2/5/2019 - marc d wrote:

Mix of red and black fruit on opening, then the wine quickly heads into savory and earthy flavors. Meaty olive and tobacco leaf, then wet dirt and burnt tobacco. A very nice bottle at or just past peak maturity. Enjoyable.

8/22/2018 - marc d wrote:

This is drinking beautifully right now. It’s very aromatic with a mix of garrigue, Black olive tapenade, some cherry fruit but mostly secondary characteristics at this point. There is a sweetness like the Grenache fruit on the first sip and then it gets more savory. Would not have guessed this is 85% Mourvèdre. The tannins are almost resolved. It still tastes quite fresh. Great bottle at a great place to drink now. No real rush but if you have this it is worth opening one now.

8/1/2018 - marc d wrote:

Pear and hazelnut, nice acidity, finishes with a green apple tartness and a rocky, saline mineral undernote. 12.5% abv in a Napa Valley Chardonnay.
Really nice. Drinking well now but I think it can age too.

7/31/2018 - marc d wrote:

Juicy red fruited and some spice I associate with carbonic Gamay. With air there is quite a bit of funk/Brett. Didn’t notice obvious reduction mentioned in other notes. Don’t love the funk, it’s more then just background in this bottle tonight.

7/26/2018 - marc d wrote:

Deep red color with light pale brown rim. Dark fruit aroma. Still quite firm tannin. Acidity softening. Dark fruit with a savory bitterness and some spice in the mouth. Structure somewhat overwhelmed the fruit. It opens a bit with air. Worth holding and try again in a few years, but the tannin may outlast the fruit.

10/1/2016 - marc d wrote:

In this bottle the brett seemed like a side note and not a main attraction. A mix of cinnamon, clove and barnyard mixed with the leafy red fruit. The tannin is nearly resolved, still good acidity. Very enjoyable last night with rellanos made with mild hatch chili peppers.

8/25/2016 - marc d Likes this wine:

Took a few minutes to open up. Aromas of dark fruit, black tea, an earthy soil note. In the mouth it is a mix of black and red fruits. Prominent acidity but balanced. Fine tannin, no oak that I could discern. I think this is very much MSD and I liked it a lot. Big nose but supple and juicy in the mouth, medium weight, very fine structure. Young and promising.

4/10/2015 - marc d Likes this wine:

Pale red color, nice mix of red berry and earth, pinot funk, no brett, tart with pretty good acidity. Lingers on the finish. Jurassic style Pinot. Very tasty if you swing this direction. I'd buy again. I'd liked this better a bit compared to the younger vine version, but that one was nice too. My wife found the other one too tart.

10/16/2014 - marc d Likes this wine:

Carbonic Serine from 100 yr old vines from st julien et st alban.
delicious, glou glou wine.
I guess the full carbonic makes it hard to feel the terroir, but it is very fun to drink. We like this.

8/22/2014 - marc d wrote:

Starts out very nice with pretty good aromas, lemon curd, maybe under ripe pineapple, with some vanilla bean in the background. Great balance, and good acidity. With more air the fruit and the really most of the flavors recede and what's left is vanilla oak. I'm guessing the wine is starting to go into a shut down phase as the second half of the bottle was not really enjoyable and very atypical for a Ceritas Chardonnay.
I think holding remaining bottles makes sense.

2/7/2014 - marc d Likes this wine:

Pale young appearing color. Very primary but delicious and complex even now. Full on citrus nose, lemon and orange. Lots of minerals too. Nice texture with great acidity but also some decent body/glycerin. Finishes with a nutty almond and fennel licorice note.

Great with shrimp pan fried with olive oil, lemon zest and garlic.

Loved this. Volcanic grown Carricante from 950 meters on Mt Etna.

12/22/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

This is really drinking well. Open, expressive. Hard to believe this is from the 2003 year of the sun as there is little roasted or over ripe flavors, but it is very much Chinon. I didn't get any pyrazine or green pepper from this, maybe that is a character of the warm year.

12/26/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Very lifted and quite stinky/bretty at first. Sweet fruit underneath. Needs air and food to show best. I liked it.

12/25/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Really nice wine, kind of in an adolescent phase. Aromas of fruit, licorice, a little spice. Good grip and lift. I think the mouvedre takes over with air, grippy and animal. No problem to taste now, but this may get more development with further age.

