybe is more harmonious than a more recently bottled wine? I really like it. 12,5% alcohol is a real advantage as well, rare to find that even in Beaujolais or Burgundy in later vintages.

10/27/2023 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au wrote:

Decanted for 90 minutes.
Anotherr lovely Cabernet Carmenere expression from Eduardo Chadwick. Simply, a beautiful seamless exceptional wine. Glorious dark fruit and a lovely mid weight texture.

1/5/2023 - Ncaprio wrote:

I question the value equation
Good Barolo however I don’t believe it is worth the price of $70

12/6/2021 - JohnSh wrote:

I stumbled upon this in the cellar - a nice surprise. On pop and pour, it was quite mute, but over time it opened up. On the second night open, there's a light nose of mainly black fruits with slight earthy and herbal notes. The medium bodied and rather lean and tannic palate shows a mix of mainly black and some red fruit with iron, tobacco and earthy notes. No green notes at all on the palate, but as noted, the acid and tannins are quite healthy. This could use some more time I think, but I notice many people are saying it is past the due date? Hard to say if the fruit is diminishing. Great QPR as always (B+).

6/10/2021 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

After the amazing bottle of 2018 Cuvée Domaine, I think I bought more of the 2018 Prestige than any wine in my life. Is it worth it? Well... perhaps it's too early to tell. The 2018 Cuvée Domaine drinks better today. The Prestige is most certainly much more structured and robust. It has now been in the glass for an hour or so. The wine requires attention to not miss the elegance that lies beneath the structure. On attention, the aromas offer lithe berries, intense chalk dust, and pretty cutting graphite. It's interesting how intense and strong those aromas become after multiple large huffs. It still feels compact on the nose, but elegance does shine through. Palate entry starts with tight, integrated blueberries, but that quickly transitions to the massive, intense structure that surrounds this wine. Impressive tannins, acidity, and minerals are all present in earnest. Keeping this in the mouth for any length of time only intensifies the structural elements and perhaps covers some of the flavor components. Acidity is actually the dominant structural element on the finish, but of course this is coupled with intense, fine grained tannins, and its presence is felt up to a minute later. There is no doubt this is an impressively built wine. Again, totally nuts that something like this can be had for under $14. My score is for enjoyment today, but I am very happy with this offering... it's just too early to fully enjoy this wine and I expect many points higher of enjoyment in due time. This is a bottle that should age gracefully for 3+ decades. Glad I have one for every year of that time... perhaps that's what I'll do with them, so by the time I'm 80 I can finally figure out how exactly a Bourgueil ages.

7/6/2021 - DavidWong168 wrote:

Not a TN - asking more experienced Garagiste customers - there's no mention of sweetness level in the description - what are the chances this is sweeter than a Brut?

4/20/2021 - Gregmonroe Likes this wine:

Fully saturated cork. I’ve seen a few other reviews that said this - I wonder what that is about. Wine is not flawed. Opaque, dark ish purple. Deep red fruit, some raspberry on the nose. But not a strong nose. Medium plus tannins. Earthy red fruit on the palate. Slight heat. Enjoyable wine, and will be better with dinner when ready.

12/7/2020 - randyjc wrote:

This wine is a remarkable bargain. Color is medium plus, body is medium minus. The nose carries little of the green pepper one expects in cab franc and, in fact, seems quite restrained and giving little. Acidity is medium minus with rough tannins on the finish giving way to some pleasant acidity that carries the finish longer than would be anticipated. Flavors are red currant, a bit of cranberry (so has some pleasant sour characteristic) with some earthy rusticity. For $14, this wine is a champ. I think the wine is lovely now and will last for another 3 - 5 years quite nicely. I don’t think it has the stuffing to last much longer though Chinon and Bourgueil typically will go and go - I’m only now finishing up some lovely Chinon from the late 1980s.

9/28/2020 - Pinotfanbg wrote:

Nice Pinot perfume and a whiff of vanilla wood spice. Not showing any fruit in the mouth, but exhibits a bit of tight, greenish, stemmy tannin. The wood spice note repeats on the finish with just a touch of heat. Not a lot of pleasure here. We’ll see where this goes with another day in the resealed bottle. Is this shutdown or shot six years after the vintage? This bottle was perfectly stored since purchase from G. On the second night this has filled out a bit with a denser, smoother palate impression of the same flavors experienced on the first night. But the wood and heat are more pronounced on the finish. A bit of a donut wine - decent fragrance, hollow on the palate with an large, woody, warm and tannic finish. Where's the radiant fruit the reviewers speak of? Another fading, over rated Ca. pinot.

