8/2/2021 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Really good. I thought it was a Moulin a Vent and was shocked to turn the label and see Vin de France. It's dark, dessicated black fruit, but not especially ripe. A little spritz blew off after an hour or so. Reminds me of some wines that I've been told are "carbonic" -- I don't really know what that means, but it has a distinctive flavor. Very concentrated and dark but not at all heavy. Great find.

10/11/2020 - BailliSacks wrote:

Cool, ripe cherry red fruit, lean elegant structure, wears its 14.5% well. Drinking great now, should last a long time.

3/28/2020 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very very good. Drinking well now, will likely continue to develop. Characteristic notes of green pepper and pencil lead. Quite dense and saturated. Has thrown a bit of sediment.

9/2/2017 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

First impression is a big dumb Bordeaux, in a good way, but it has nice structure to back up the soft dark body. Not the most interesting bdx, but very good drinking.

6/14/2016 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Mellow, simple, quite enjoyable.

6/14/2016 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Dark and sweet on nose. On palate, at first soft and floral fruit, cassis, then hot concentrated body, piney, tannic. Huge, and a bit pruny. A hint of tobacco on finish. For this drinker, this is too much of a juice bomb. The tannins don't really align with the rest of it, and the overall effect is disjointed, overmusculed and awkward. Not a complete miss, I enjoyed drinking, but i'd hoped for better.

5/18/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Light and delicious. Fruitier than a burg but gentler and cooler than a Cali. All light clean fruit, no earth or funk. Designed by Lily Pulitzer.

Couldyoube couldyoube squeaky clean...

5/18/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Delicious. Clean and pinot-like. Rewards airtime, 20-30 minutes minimum, was even better the next day.

4/27/2014 - BailliSacks wrote:

Simpler and less interesting than the Ferrington. Darker, sweeter, with less on the finish. Moxie on the nose.

4/27/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Ok, pretty good. A bit of complexity to go with the candy cola fruit thing, long colaspicy finish.

4/19/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very good

4/19/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very good, a bit closed

4/19/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Excellent

4/19/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Excellent

3/19/2014 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Beautiful.

12/26/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Good. My palate was ruined by other hotter wines, and I can't say much except that this had about the right size and shape, and was more reserved than those others (of course).

12/26/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Excellent. Wants a couple hours' airing to show itself fully. Dark and intense but not overpowering. Dirt and clay, pencil, maybe just a little greenness. Drink now or later, no hurry.

12/26/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Big, juicy, hot. More Napa than Piedmont, but enjoyable.

12/8/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Quite nice, typical not-special mature Pomerol. Drinking well, no hurry but no need to hold. Threw some sediment.

12/8/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Good, value.

12/8/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Wow, a very nice surprise. Tight and austere on opening, evolved nicely over a couple hours. Quite structured (both tannin and acid). Very lean body. Reserved delicate fruit. Earthy, dark, but quite clean. Drink now with a few hours of airtime or hold.

11/29/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Tight and tannic. There's a lot in here. Lay down or let it breathe a long time.

11/27/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Quite nice. Bright acidity, cheerful and assertive. A touch of sweetness hidden behind the acid. Some skin tannin. A bit of weight and baking spice.

11/16/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Dark color. Bright nose of perfume and fruit. In mouth, concentrated and well-structured with plenty of acid and tannin, but still relatively approachable. Better with food (a bit of fat on the tongue) to give the acid something to dig into. Red cherry notes at first, with time these darken a bit and a desiccated black fruit note enters. After several hours, the structure softens nicely. Excellent, will reward time, or drink and enjoy now with food or decant.

11/9/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Good, solid, somewhat austere left bank Bordeaux. Dark notes of wet earth and pencil lead, good acid and tannic structure. Not much in the way of fruit or perfume. Softened a bit over time in the glass, but didn't gain much of interest. Overall, this was not an exciting wine and had no distinctive personality, but it was enjoyable and satisfying, a good accompaniment for the braised short ribs.

