4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

Punchline first: And ‘the Ks’ have it!! Kaannos and Kodo! I know I’m supposed to find beauty in all creatures great and small, and that love is discovered in all forms of doe-eyed unicorns and rainbows, but after sampling over 70 wines over the course of a three-day weekend, the Kaannos is THE BEST wine. It just is. If you dare take your in vogue flat leadership model and go old school vertical with it, then the Kaannos is on the top, like the very top. #1. Numero uno. The cat’s pajamas, and even the cat’s meow for that matter. The Kodo is… also… the best…!

Punchline #1 to the punchline: Kaannos TN – Not surprisingly, the first word in my notes just says, “perfect,” along with some hyphenated expletives that remind me this is, you guessed it, the best wine hands down. Dark fruit, but ever so balanced, with rays of succulent acidity (ya, that’s a thing), providing both elegance and speed. A nervy finish gives way to a second wave of flavor and energy. With air, it grabs ahold of more richness, akin to its Kodo brother. Darker, faster, even livelier with each sip. Block 4 powers, activate! The stamina here is worth waiting a few years, though Nigel puts it out at 8-12 years. But it’s a shakin good time right now without question.

Punchline #1(a) to the punchline: Kodo TN - And of course, because every kind of exception has an exception, I will confidently say that Kodo is also the best wine. But since I just made up a rule that says I have to choose (science and law and all that), the Kodo for me is the #1(a) to the Kaannos #1. Other Galloni sympathizers at the table pegged the Kodo for grand prize winner, not that I can blame them. But my iconoclastic side gave the Kaannos the edge. That is to say, they are both solid 100 point wines, but since GPAs these days are like 6.0 to get into community college (not sure what happened to 4.0, but I digress, again), I’ll go with the Kaannos at Harvard and the Kodo at Stanford. Kodo is a darker knight, with the depth of a thousand gallant chevaliers that parade through silky seas of dark chocolate and black cherries. Unctuous. Precise. Enveloping. Balanced, but with personality and attention-grabbing gothic gumption. The initiative here is fantastic, especially on the slowly building finish that envelops the back of the mouth. I feel like this is an earlier drinker than Kaannos.

I think I phonetic-a-sized my way through how to say Kodo, but I can’t for the life of me pronounce Kaannos, especially with all those little umlaut thingamajigs over every letter. I don’t know if it’s Kay-nohs, Ka-nos, Kaw-nohs, Can-os, or Ka’a-na-nah-na-nah-nah-nos. I know it means something to do with ‘translation’ in Finnish, but I can’t claim to know what the Fins have done to influence what I now consider the best 2021 wine I’ve had thus far out of Napa.

“Save the best for last” is typically prudent advice, and it’s normal decorum to build up to the ‘best’ wine when one is toured through various wine tasting experiences. However, in this case, the esteemed Nigel Kinsman simply said, “I like to jump around,” giving us novice geeks free rein to pick among the four glasses in front of us. A creature of habit, when I reached to my left and took a sip, not bothering to look at the name, the Kaannos hit me square in the jaw. Epic! There is a sliver of me that wants it not to be so amazing, like “here we go again, another fanboy tasting note from me on Kinsman.” I wanted to be neutral on these and just write a couple lame short tasting notes (and the crowd cheers). Better luck next time I guess. So, obviously, the Kaannos was completely rad! (not Rhad – but which is also rad, by the way). And the Kodo is also a mega hit-out-of-the-park showstopper.

… wishing Cellar Tracker had a word limit right about now…?… I don’t…. :)

1/20/2024 - essenceofreal wrote:

Recently purchased from a wine merchant here in the Bay Area. I've had this many times in the past and loved it. Couldn't resist another shot. Bad idea!!

Upon opening was thin with the an opaque color. Uh oh. Decanted. After an hour it was even worse. Was hoping it would improve, nope.

Cork and bottle fill perfect. Seems it was not stored well, get the feeling in a closest somewhere.

This experience has cemented my feeling to never buy aged wine again. I have such a large cellar its simply not needed. Will see if I can track down the invoice and contact the seller for selling this crap! I have a feeling whoever sold it to the merchant knew it was bad.....

12/11/2023 - Brendel Likes this wine:

This is my second bottle. The first wasn’t aerated properly. This time, I Coravin’d it and used the aerator. Wow! The wine now explodes on the nose and the palate with an incredible intensity of sweet dark fruit, blueberries, like a French blueberry tart. That sweetness and incredible intensity of concentration is on the palate as well with wonderful structure. The wine adheres to the tongue and mouth beautifully. Incredible stuff.