8/12/2020 - guitarguy wrote:

Our last of three, this just about blasted out is the bottle with heavy and thick carbonation..not natural fermentation carbonated???! Pippin Apple and a bit of dirt with a longish, pleasantly sour finish. Drink any time. Okay for what it is, carbonated Riesling.

8/9/2020 - PDX-S wrote:

Dark purple in the glass.
Pronounced and large bubbles with overt aromas of earth, funk, and purple fruits. Still quite fresh and vibrant for being 11 years old, the juice is acidic and cutting on the front before segueing into bitter and earthy roasted beets, dark ripe plums and plum skins, along with just touch of fresh tarragon on the back end with the finish.

I can certainly see why this is not everyone’s favorite drink, but the Pineau D’Aunis comes across like a dry and serious Lambrusco.

If you like that idea, you’ll likely enjoy this wine quite a bit.
Based on this bottle, I found it to be a pleasant and frothy, dry, funky food wine and would gladly have purchased more of it to drink over the next couple of years or more.

7/4/2020 - granne Likes this wine:

It’s not Barolo or Barbaresco, just as everyone has stated. But it’s very drinkable, with some subtlety. Most importantly, it does not have the sickly sweetness that permeates so many CA wines.

If you don’t think of it as Barolo, but consider it a warm year gattinara, you’ll be in the ballpark.

5/10/2020 - Zitan Likes this wine:

Very unusual. Garagiste calls it a “white Barbera” and says it’s a 2017 but I can’t find a grape or a year on the bottle. It’s different and it’s good. Almost oily on the nose. Tangy and bright with a backbone and great length. Okay but not great value at $20. Garagiste limited it to three per customer but I’d be happy to have six or twelve. Cute label too.

5/11/2020 - PortFanatic wrote:

Shockingly poor. This wine has been stored in perfect conditions. I tasted it at the winery either at release or just before release. Such a disappointment. This bottle is practically undrinkable.

4/22/2020 - wineism Likes this wine:

My recommendation for a Huet 1ère Trie from a great vintage (like 2015): wait at least 15 years (from vintage on). The wines need a long time to show their complexity and to open up. To me, Huet does one of the greatest (residual) sweet Chenin Blancs - but you have to be patient.
IMO it's nonsense to drink them now.

4/21/2020 - vagrantone Likes this wine:

Late decision to open this bottle.
It showed quite a bit of sediment, not particularly well settled prior to decanting.
The wine evolved substantially over several hours moving from fruit dominated to cacao and baking spice dominated wine. The alcohol is not very noticeable and the wine is very well balanced.
Rich mouthfeel but lighter than a vintage Port, some aspects of oxidation but the wine is now 44 years old. Good length and complexity. A truly unique wine.

11/5/2019 - skurtz Likes this wine:

Decanted at Brennan's in Houston, but since this was the first wine, it didn't have the time it really needed to unwind. All the elements of a classic nebbiolo, perfumy nose, but on the palate a little tart and tannic, with balance that improved dramatically in the hour during which it was consumed. Good but not great, it paired remarkably well with my oysters.

6/2/2019 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:

I suspected this, but didn't check my 2018 CT note before opening an orphan bottle I had in my wine fridge. The 2013 Asili is very primary, structured and tightly shut down. It was pretty much unapproachable on the first evening but better on each of the next two following evenings, opening up a bit. Deep dark red. Initially on bouquet lifted rose and violet aromatics, tar, wet river gravel, black tea, black cherries and other dark fruit. With time, a little earth, more tar and some new leather saddle emerged. On palate, very young, unresolved and dense. But it is almost drinkable now because it is so fine and well balanced. Ultra fine grained tannins and silky texture. Bright, persistent acidity. Serious fruit weight, power and volume. Quite dry with granite austerity at its core. Black tea, minerals, dark soil, tar and a real dark fruit character. Really not yet ready for opening. It needs an absolute minimum of 5-8+ more years in the cellar, but ideally 10-20 years to come into its peak drinking window. Excellent (94-95) potential.

