3/14/2024 - Todd French wrote:

It has a bit of everything I look for in Riesling, but not too much of any one characteristic. Petrol and white flowers on the nose, hint of lychee and crushed rocks (great start), palate has the slightest oily weight and feel to it, white peach and pineapple on the palate, with a touch more petrol, perfect sweetness level and an herbal white fruit finish. Spot On.

3/8/2024 - Todd French wrote:

Madeirized, shot

3/7/2024 - Todd French wrote:

I've been loving my 2017 Chablis as of late, so I thought I'd venture into white Burgundy a bit, see how the vintage plays out there. While not quite as perfectly situated (to me) as '17 Chablis, there's a lot to love...nose has a very strong salinity to it, white flowers and sweet light tropical fruits. Palate is starting to bear some silkiness, bit of weight, white peach, sweet pineapple, key lime - all the components meld together well, giving a preview of what this wine will be when it hits its peak, but what makes it most obvious, to me, that it's not quite there is the finish, where it still bears some baby fat, some malo and vanilla which hasn't yet fully integrated. That said, perfectly enjoyable now, gives me hope for the other bottles I have, which I'll happily open in a couple more years, or later.

2/19/2024 - Todd French wrote:

The balance of fruit and texture and acid is just first class. Juicy, crisp, great spunk without that searing acidity Chablis can sometimes have, overwhelming the individual with super-sour lemon at all times. Herbs, sweet grapefruit, hint of white pepper. It’s so balanced, it finishes elegantly and gracefully.

2/7/2024 - Todd French wrote:

Concerned about a recent tasting note on this wine, I had to give it a go. It's quintessential young Merlot, bridging a gap between it's more 'modern' lushness in the texture and weight and more classical flavor profiles. Punches well above its weight/price. Will be delightful in years to come, for certain.

1/25/2024 - Todd French wrote:

I'm often 'afraid' to open young wines, hate to waste them in their youth, when they can probably develop into something more complex, lose some of the baby fat, but I had to pull a BerserkerDay wine to pair with risotto verde (cooking was a brief escape from the BerserkerDay Preview Day madness for me) - so I chose '21 Arabilis Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard. Wow, I love Oregon Chardonnay. Yes, it still has its baby fat, which shows on the finish - that sort of 'malo' flavor/profile you get on young white wines (and many Pinots) - but the wine is fantastic. Surprisingly tropical, complex fruit profile I didn't expect for the region - stylistically more like Goodfellow than Suzor (both favorites of mine from Oregon), elegant, crisp, less flinty but plenty of minerality, and the tropical fruit profile...with a hint of salinity. Has a nice weight to it, stays crisp, great acid. Unfortunately I WISH I had aged this wine a bit, maybe burn off that baby fat malo thing, but it's fantastic now, truly.

12/13/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Graphite and coffee on the nose, lilac and pine-y sous bois, dark fruits - one of those noses that makes you realize Burgundy can be singular for Pinot Noir. Fantastic 'zip' on the palate, has a rounded soft texture on the tongue but a poignant blast of tart strawberry and red raspberry flavor and acidity - really pure fruit (I often read that note, I finally can say I understand it), fantastic finish on this wine, too. Balanced, pure, wonderful.

10/25/2023 - Todd French wrote:

The 2007 vintage is indeed drinking so beautifully right now - what a gorgeous, sexy, rewarding wine! Nose is full of roses, gentle thyme and sous bois - clean and lifting for your nose. Perfectly weighted on the palate, it's pillowy and almost weightless, yet satiny as well. Red and black berry immediately introduce themselves, and carry through in a voluptuous, round and expressive flavor profile. Finish is absolutely seamless in transition, long and tapering so gracefully. A wine in an absolutely perfect space for me, now, and one I wish I bought by the case so long ago...wonderful.

10/18/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Wow, how this wine has changed!! Explosive and expressive nose of rocks, florals and berries, and the palate delivers more of the same - rewarding, gripping, packed with red berries and finishing with crunchy cranberries. Silky but snappy on the mouthfeel, great bracing acidity that really carries the finish. My last bottle and I truly wish it was not - this wine has developed so beautifully and I can only imagine (now that I have no more) how much better it can become.

