4/27/2024 - RAD2626 wrote:

Lovely. Young and delicious. Like a young Montrachet. The blend adds enormous complexity and hints of lemon, honeysuckle, peach without any of the graphite or weight of a big Chardonnay. Light greenish tint adds to the mystery. Wonderful wine. Will hold remaining two bottles.

12/17/2023 - RAD2626 wrote:

Just a beautiful wine in its sweet spot. Had the 2018 CIC Pinot earlier this week and was gobsmacked. Same reaction tonight. Beautiful balance, citrus and floral notes. Every bit as nice as any Marcassin or Peter Michael. Wonderful.

10/26/2023 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Fabulous. Wonderful balance of citrus, floral notes, acidity and balance. Every bit as delicious as a Colin-Morey or Lafon Montrachet.

7/23/2023 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

22 years old (stored well) and still lovely Very little bricking, bright deep red color, significant fruit, in balance and delicious Bravo.

3/18/2023 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Truly special. Wonderful citrus notes from the start Lemon, grapefruit, toast. Modified by butterscotch on the afterglow. Lovely mouthfeel. Fine finish. As good as it gets. Delighted I have several more bottles

10/17/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

We had a terrific visit to Antica Terra at Brick Hall in Dayton last week and sampled a number of the current releases. That prompted me to pull a 2006 Botanica when we returned home. Simply put, it was fabulous. Lovely and strong fruit. Seamless integration Drank over two hours and it stayed approachable and beautiful Reminded me of a Marcassin or even a SQN from when they were making big Pinots (Omega maybe?). What a treat have two left. Lucky us.

9/28/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Terrific Light yellow color, notes of honey and citrus. Lively nose and wonderful finish. A lovely wine.

8/29/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Wonderful surprise. Have six bottles that have been stored ideally but I had little hope for them. Bottle 1 was great. Cork flawless, lovely nose, dark red color, no rust. Mellow red fruits - raspberry and red currant. A treasure.

8/23/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Found a final bottle I did not know I had. Has matured into a full, fruity lovely pinot, perhaps even as complicated as a Musigny or even a RSV. Less fruit forward than the earlier bottles that I remember but still strong fruit and flavor. Lovely red fruit, great color, great length, opened up over an hour or so . Worked well with pork, panko and radishes. Highly recommended. Absent another stroke of luck, probably my final taste of this terrific wine.

8/19/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Should not have waited quite so long. Still have six bottles. Pale color; cork intact. Not much by way of nose but still good legs. Some bright red fruit flavor still. Maybe a little bitter; maybe a little tangy. If you still have some hurry up.

8/6/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Delight. Full fruit profile fine mouthfeel. Retained red and blue fruit flavors throughout Wine of the night for all but one taster

8/5/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Just gorgeous. Ruby red; clear coloring. Held up well over the two hour drinking time. Special mouthfeel, bright red fruit. Began to fade a little toward the end but that did not diminish our enjoyment Have five more we will drink over the next year and share with friends.

6/27/2022 - RAD2626 wrote:

Very special. Wonderful blend of citrus notes highlighted by lemon and honeydew. Not biting at the one end or cloying at the other. Like Goldilocks - just right. Glad I have five bottles left.

3/5/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Spectacular nose, legs and taste. Fully in balance. Wine of the night for all six diners against strong competition. Truly a beautiful California cab.

1/30/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Great forward fruit. Pop and pour. Delight with steaks. Nose, color, density all terrific should be nice for years to come.

1/17/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Good length good nose. Dark fruit. Still has some time left on it. Lovely wine.

1/16/2022 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Fabulous. Young but still well knit. Good dark fruit. A keeper.

12/18/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Just plain wonderful. Lovely balance. Tartness balanced by honey and soft citrus. Could have served from a high end Montrachet bottle and no one would have questioned. Chardonnay of the year. Can’t wait to have the 2016 Point Rouge.

11/19/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Still lovely with red fruit, nice color and fine finish. Hints of strawberry.

11/12/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Still lovely. Honey colored. Petrol overtones. Delightful flavors of honeysuckle, white peaches and soft carmel. Cork impeccable.

11/4/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Despite being 22 years old still required an hour of air to open up. Jammy with bright red fruits. Must have been a fruit bomb in its prime. Still eminently drinkable.

11/2/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Despite being high shoulder fill, still a lovely La Chapelle. Have had numerous 83s but only a few 84s. Leather, tart, great Rhine taste and feel.

11/2/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Great and pleasant surprise. Had inadvertently not been stored in ideal conditions. But a lovely bright wine. Beautiful Margaux feel, legs nose and finish. A true gem.

10/14/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Delicious. Dark fruit comes through. Wonderful nose and finish. Will be good for years to come. Another terrific Hudson offering.