4/30/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine:

OMG. Long and intense with rich apricot and hazelnut lifted by a hint of lemon curd. Incredibly concentrated. Yet rich as it was, sampled alongside an otherwise very fine 01 Coutet Sauternes, the Coutet felt viscuous and cloying where this Baumard was clean and fresh. Only 12.5% alc too.

7/14/2018 - sjwshiraz wrote:

A joy to drink. A vibrant brick red color. A nose of sour plum and cherry. A sensuous palate of sweet fruit bolstered by refreshing acidity and a touch of blood orange marmalade at the end.

12/8/2018 - tward Likes this wine:

Well, this is a really nice Garagiste deal below $20. The first night it comes out like a cool Chardonnay, really like a top shelf Chablis, but maybe with more of a floral emphasis. The second night it is more distinctly a Roussanne but no doubt in a mountain package, minerality more than richness or viscousness, but Rousanne's nature fills it out, so it's not a stony wine, the mineral is more backbone than flavor. The nose becomes even more expressive.

8/9/2018 - jcha24 wrote:

qpr is outstanding.....glad to have a few more of these in the cellar and it's a perfect example of a wine that can be aged vintage to vintage.

7/27/2018 - Neecies Does not like this wine:

Never had an Argentine Malbec that was similar to Cahors, including this when it was younger. But now? It's all black, dry and dusty, with no apparent tannins left. Surprising.

6/12/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:

Drinking superbly right now. Sweet fruit as befits the vintage but peppery, minty and minus the heat that made me so many other 09's avoidable.

1/11/2018 - Neecies Does not like this wine:

Pervasive sulfur/rotten egg nose, can smell nothing else until a penny thrown in the glass tames it and even then it can't go far enough. Not a fan.

12/22/2017 - STLMIKE Likes this wine:

Previous commenter had me spooked (they must have had a flawed bottle), ....blew away my expectations. Beautiful young ruby color, fresh, no sediment or bricking, nicely balanced with integrated tannins. Bright fruits with a hint of citrus and clove, ample complexity and long finish. In a great spot right now. Don't expect improvement but there are at least a few good years left on this plateau. One bottle left but wish Id bought more!

1/27/2018 - kdubler wrote:

EBLC Does Bordeaux (SLC): Was a little bit disappointed with this bottle. Drank the last one about 2 years ago and this seems to be in the decline. Not as fresh and taste a little bit overripe bordering on syrupy. Just didn't have the acid structure to balance it out. This tasted older than any of the 2001s. May have been an off bottle, but no obvious notes of a flaw.

4/11/2017 - kdubler wrote:

FWS Provence and Corsica tasting (La Caille): Certified Organic producer. 100% Vermentino

Gold in color with a silver rim

Peach, honeysuckle, fennel, lemon, bitter almond. Medium acid with M+ length. Alcohol does show through slightly on the palate. Slightly oil feel to it also. Slight phenolic hint of lemon pith, not overpowering, but it holds on for a while. Also shows signs of herbs, maybe oregano..

Interesting wine, would be a great food wine, tasted so Italian!

4/13/2017 - Neecies wrote:

Brownish with necrotic flavors. OTH.

7/20/2017 - kdubler wrote:

Drinks with Friends (Pago): This was a WOW wine. Tannins are still very tight, but I don't even know how to describe it so much was going on. Not a fruit bomb California Cabernet, but people that like that style would be happy... Also would make Bordeaux lovers happy, perfectly in between the 2 styles. Monte Bello, to me, is the greatest American wine and this did not disappoint.

This wine was also proof for me that you can make an amazing California Cab at below 14% Alcohol... This one checks in at 13.6%

If I wasn't so cheap I'd buy a case of this tomorrow...

5/27/2017 - kdubler wrote:

This is my favorite domestic Chardonnay I've had in a while and I just got back from a Sonoma Valley trip. Great acidity that keep it lively. Not showing any signs of new oak, but has a roundness that leads me to believe it's seen a barrel, possibly old? Typical nose of Apple, pear but also a little lime zest that keeps it fun. Medium+ Body with just a hint of creaminess. That being said not sure how much longer this will age? I'm not experienced with aging Oregon Chardonnay, but I am afraid it will lose that brightness soon so I would drink up if you have any left...