12/23/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

At first this seemed a bit over the hill but it sort of rallies with food. Not a lot of fruit left, mostly mature flavors of old wood, balsamic, and earth. Would drink up.

12/13/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

A beautiful wine. Mix of floral and herbal aromas, with a fairly intense inner mouth perfume. Beautiful balance of fruit and mineral. Not a ton of acid. I enjoyed this one a lot. Does well with about an hour of air. A glass left over the next day had oxidized with bruised apple flavor.

12/5/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Nice aromas of brambly red fruits right from the first pour. Starts out seemingly pretty ripe, generous, not particularly focused. Pretty typical for 2002, maybe. With air some herbal stemmy flavors join the mix and there is more noticeable structure which gives it more definition. There are some hints of mature flavors too. Very good wine, pretty typical for Beaune and this producer whose wines I like. Nice match with a duck leg confit. Open and drinking well, probably still some time from reaching full maturity.

11/16/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

This wine was made from biodynamic grapes by Fred Loimer. Very aromatic, muscat like fruit, with some citrus and even a smoky component. Quite fruity in the mouth but also very dry with bright acidity. Nice weight and texture with 13.5% abv. Finishes with chalk like minerals. Fascinating wine made with unusual grapes grapes called Rotgipfler and Zierfandler from the Thermenregion in Austria. Would buy again and even seek this one out. Thanks Shawn.

11/11/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Very tight aromatically. In the mouth a pretty wine, lots of rocky bass notes. With air it opens just a bit, but I recommend waiting a bit to open these.

11/8/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Kind of a revelation for a Sonoma Chard. It has a mineral almost carnal seaweed umani that I associate with Chablis. With more air there is some oak noticeable but works quite well with the fruit and acidity. Very fine texture in the mouth, and a nice finish. High quality stuff, I'm very impressed.

9/23/2013 - marc d wrote:

This had a lot of brett, but was otherwise OK.

9/20/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

A beautiful quaffer. See through ruby color, red fruited and finishes a little bit peppery. I think this is a blend of pinot, poulsard and trousseau.
Good acidity, not too sharp or crunchy. Quintessential Jura red, very easy to drink. Best with a slight chill. Ready to drink now.

9/19/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

I am a fan of the Montesecondo Chianti and this was the first time I've tried the Rosso. Shawn mentioned this was mainly raised in tank. The wine takes a bit to open. Darker, plum like fruit and licorice, warm, ripe feeling to it. Finishes with substantial tannin. A big structure for a Rosso. I guess I was expecting something along the lines of Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo which is a much lighter, airy style. The Montesecondo is very good, and likely will benefit from aging a few years. If drinking now a short decant and food with some fat to go with the tannin is key.

9/17/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Clear dark ruby/garnet color. Nice aromas, red fruited, a little bit of pinot earthy tones. Seems quite pure, linear, good acidity, medium weight despite 13+% abv. With air the fruit takes on a bit of a sweet candied tone, but it was not excessive for me. Nice bottle, very good price for this quality level.

9/16/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

This wine fits (me) like a comfy old sweater. Nice aromas, food friendly acids, very little tannin, good mix of dirt and tart red fruits in a light body style.

I love it, but maybe not for everyone.

This bottle will likely improve with further aging.

9/15/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Very good wine, it tightened with air a bit. I think it is time to hold off on the rest of these 2010s for a few years.

9/14/2013 - marc d wrote:

The oak has mostly receded. Just a little left that comes out with the tannins. Still some dark fruit, a little bit of savory elements. Overall drinkable, nice but not a wow.

9/9/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Rockin tonight.
Pretty Morgon fruit and spice, the structure is calm and supports everything without being shrill. Just about perfect with a roasted lemon garlic chicken. Will miss this one. Drink and hold.

9/4/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Shows some vanilla oak, but it is mixed in there with foresty notes and the pinot red fruit. Balances the gloss and funk well. Very nice.

9/2/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Kind of tight initially, structure leans towards acidic, later as it opens the tannins take over. Nice wine, but would wait a bit, shut down at the present.