11/6/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Delicious. Quite dry.

11/6/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Solid, disciplined, Chard. High acidity, good for food pairing, not particularly interesting.

11/6/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

We found this strange, perhaps a bit madeirized, corked it up and put it aside. I came back to it a week or so later, used some of it for cooking and drank the rest. What a change! This is how it is supposed to taste: light bodied but with plenty of depth, gentle strawberry fruit, a touch of tobacco underneath. If I find another, I will buy it and give it many hours of air before evaluating.

11/6/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Pleasurable, but a bit of a brute. Won't seek out again.

10/1/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very nice. Characteristic sharp, grippy, funky notes, but much more refined and controlled and beautiful than most M d'A I have drunk. Evolved well in the glass, went through a dark brooding stage and then lightened but retained acidity and zing.

9/29/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Good crisp mineral refreshing. Good not great. But great bargain.

9/22/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very nice. Dry, just a touch of sweet-fullness. Dark ruby red.

9/22/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Excellent. Very intense Syrah, attacks with acid, tannin, iron. Concentrated, structured. Softens nicely with air.

9/8/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very austere on opening. Mellowed considerably over 90 minutes. These notes apply to the wine after 90 minutes open.

Dark color. Dark fruit, black dirt, and barnyard on the nose, black olive tapenade. On palate, brine and black olive, tobacco (cigar wrapper), wet rocks, potting soil, rehydrated morel mushrooms, wet clay. Medium long finish. Well structured, good acidity, tannins integrated. I would drink this with a roast leg of lamb with tomato and spices, no worries about upstaging this one.

2/18/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

We've fallen out of love with this wine. I think it's an issue of changing palate, changing lifestyle, I don't know, we've just grown apart.

2/18/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

out of love with this wine

2/18/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Big, new world style, quite enjoyable but nothing very exciting.

1/18/2013 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

A lovely, gentle wine, drinking perfectly right now. Not a powerhouse, can't see it aging forever. Light body, gentle fruit, good balance. Think duck breast rather than steak. An absolute pleasure. The first post-90s Calon that reminded us of the 80s Calons that stole our hearts (86, 88).

1/12/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Quite nice, not amazing. Soft, light bodied. The nose and front palate very perfumed,. Taste also led with acid. Relatively short finish. Wants food, but easily overwhelmed.

1/7/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Light for a rhone, paired well with tete de porchetta

1/6/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Strong oak and butter, not loved.

1/6/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Buttery and oakey, actually tasted rather crude and new world. Not a favorite.

1/4/2013 - BailliSacks wrote:

Pineau D'aunis - grapefruit, evergreen, nice fruit in the tongue. Clean citrus finish.

11/7/2012 - BailliSacks wrote:

Wonderful - at first a little sandalwood and cinnamon on the nose. As it opened an we ate seemed more acidic. Long(ish) finish.

5/13/2012 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very dark, opaque. First sip was all soy sauce, very intense. Opened over 90 minutes to show dark fruit, chocolate, but was still dominated by soy, acid, tannin. Very long finish. No complaints, as this was one of the most intense and complex things we've tasted! Hope to try another after more years' age or extended decanting.

12/25/2011 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Very intense. Leads with a strong attack, follows with intense, packed body. Tight, and wants more age or extended airing. It had made a very satisfying turn-of-the-corner as we were finishing our last sips, around 90 minutes after opening, gaining a transparency of body and new softness. Still waiting for the best from this. (Tish's bottle)

12/25/2011 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Delicious. Recognizably gamay, with that soft fruit body, but with good focus and acidity as well.

12/25/2011 - BailliSacks Does not like this wine:

I did not enjoy this at all. Acidic and minerally, but in a harsh, not nice way.

12/25/2011 - BailliSacks Likes this wine:

Quite acidic with a bit of sweet fruit.

12/18/2011 - BailliSacks wrote:

This was disappointing. Thin and weak. A compromised bottle, or maybe just a tired wine. Better hope for the next bottle.