1/22/2017 - kdubler wrote:

First tasting of 2017 with the normal group (SLC): So clean, especially for a Rioja! Clean, crispy fruit comes through, with no signs of VA. Tart fruit with tight tannins. Finish lingers on and shows signs of sweet oak, with a toasty coconut aroma. Drinks very easy, and would be a great step to the old world for New World wine drinkers.

1/13/2017 - Milliontown wrote:

Cork on this was a bit manky. In theory a wine like this should go for 100 years but I just have no faith in these corks. This is my second bottle and both corks have been mouldy gross looking things looking like they've been pulled from 50 year-old bottles.
Anyway, the wine. Looks like pee in the decanter and smells a bit like pee too, at least for the first hour or so. Develops quite nicely and is markedly better closer to room temp. If I had another I'd open it hours in advance or even a day in advance... wouldn't hurt it. Very sherryish oxidative characters emerging, quite nutty and smells like seaweed and gunflint and grapefruit rind. None of the borderline botrytised characters I remember from the last bottle. Acidity is prominent and quite strong on the palate but you almost don't notice it because there's so much else going on. Kaleidoscope of dried tropical fruit, bitter citrus rind, sour lemon and that dry, tangy sort of saline oxidative character. Very unique and delicious wine.

10/5/2014 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine:

A perfect wine, to my taste. Garnet color, mostly but not completely opaque. Very pronounced complex aroma of smoke, meat, leather, with toasty French oak. Rich and smooth flavors, that build over time, with the same components. Perfectly in balance with fruit, tannin, and acid. Anise late on the palate and into the aftertaste, which also builds and lingers. Matt Reynvaan has done a remarkable job of making a wine that rivals or maybe exceeds Guigal's single vineyard Cote Roties, at a fraction of the price. This wine is perfectly drinkable now but should easily last another 3-5 years.
Ric

9/17/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:

Huge magenta color. Tons of tart, rich black and red currant fruit on the nose, blackberries, some loam and graphite. Dusty tannins, the red and black currants and cherries taste tart and crunchy, but some nice freshness from the acid. Lots of deep rocky, granite, loam and mineral elements. Some lovely mushroom and nutshell elements on the long finish. Showing a lot of flavor but some class as well. With time some cola and root beer elements come out with some sage and sweet basil. I managed to cellar my only bottle for 2.5 years, but I’d love to try it again in three or four. 13.9% alcohol.

2/19/2012 - mjnickel wrote:

I don't have to work tomorrow because of President's Day (thanks George Washington!). So, in addition to the many freedoms my country affords me, this particular non-worknight Sunday gives me license to open the wine bottle of my choosing. Tonight, I chose this. Why? Because I'm down with white Rhone varietals like Naughty by Nature is down with OPP (Did you know that when a white man makes a lame hip-hop reference more than ten years out of date, he becomes even more white? It's true. Look it up).

This California wine is crisply acidic, but mouth filling. You know, like Joy Behar, but better. I bought this bottle last 4th of July (thanks George Washington!) with my friend Nick Papafotopoulos in Chicago. We picked up about 18 other bottles that night and drank a good many of them while sitting on his back porch making like Bruce Springsteen and talking about the glory days. Tonight I drank this with Veal Picatta and a roasted potato medley while on the phone with my dad. My dad is a great guy. Get to know him!

Quick story about my dad: When I was around 10 years-old, UPS, of which he was a very early employee, sent him to Dyersburg, TN to become a center manager. This assignment was to a young UPS supervisor as the western outpost assignment was to Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves. Only in Dyersburg, there are fewer wolves, but more Lee Greenwood fans (I know, pick your poison, right?). He'd setup in an apartment and called on my brother and me to come visit. Then, while entertaining us in the swimming pool, things got rough and he went to splash me with a wave of water, but given his Nickel-like lack of dexterity, miscalculated his movements and punched me right in the mouth instead. Hard. Like, hey, someone should call Child Protective Services hard. The story's ending is unexciting, as it contains only profuse apologizing and rudimentary first-aid. But the denouement is fantastic! To this day, I have a "Get out of Jail Free" card with my dad.

"Son, I think you should give more care to your studies."

"Who are you to judge, Daddy? You punched me in the mouth!"

Wine! Drink it!