This is drinkable now if you aerate it, decant for a very long time, or shake the hell out of it. If you don’t want to do those things, then wait 5+ years. But it’s drinkable now otherwise and is absolutely fantastic. Totally worth the $90-100 price tag.

12/14/2022 - ceadsearc Likes this wine:

Bel Air Marquis D’Aligre 2000
Such an interesting wine, my first BAMA. On the nose, it’s very dusty with earthy notes of manure, clay, wood, barnyard, with blue fruits and sweet clove. Very elegant. On the palate, blue fruits and black fruits, earth, hints of vanilla and savoury notes, oak, with sweet tannins and hints of clove. Very elegant and restrained with some tertiary characteristics, in a refined manner it certainly invoked thought. 93/100. If you didn’t tell me it was a Bordeaux, I might not have guessed.

2/10/2023 - BadOyster wrote:

Nose of baked cherry pie, tack on cinnamon and black pepper on the palate with crystalline black and red fruits. It’s plush and full but well-balanced on the finish. Nicely done.

1/14/2023 - BadOyster wrote:

I agree with GLRBO - day 1 it’s holding back. A slight not of citrus on the nose, a fairly muted mid-palate, and then the telltale tar/dime tap on the finish. I hope day 2 brings more …

1/12/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine:

A wonderful wine with dense dark fruit: black raspberry, plum, cassis, with elements of spice and damp earth. Tannins are soft and well integrated. Long satisfying finish.

10/19/2022 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine:

Licorice, plums, black currants on the nose. Fresh and round, good balance, a touch of alcohol, black fruits, medium tannins, medium ending with vegetable notes. Young, but already very drinkable. These are impressions from day 1 - will see if it improves on day 2.

Day 2 - Much better. More open with a nose of licorice, black currants, blackberries. A hint of alcohol. Still fresh on the palate but more complex, nice acidity and grainy tannins, very nice black fruits (blackberries and dark cherries), cocoa, a hint of led, underbrush, then a long, warm finish with some oak aromas to balance the rest. 93 on day 2.

10/12/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote:

This is one of those "WOW" wines that if the bottle has been well-stored, never ceases to amaze me. Texturally, it is refined hedonism in the glass. Concentrated, lush, balanced, fresh, and intense, one sip, and you are hooked! The finish owns the day. Clocking in at over 60 seconds, the seamless display of black and red currants, plums, spice, tobacco, herbs, and mint leaf with its silky tannins and sensuality is what great Bordeaux is all about. Drink from 2022-2037.

9/25/2022 - coremill wrote:

Full of cherries and strawberries, plenty of silky fruit, hint of earth, a bit of grip. Not too ripe or sweet, not exactly high acid but there's enough, fruit almost entirely making the structure right now. Lacks the definition and complexity of the grander bottlings but a delicious Bourgogne. Better than the 2018.

9/2/2022 - drmarc61 Likes this wine:

Someone wrote that this as a Napa style Cab Bordeaux. Great description. started sipping the wine after a two hour decant. Good, not great taste profile that was primary fruit. Hours 4-5, the depth of the wine began to emerge. It started off as a 90-92 and ended for me as a 94. I will wait another five years before cracking open another bottle. I hope for better balance, more secondary and tertiary notes that clearly swing the praises of the greatness of a Bordeaux.

8/18/2022 - anthroman Likes this wine:

What a terrific bottle of wine for the money! I was super impressed. Nose of liquorice, fresh earth, petrichor, cherries, with cedar and pencil lead coming out with time in the decanter. On the palate at first dark red fruits with gentle tannins and, with time, blacker fruits and chocolate. The finish is on tart dark cherries and red fruits. Initially we gave this 1 hour in the decanter, and by hour two this was really singing. Quite pleased with this bottle, especially for the price.

6/19/2022 - BadOyster wrote:

Turning 40 at Talula's; 6/18/2022-6/19/2022 (Talula's Table): Still drinking like a baby at 40 with good complexity. First sipped after a toast at the beginning of a cheese course, it drew oooo’s and aahhh’s that completely derailed whatever thoughts and sentiments were shared just moments before (i.e. the wine surpassed the words) - it's that good. It might not necessarily be "the best" dessert wine I've ever had (it could have used a bit more acidity), but the honeyed apricots and orange marmalade were still light enough to give that hauntingly long presence on the finish that the best Sauternes have. For me, it overshadowed the cheese and panna cotta dessert courses, stealing their thunder as the star of the final act.