10/11/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Not knowing at all what to expect of this wine, with little to no experience with Australian wines of a higher caliber (other than the revered and standalone Grange), I came in with a blank slate. I address more specific nose/taste analogies than I normally do only because of my inexperience with the wine and region.

Apparently 2011 was a difficult vintage with a LOT of rain in Barossa, with the difficulty coming during picking, not knowing when to do so, risk of botrytis with extended rainfall throughout harvest.

Deep and dark overall profile matches color/appearance - it's dark and brooding, from the start to the finish.

Hint of pruned fruit on the nose, dark chocolate and blackberry, black cherry, hint of tobacco pops through.

Super dark berry, chocolate, olive brine dominate the palate, and aren't shy about it, mouthfeel has dusty tannins but super silky and with some heft, grippy but also unctuous. Finish lingers long, but not strong (not gonna get the friction on, in other words), as it fades quickly but then holds at that reduced state for a very long time. Difficult to peg this wine and know what it will become, or if this is what it is to become, honestly. I feel like it still has baby fat on it yet with tannins and acidity not yet 'finished' developing, and likely can go another 10-30 years, but I have nothing to base that on, other than experiences with the one bottling higher than this in the Penfold's production, Grange.

9/26/2023 - Todd French wrote:

lovely nose, lemon cream, golden apple, mouthfeel has direction, crunchy, linear and seamless transition, white pepper and white peach, rich and round, the texture fades quickly but still a great wine

7/26/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Oh, this is fantastic for the price, truly - elegant, racy (no pun intended), lively and snappy - lemon zest and sweet green apple, floral, hint of lychee sweetness to it, seamless to the finish, best quite cold, as once it warms to around cellar temp it gains a bit of weight and sweetness in the finish. Very much looking forward to trying more from this producer

7/13/2023 - Todd French wrote:

I find it a bit disconcerting to be the first note on any wine, wondering why there are no notes when there are some bottles consumed, and, with this wine, I still wonder why there are no notes, as it's quite delicious! At first it starts out all super dusty and sharp tannins, and the fruit seems quite unripe - wine comes across rough, disjointed, and lacking interest of any sort. It quickly blooms in the glass, developing a beautiful herbal nose, touch of vegetables and slight black cherry. Texture is nicely weighted, smooth but lifted and made lighter by the acids - those sharp, dusty tannins seem to meld in now. Finish is more dark cherry, tree sap, good length to it. Quite a wonderful wine for the price, will be pairing it with (leftover) short rib ragú

6/30/2023 - Todd French wrote:

I enjoyed a few bottles of the '14 Cornas by Alain Verset over the course of the last 12 months or so, and grabbed these in auction, hoping for more of the same, or better, in a slightly higher-regarded vintage of 2013. This wine appears to have more structure than the 2014 - grippier, stronger tannins, more rustic profile overall, with a nod perhaps to Gonon St Joseph, even. Clearly not from an overly ripe year, the fruit is pure and it has a brightness from the acids as well.

I continue to enjoy this producer's Cornas, and will continue to seek it out.

6/21/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Decided to see what a Ramonet Rouge is like, this being my only bottle - a substitution to an order placed wherein the retailer couldn't fulfill my order of white Ramonet wines, I agreed to this substitution on one, to try it out. Not a great vintage, obviously - challenging and thus not well regarded because of the inconsistencies in the wines. Nose gives off hints of cranberry and spring water, rocks. Palate has some nice weight and silkiness, dark cherry and more cranberry emerge with some graphite and black tea, but in all, not particularly complex or interesting, really. It's not lively, per se, it's not 'crunchy' with the fruit/acid, and transitions are a bit clunky. Guess I should stick with Ramonet whites next time!