8/31/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

This was a stunning bottle. Yellow light gold color. Initial nose is hard to describe, I've heard Pepiere's muscadet described as "atmospheric" and that fits here too. With air it opens with lots of rain washed stones, honey, white florals. Quite mineral in the mouth, which is balanced by sec tendre sweetness. The sensation of sweet to dry goes back and forth, a very fine balance of all the elements. Old vine concentration and dry extract. Tiny bit of oak taste and feel towards the finish. Peach fruit appears with air, but the minerals are the big feature. A grand cru bottle of Chenin. Drinking very well, but no rush. Bravo Eric and Christine.

8/30/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Dark red with browning rim. Very expressive nose, soft funk, leafy and almost minty. Some fruit, plums, apple skin, tart mouth. Tannins nearly gone. Good bright acidity. Nicely aged Beaune, not spectacular but more then pleasant. Drink up.

8/28/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Opens up with a lot of cedar and cigar box aromas, pretty classic Pauillac. Not much fruit there for the first hour or so. With air this improves, with dark fruit appearing, in the fresh blackberry mode. Good structure with the balance on the tart, acidic side. Some powdery tannin but not drying. Also some oak tannin noted on the finish. Great with dry rubbed grilled rib eyes. Last glass was the best. Could hold this longer, or drink now, depending how you like them. Wouldn't hold too long based on this bottle. Enjoyable Bordeaux that didn't break the bank.

8/21/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Nice bottle. Some age noticed, with color changes at the rim. Mix of some slight funk and red going towards darker fruit. Good acidity and soft tannin. Maybe some drying wood tannin at the finish. Better integrated then a bottle tried 4 years ago.

8/18/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Initially shy nose, but opens with air. Peach, apple, mineral, honey nose but restrained. Palate is waxy, but with crisp acidity. Feels to be medium bodied. Blossoms overnight with more aromatics, and a more relaxed palate. Very good now, should reward short term aging (2-3 years) I would guess.

8/19/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Very primary on opening, grapey, intense. With just an hour of air this settles down and becomes noticeably N Rhone syrah. And a very good one. Black olive, tart blackberry, leather, cracked pepper, very good acidity. Mid weight, very juicy in the middle. Tannins are there giving the finish shape and grip. More red fruit shows up with 2 hours of air. Really nice to check in, but recommend waiting a few years to open another.

8/18/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Loved this wine, it is a topped up version of savagnin so no oxidized notes. At first it is sort of nondescript with juicy, floral, yellow fruit flavors with good concentration and lift from the acidity. With air some of the savagnin flavors shine through, with some nuttiness, maybe even hint of curry spice. Delicious and recommended.

8/12/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

A great Clisson, it does have a touch of bitterness at the finish like the pith from an orange skin. Maybe from the warmth of the 09 season. But I loved the wine very much.

8/14/2013 - marc d wrote:

Interesting wine, there is some ripe darker fruit notes that I associate with this vineyard mixed with the 2004 green vegetal thing. There was fairly strong Pinot funk on opening in a good way. The wine seems nearly mature with developed flavors and softening of the tannin. I'm not sure there is much to be gained from continued aging.

8/8/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

This was hitting on all cylinders. Some mature flavors, beautiful violet florals, mid weight, starts out fairly soft but the structure is still there, really enjoyed this. I think from this bottle it may be close to peak drinking. No harm in waiting but I wouldn't wait too long.

8/8/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Smoky syrah with good grip. I liked it. Seems very ready to drink.

8/8/2013 - marc d wrote:

Love the nose, florals, grapy fruit, and iron like metal, the mouth is still wound tight. Seems to have nice balance of fruit and structural stuff. Promises good things I think.

8/10/2013 - marc d wrote:

Oak/toast in the aromas with some tart black fruit, tannins still preset. OK, I would like better with less oak personally.

8/10/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Nice if a little tight.

7/26/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

I wonder if this was a touch oxidized. Very interesting wine, anyway. Some smoky notes mixed with brioche and yellow apple. Quite big and forceful in style.

7/25/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Tremendous version of St Joseph. This bottle was open and lovely for the first 90 minutes then the aromas tightened and the structure came to the fore. There is a pretty floral violet note that I sometimes get in fine Cote Rotie.

7/22/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Drinking well, maybe better on day two. Lively, peppery, fresh.

7/16/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Honeyed, good body, glycerin, very young of course, nice, not a ton of complexity or minerals, but pleasant drinker.

7/7/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Love this lime aid fresh easy to drink summer wine.

7/4/2013 - marc d Likes this wine:

Lovely fruit gives way to pepper, a light but still substantial wine.
No rush.