5/28/2022 - BadOyster wrote:

Not going to leave a rating for this one while I wait to open a second. Unlike previous vintages, which have knocked my socks off, this bottling seems to have lost that crystalline, mineral, saline aspect, in favor of more floral and pronounced apple saucey profile, that is much more round but also a bit more oxidized than I'm used to. Hoping it's an off bottle.

4/13/2022 - BadOyster wrote:

Initially, on the nose, you think it’s going to be some delightful Riesling that you’ve had before. And indeed it kicks off with some familiarity with honeyed apricot and pineapple, but then it takes a neck-snapping turn into a brisk white pepper, ginger, and salty rock, before returning to a mouthwatering sugared citrus finish that lasts for a full minute. It made me stop in my tracks to take note and exhale just so I could experience the evolution on the palate. For me it was stuck in the 98-99. I went with the 99 because I recognize it was criminally opened at such a young age. It didn’t bring a tear to my eye, but it did make me realize that I’ve never had a white this profound with a sweetness that was in perfect balance with acid and length (then again - i’ve never had Elon Muller either, either … so those people with that experience might knock it down a few points …)

Also: the reviews do confirm that JS is a hack, as there are no funky, mushroom, savory notes and this wine had no botrytis.

3/5/2022 - CCGCCG Likes this wine:

Took it to Parc in Philadelphia. Great food! The 2009 Pontet-Canet was indeed spectacular but definitely needs time to breathe. I had corked it about three hours before the meal but did not have a chance to decant it. I decanted it at the beginning of the meal and it really did come out of its shell after an hour more. I think 4 to 5 hours to be optimal.

2/19/2022 - dcwino wrote:

Youthful hedonistic nose displaying perfectly ripe intense black and red fruit, blackberry, creme de cassis, a hint of Chambord, lead pencil, dark spices, luxurious oak and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated black fruit, rich and opulent but also good detail and balance, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and the finish that lasts over a minute. This is a great representation of Schrader cab.

3/1/2021 - BadOyster wrote:

One bottle was compromised (dried cork).

But the second bottle killed it. An acidic dagger through a bowl of cranberries that's oh-so-lively and inviting, with a spritz of citrus lightning. Still so young that there aren't as many savory flavors - but they feel right around the corner. It'll cut through lean turkey as easily as wagyu beef.

8/18/2021 - BadOyster wrote:

Had to “check in” on this wine. Decanted and replaced into the bottle for 12 hours, decanted again for 2 hours and served.
While it had been 5 years, I still disagree with AG’s note. “Tightly wound”, “reticent”, and “lack of charm” do not describe this wine at all. They didn’t upon release, and they still don’t. The initial blast of crystalline red fruit and florals is still there, opening up to a mouthwateringly bright mid-palate of black cherry and red-fleshed pluots. A smidge of savory cigar and black tea keep it interesting before the seductively long finish. Things are coming together nicely right now - could use a few more years, but while some might start counting in decades, I just think if you wait too long you’ll miss out on the liveliness of the wine, which would be a shame.

8/18/2021 - BadOyster wrote:

Still incredible. Some of the greener, more savory traits are beginning to show. Still nicely integrated.

10/24/2014 - BadOyster wrote:

A beautiful pinot that needs some bottle age. A little too aggressive up front with the sour red fruits, but some real class on the finish. Going to wait for bottle #2.

6/24/2019 - BadOyster wrote:

Purchased online from K&L on June 5 2019, “from a private collection”. Mid-to-top shoulder fill, crumbly cork, tons of sediment, yet a pristine label (which was suspicious). Decanted and immediately served to enjoy over the following 3 hours. Assuming legitimacy, I am shocked by the freshness of this wine. Minimal bricking, with deep ruby color, vibrant nose of classic cab (mixed fruit and prominent bell pepper). Lively red fruits on entry that transitions to dried herbs and an earthy/mushroom finish with that tell-tale Dominus medicinal/green/cedar streak that lasted a good 60 seconds. If it weren’t for that streak and finish length, I would have doubted this was an old-vintage Dominus - it was just too alive to be 35 years old! Maybe someone spiked it with some young Dominus? The mouthwatering acidity went well with food, and the tannins were pure silk. Superbly balanced. Lots of life left, but those who crack one now will not be disappointed. I would love to have another bottle (from a different source) just to double-check! The somm remarked “this is what old Bordeaux tastes like”. When looking at my old notes, this one clearly showed better than the ‘99, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, and ‘12 in the past - although now I wonder what those would have been like had I waited 35 years ...