6/16/2023 - Todd French wrote:

With all my love of '16 PdB Barbaresco Normale (and that of basically everybody else who tried it) I decided to check in on a 'lesser' vintage. Tapering expectations as one would HAVE to when comparing to such a legendary predecessor, I still found a truly enjoyable wine, more classic in character than the gorgeous and generous '16. The nose, in particular, exhibits the more 'classical' Barbaresco traits - tar, violets, rose petals, leather, but it follows on the palate as well - dark red cherry dominates. Superfine dusty tannins actually deliver some real enjoyment, as they seem so focused and balanced with the wine itself - often fine dusty tannins seem an afterthought, a separate component to the wine to carry the finish on, but here it's fully integral to the wine itself. I'm sure it will be delicious with the homemade gnocchi Bolognese we will enjoy in a short while, but this is a delicious wine on its own, even young.

6/14/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Not many notes on this wine in the last couple years, presumably as most who have them consumed them early, though CT still shows about 39% remain in cellars.

I cracked one of the '17 Chardonnay bottles within days of receipt, out of curiosity for the new label from Dehlinger, but haven't tried the Pinot yet...

Within minutes of opening the brambly nose just explodes - with or without swirl, dark raspberry and blackberry dominate, stone and slate joining in and some violet - not a shy nose, very expressive, smells 'juicy'. Palate delivers much of the same fruit profile, has a bit of a malolactic softness to the palate but with a very balanced acidity to compliment the fruit profile. Finish gives a bit of salt and stone, some orange rind and blueberry.

I would classify this wine as a wonderful substitute for Dehlinger Estate Pinot Noir, which you typically want to wait 10-20 years before enjoying. Has grip, has weight, very generous fruit profile, well balanced and delicious.

5/23/2023 - Todd French wrote:

This wine really surprised me! Super bright fruits, raspberry and blackberry, maybe ruby grapefruit as well, really pops on the palate - finishes all rocks and cured meat -I was looking for a more savory northern Rhône, but this delivers something quite the opposite, and it is delightful

5/15/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Very light in color, edges bricking quite a bit, looks to be older than it is, but on the palate it is lifting, bright fruited, full of sandalwood and herbs, lacking the grip one expects from Nebbiolo - enjoyable, but drinks more like a Barbera or Dolcetto

4/28/2023 - Todd French wrote:

What stands out most for me on this wine is it's liveliness - it really pops on your palate - tongue and gumline, lifting, popping acidity, and full of character, as William Kelley pointed out. I'm mainly accustomed to the big, bruising Gonon St. Josephs of 2007-2010, which is what I have enjoyed the most of (and the 2010 is STILL a big, brooding monster of a wine, even with many hours of air!) but on this wine I get more complexity and interest on the palate than any Gonon I've had. The fruit profile still is very dark, and there's a beautiful earthy and herbal component as well. Incredibly enjoyable and entertaining wine, delivering quality and interest throughout.

Big fan.

4/14/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Hanzell's Estate wines are supposed to be cellared, and this is proof why that's the smart move. Hints of flint on the nose over green and red apple, white pitted fruits. Texture is where this sings over prior tastings when the wine is much younger - nice weight and great silkiness, but filled with minerals, salinity, complex and seamless in transition, could be a dead ringer for some of the richer white Burgundy producers, to be sure. Beautiful wine

3/31/2023 - Todd French wrote:

5 hours decant, could have used another 2-3 - integrated structure, the 'popping' fruit I love on the nose of Monte Bello, oak seems to have integrated for the most part, blue and red fruit, bit of spice, clearly a leaner year (which gives it the chance to shine earlier than typical) but a beautiful wine nonetheless

3/29/2023 - Todd French wrote:

I love the texture of this wine - viscous/weighty but bright in delivery as well. Very spicy dark red fruit, whole cluster feel to it as well. Complex fruit profile, great finish - loving this producer

3/10/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Dark fruit profile, peppery, bit of smoked meats, but quite a dose of toasty oak and vanilla, so I'd sit on these for quite a few more years to allow that to integrate. Far too primary at this stage, but seemingly has the guts to be something good

11/10/2022 - Todd French wrote:

I bought two bottles of this wine years ago as birth year wines for my daughter. The ripeness of the vintage had me scared a bit, so I wanted to try one to see if it was even worth waiting much longer to enjoy the other on her 21st birthday. This wine had so much grip and structure, great fruit profile with no signs of pruning or over-ripeness - a testament to how the legendary producers in any region can handle a super ripe vintage. Very pleasantly surprised - far more structure than any other wine in the lineup, and quintessential gum-and-cheek assaulting superfine dry tannins - classic first rate Nebbiolo character