10/6/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Drinking beautifully. Pale coloration. Lovely nose. Strawberries, raspberries and pure red fruit. Velvet feel. Very nice wine. Enjoyed immensely.

8/13/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Just wonderful. Great fruit, legs and balance. Lilac overtones with dark berries. Chocolate thick decadence. Will stand up against any food or competition.

7/9/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Maybe just stored well but I thought this was great. Long legs, fruit forward, long finish. A delightful find. And not just me. Two others enjoyed with our steaks. Was ready to toss. Glad we persevered.

6/12/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Spectacular magnum. Bright, peach, honey floral notes. A pure delight.

5/25/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Lovely pinot. Dark ruby tones and dark cherry flavors. Comparable to the Burgundian Californian pinots: full flavor, lovely nose, lovely finish. A real treat.

5/19/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Still delicious. Deep golden tone. Bright lemon finish. Lovely wine.

5/14/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

This is in a beautiful spot. Fully integrated fruits. Bright color and taste. Spectacular length. Served with wagyu beef which it complemented perfectly. So happy I have two bottles left. As good as it gets.

5/4/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Very impressive. Still jammy. Dark fruits. Some tobacco overtones. Hard to believe this is more than twenty years old. Nowhere near done.

4/30/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Will let my remaining bottles sit for a year or two. Still quite tight and maybe a little brittle or tart. Opened up nicely, lovely balance, red fruit, some dryness. Quite nice but suspect it will just get better over time.

4/26/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Popped and poured and was really disappointed. Flat and dull although great legs and nose. Even coravined second bottle just to see if I had a funky bottle. My bad. Should have decanted. Drank over two plus hours and loved it. Just got better and better. I am a big fan of 83 and 90 and this opened up in a way which while different competes with those classic years. Will decant from now on. Highly recommend.

3/2/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Lovely wine hitting on all cylinders. Nose, color, legs all great. Balanced fruit, predominantly red rather than black, milder tannins as might be expected at 9 years. I think in its sweet spot for another five to sevem years. Have two bottles left. Will try one next year. Went well with steak and pork. Great choice for the night.

2/7/2021 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Double decanted as recommended. Just a wonderful wine. Can taste the lemon and grapefruit notes but with an underlying almost sweetness like Creme brûlée or almond paste for balance. Wonderful treat during a disappointing Super Bowl - so far. Glad I have a couple more bottles. Will hold for now.

2/5/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Right in this lovely wine’s sweet spot. Red fruit. Lovely legs, finish and tannins. Delightful.

2/3/2021 - RAD2626 wrote:

Just a beautiful wine. Balanced. Great aromatics. Wonderful finish. Taste, fruit and length for the ages. Dark fruit and red fruit discernible and pushed to the forefront with a touch of tannins. Wish I could drink it every night. Very special experience.

12/26/2020 - RAD2626 wrote:

Strongly disagree with recent reviews of this wine. Thought it had enormous depth and integrity; beautiful finish; chocolate, spice, cedar box. Held up against steaks very well. Glad I have two more bottles. Very special wine.

12/11/2020 - RAD2626 wrote:

Still fabulous. Double decanted as recommended by vintner. Just a true delight. Agree with all my earlier comments.

12/11/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Deep Golden color, lovely acidity, tartness and honeysuckle. Delightful wine.

11/10/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Delicious and fruit intense. Would have guessed Marcassin if blind. Lovely wine. Dark red color, intense dark cherry flavors. Lovely legs and finish. True delight.

10/31/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

A great surprise. Still pale yellow coloring. No deterioration. Wonderful fruit. Lovely wine for this price point. Compares nicely with Staglin, Peter Michael and others at 2-3 the cost. Sorry it is my last bottle. Good tartness, lemon and honeysuckle notes.

9/13/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Still a baby. Dark purple. Good leg. Good color. Good body. Will save the three remaining for a few years.

8/25/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Still fine fruit. Lovely wine.

8/19/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Terrific fruit. Great length. Bright cherry and red berry flavor. Very pleasant wine showing no deterioration.

8/12/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Just an outstanding offering. Crisp, clean, complex. Floral notes mixed with honey, and slight notes of ginger. Enjoyed every bit as it evolved over a two hour leisurely tasting.

8/10/2020 - RAD2626 Likes this wine:

Still plenty of fruit despite the wine's age. Bright cherry flavors. Good finish. Pleasant surprise.

7/21/2020 - RAD2626 wrote:

Lovely wine. Golden tint. Deep peach, honey and floral notes.

7/20/2020 - RAD2626 wrote:

Still nice fruit and nose for such an advanced age. Not as good as Flax or Vista Verde from same vintage but being eminently drinkable for 14 years old is great.