6/15/2019 - BadOyster wrote:

Very tight at this stage. Despite a purity of dark fruit upon entry, it's immediately overtaken by a shield of tannin, acidity, and alcohol that makes it tough to feel what's underneath. I don't get any of the "sumptuous" or "explosive" qualities put forth by AG. As I don't give extra points on "potential", at this moment it's far too tight for me to be as enjoyable as described by other posters; I regret opening one up this early (although it was more open a year ago!). Future scores will likely improve.

10/16/2014 - BadOyster wrote:

unremarkable bordeaux - neither good nor bad - a moderate amount of everything: fruit, length, acid, tannin; but nothing to really grab your attention.

10/15/2016 - BadOyster wrote:

A 95-pt wine this is NOT. Leaner than most Argentinian Malbecs, with good acidity and a vegetal streak running through bright red fruits. Fine tannins, moderate length. I can see how it would stand out in an all-malbec tasting panel, but by itself, it tastes like a $12 wine.

4/16/2016 - BadOyster wrote:

I wholeheartedly disagree with the professional reviews regarding this wine. Perhaps there is bottle variation, but this wine did nothing right for me. At least had it been "flawed" then I could mark it as such. This wine had a very sour cherry on entry, with the unmistakeable Chilean cab flavor that dominated the palate (it's almost like a rubber/synthetic fruit quality), without any balance. Short-lived, without any depth or evolution. Basically a single sour note, then gone. I've had better wines at wedding receptions ...

12/7/2015 - msuwine Likes this wine:

The best SB coming out of Napa for under $50 (and this is closer to $30!). Pale white in color; light in body; nose of grapefruit and flint. Tastes of grapefruit, slate, and wet grass. 13.9% alcohol. Intense but energetic, this is more than a tremendous value; it is a fantastic wine - far better than the Spottswoode and Mondavi To Kalon, in my opinion.

12/14/2014 - BadOyster wrote:

I normally don't numerically rate faulted wines, but I suspect that this isn't something that's isolated to my bottle alone, given the other reactions on this board. There is something very "funky" on the nose - definitely not TCA, rather, a peculiar petrol + manure + acetone smell that is very unappealing. The palate is very abrasive, with high acid and high "funk". Didn't bother to examine anything else, as I immediately spit it out and flushed with water. I'm all for savory flavors in my wine, but this is too much to be intentional. I'll write to Ken Wright and post any response.

7/13/2015 - Yack Man wrote:

Very disappointing. Lite, tart, and acidic. I enjoy Beckstoffer To-Kalon fruit source and this wine drinks nothing like that appellation to me. It is not terrible but I expected much more. I picked this one up on sale and I'm glad I didn't pay more for it. I will stop at this point, as there is not much good that comes to mind about this Cab. I WOULD NOT recommend this wine.

5/6/2015 - BadOyster wrote:

Sadly, yet another Parker-overrated wine. Very hot on the nose and mouth, with only a moderate amount of fruit and unremarkably structure. Just another sadly over-extracted wine with a bad medicinal edge. No point in wasting the $22 on this one.

4/28/2014 - Flyfish1219 wrote:

- Slow forming legs - Way better than its 2010.

1/21/2014 - Italiana Likes this wine:

Much more convincing than the prior bottle, which was no doubt opened too soon after shipping. Pronounced aromas, tart citrus, juicy acidity, all integrating into a satisfying mouthful. My only quibble is that pesky wax capsule. . .

1/18/2014 - BadOyster Likes this wine:

Initially very tight, needing several hours to blow off the sour-patch-kid-nail-polish-remover. Afterwards with lush cherry and a texture as soft as biting into a ripe plum. A nice dose of Oregon earth. Not bad for a mass-produced Oregon pinot.

6/25/2013 - BadOyster wrote:

Interesting "finesse" - some balanced fruit and acid and Bordeaux earth, with dusty fine tannins. But altogether unremarkable - certainly not even threatening a score in the 90's. It'd be a great $16 wine.