2/19/2023 - Todd French wrote:

This is delicious - bright juicy crunchy fruit, lively, interesting, grip and long finish

2/9/2023 - Todd French wrote:

I’ve been looking forward to trying this, as I delight in BerserkerDay offers that include wines that have aged a bit and are ready to drink. The nose rewards you with a beautiful floral component, palate has a nice weighty richness to it, waxy honeycomb finish. Good acidity lifts the richness and waxiness, well balanced and lovely

2/9/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Meaty, rugged nose, dark red fruit, great florals, hint of pepper and mint, nice weight but bright on the palate, strong acidity - complex but rustic

2/9/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Ripe red apple, fresh brioche, rich mousse, bubbles very fine, bright and sweet citrus, chalky, wonderful finish - still (and always) among my favorite of older Champagnes, consistently delivers a perfect combination of secondary characteristics while keeping a lively and fresh fruit profile

2/2/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Gorgeous light ruby color on this wine - truly gem-like in clarity and crispness. Nose gives out forest floor, bramble and raspberry, , touch of eucalyuptus. After a couple hours the wine fleshes out with this gorgeous silky texture - truly what stands out most in this beautiful wine. More crunchy red berry and currant on the palate, a stemmy quality (is it whole cluster?), gentle but strong transition to a medium long finish - finishes clean, crisp, nice acidity. Beautiful.

1/24/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Not a fan of Central Coast/Paso wines, in general, so I was quite pleasantly surprised by this wine - it has a nice weight, great concentration of dark red and blue fruit, large, round supple tannins, touch of oak char, herbs and forest floor, really nice wine with a substantive grip and pleasant finish. Well done, for sure, and great value. I estimate this wine is better on its own than with food, but it's so enjoyable on its own I'd not bother to pair it :)

1/22/2023 - Todd French wrote:

I really love where the ‘13 village wines in Burgundy are at this time - I’ve had great luck with them, and this wine follows suit in a big way. Hints of baking spice and slate on the nose, dark red fruits, palate is beautifully crunchy with red fruit (strawberry, cranberry, raspberry) and incredibly rewarding. Round and silky on the mouthfeel, it lies beautifully on your palate, finishes with a strong acidic profile that pulls in the cranberry once again. Tremendous

1/20/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Even with a 2.5 hour decant this wine's nose is still very shy - Jen agreed, and she is a super-smeller/taster for sure - doesn't give you much, even with a swirl. Everything changes once you take a sip - this is clearly a big boy, blast of blue and black fruits, weighty and silky, nice rocky component and some white pepper, but it's really the texture and grip that impresses most. It's the quintessential wine for those who love cabs that are big in every way, but also interesting - the tannins have started to take on the fruit profile, but are still big and chunky, giving the wine a sort of 'crunch'. Alcohol is pretty high, at 15.2%, but it does hide it well - no hint of heat on the nose, finish has a bit of it, but you'd expect that from a wine this brooding and bold. I'd love to experience what this wine would be like in about 5 more years, see how it ages. Decant it for as long as you can.

1/12/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Hello, old school! Nose is classic Bordeaux - sharp pencil graphite, blue fruits, leather on the nose, black cherry, tea leaves, white pepper on the palate, sweet red fruit lingers to the finish. Stylistically this wine is more acid-driven, medium body, not rich or unctuous, and I believe by design - tannins are sharp, but not harsh, and seem ready for the long haul. Fruit is darker profile but very much not an overly ripe delivery - well balanced and fully old world style. After extensive air, some baking spice started to emerge as well.

1/8/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Pop and pour - I'm sure it will continue to change in the glass/bottle but I was so shocked by this wine's transformation I wanted to come write my note right away. The nose is packed with flint, dead ringer for a reductive white Burgundy - lots of white pepper and Chinese spice as well, loads of salinity, touch of tropical fruit - really alluring nose, whereas the last time I had this, some years ago, it was just oak and hot on the nose. Palate is rich, I'm getting some toasty oak on there, apples, nice texture and weight, waxy, good finish. A testament to waiting until a wine is 'right' to open.

1/6/2023 - Todd French wrote:

More of a personal note, but I believe this wine needs either a very long decant, or more time in the cellar. It’s not unenjoyable, by any means, just not in a phase right now where it can express its full potential.

1/4/2023 - Todd French wrote:

My first tinto from Raul Perez, and a most interesting one, at that. I find this wine to be something along the lines of a richer Beaujolais meets Levet-style Northern Rhone. Where the Beaujolais has a round, lifted fruit profile and the Northern Rhone has the spice and vegetal, earthy component. Very nice, smoky, herbal, good acidity, decent weight and silkiness, I think this wine (in my VERY limited experience) is set to age gracefully and become quite complex. Happy I have more, will look forward to trying them every 3 years or so. Beautiful, interesting wine.

12/8/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Since I was making a creamy leek and mushroom pasta for dinner tonight, I felt a rustic, lively Burgundy was a smart pairing, and this wine delivered. Started out shy of fruit, but very spicy, chalky and earthy. It quickly blossomed, the dark fruit emerged, red and black berries, some red apple skin, still a wonderful spicy character - not necessarily baking spices but more 'cooking' spices, white pepper, poultry seasoning, that type of thing. Mouthfeel has that nice weight with satiny softness that is always a pleasure with so many Burgundies. I like the earthy, rocky component to this wine, which really shines in the finish as well. Enjoyable now, but I think the fruit will emerge further with more time.

12/8/2022 - Todd French wrote:

As Charlie Carnes would say (as he drinks more of this than anyone else on CT) - delicious as always! Definitely more of a red berry fruit profile, apple skin, refreshing, lively, expressive

12/1/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Truly extraordinary how youthful this wine remains. The fruit pops, bright and lively both on the nose and palate. Loads of fresh blackberry, mint and forest floor, touch of cured meat on the palate, nice acidic grip elevates the weighty texture - well balanced and with likely decades of life left in it.

I'd never guess this wine is 17 years old, never, and that is often the magic of Dehlinger for the few of us who faithfully follow this producer. Time has improved this wine significantly, as my (much) earlier tastings of this wine showed quite a bit of heat, as expected given the hot vintage.

11/15/2022 - Todd French wrote:

This wine starts out dark and rich, like my buddy Alfert - earthy and rustic profile, some blue fruits barely peek through, focusing more on earth and structure. In minutes a more powerfully elegant profile emerges - violets and red cherries, the palate has a beautiful weighty softness but with bright edges from the acidity and dusty tannic structure. Finish is long, circles back to the darker fruit and earth profile.

I really love the mouthfeel - it's like rose petals, soft but with strength and resilience. Fruit is bright and lively on this wine, and I love how the dusty character clings just a bit to the lower gumline. Insane value, to me - I'm fully a convert to this Chateau and will definitely be on the lookout to backfill this vintage, in particular.

10/26/2022 - Todd French wrote:

(Tasting note from day two, half the bottle remaining from last night, sealed in a 375ml bottle to reduce oxygen exposure)

This wine has gained a gorgeous floral profile with the air - citrus blossoms, a very 'sweet' and open floral note along with violets, roses. Palate is silky, great weight, fruit has become both darker and sweeter than yesterday - the wine lost some of its meaty quality but gained in briny notes as well. Grippy fine and dusty tannins give your cheeks and gums a bit of pucker - very interesting wine, elegant but also bearing some power. Long finish, nice acidity.

10/14/2022 - Todd French wrote:

While the CT drinking windows scared me, Mark Golodetz strongly encouraged me to open this sooner than later, and I'm happy he did - this wine freakin' slaps!

As always, minutes after opening I had to taste the wine, as I enjoy experiencing the development of a wine over the course of hours. Often on a nearly 25-year old wine the dominant factor immediately upon opening is funk. Any kind of funk - bottle funk, mushroom, non-stop iodine, etc. Not this wine, no, no, no! Gorgeous blast of dark red and blue fruits immediately greet your palate - explosive fruit, vibrant and bright, but bearing a beautifully weighted silky palate as well. The 'expected' funk comes through a bit at the finish (though after only 30 minutes that slight funk is already gone), but it's still fresh and clean overall, delivering a stony salinity, sharp graphite, and a slight hint of leather with a red cherry core.

I was introduced to Chateau Magdelaine by none other than Robert.A.Jr., who, along with Mark, celebrate it for its elegant rusticity. Unquestionably this is built for the long haul, showing complexity even now, with medium plus acidity, I still marvel at the quality and purity of the bright fruit it delivers now. The finish is incredibly long and strong, and linear - most of the tannins seem large and rounded, typical of Merlot that makes up most of the blend, but carry with them more of that beautiful fruit. Seamless from one tasting component to the next, this wine is beautifully made.

If you have this wine, I highly encourage you to try it now. I had planned to write this note over the course of hours, but it delivers so much now that I had much to say, all glowing. This is why I have loved - and still love - Bordeaux. Such a well-executed wine.

Not sure how long this will last, but I'll try to update with 'later' notes on it as well.

10/6/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Meh. Past prime - I'd guess this is much older, though I bought it and stored it myself. Lots of tar, iron, little fruit left, tannins very drying - should have been consumed much earlier IMHO

9/15/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Because super-influencer Charlie Fu says Burgundy can be enjoyed young now (thanks, global warming!) I had ‘young’ Burgundy on my mind tonight. This wine presents a darker fruit profile than I’d expect, more blue-fruited, blackberry along with the raspberry and strawberry I’d more expect. I really like the space it is in now as it is still developing but delivers such enjoyment - bright on the palate, nice acidity that carries that blackberry quality from the nose, really nice, crunchy fruit, decent finish - a tremendous value around $35-40 - enjoy now but this has the guts to go a few years as well. Nice to visit it before it (likely) shuts down.

9/11/2022 - Todd French wrote:

I’ve been hesitant to try these while young, but the CT and WB love is real on these, while several other ‘18 vintage Goodfellow Chardonnay bottlings appear (from notes) to be shut down. This one is not! I’m getting a touch of spritz - tiny touch - and the palate is loaded with tropical fruits and minerality - white peach, pineapple, salinity - bright acidity but generous with fruit. Wonderful wine - I can imagine what it will become, and will see what happens throughout the hours today.

9/10/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Like a broken record, I again refer to how much I love mountain fruit - the brightness and ‘pop’ of red and blue mountain fruit is always a great start for me, and this wine has it in spades. While this is a GSM blend, the Syrah is definitely dominant in the nose and color - both have a meaty, dark character. The palate shows more of the Grenache and Mourvèdre, although still Syrah-focused - you get some ripe red strawberry from the Grenache, still a rich blend overall, finishing with smoked meats, dry leaves and dark cherry. In a great space now, enjoy.

9/7/2022 - Todd French wrote:

As those on WB may know, I've been on a bit of a tear with regards to Oregon as a wine region - discovering the immense reward of such a journey. Another BerserkerDay selection, one I also bought for my employees at StringWorks because of the label (violin, with f-holes!), Will's winemaking style fits perfectly in the journey I've taken interest in. Elegantly made, this Pinot really pops with juicy strawberries, has that crunchy quality I love so much from so many Oregon Pinot producers, wonderful acidity that pairs well with food but also keeps your palate interested and lively when enjoying on its own. A touch of forest floor and minerality, and salinity on the finish - wonderful wine, young but in a 'perfect' spot for me. Lovely.

9/2/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Suggested to me on Wine Berserkers based on some other preferences I stated, I purchased a few bottles of this wine. It's really fascinating for a Champagne - so effervescent and bright and lifting but with a gorgeous silky mouthfeel as well - a delightful dichotomy, really. I often find myself forgetting to dig deep into the complexities of some Champagne and this one truly delivers in that regard. Nose has ripe apple and brioche, Meyer lemon, palate is beautiful lemon curd, salinity and minerality which really make things interesting for me. An absolute delight for the price - I expect this not to remain at this price point for long.

8/10/2022 - Todd French wrote:

Overripe, pruney - disappointing