2/18/2024 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Blind, deep ruby, opaque, slightly green, black fruits mostly cassis, full mouth feel, tannic and very long. Should hold until 2030.

3/6/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote:

Cedar, tobacco leaf, pepper, red currants are there for the taking on the nose. With an hour of air, the wine softens and develops more secondary nuances, finishing with a savory edge to the spicy red berries in the finish.

6/10/2021 - Ara Kafafian wrote:

Blind, pink, notes of strawberry, some bitterness, lingering finish. Some felt I was too harsh on this wine; rosés aren’t my cup of tee. Drink now.

3/8/2021 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Blind, Deep ruby, notes of cassis, barn yard, minerals, vanilla, graphite, forest floor and mocha. Extremely complex, aromatic and silky yet very powerful, this is a monster. Once unveiled, I recalled how underwhelmed I was with this wine when I had last tried it in 2009. How things turned around. This Margaux was drinking beautifully tonight and will hold until 2040. It is ready to enjoy but there is literally no rush.

5/24/2020 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine:

Lovely red and dark fruit, beautiful texture and tannins fully integrated. Just a hint of acidity giving a freshness, despite its 24 years.

9/29/2020 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Hold on a second, let me buy a case and when I return, I will complete this review. Ok, I’m back. Blind, dark purple, tar, ink, darkest of berries glass staining richness, full body, ending on a restrained as it’s too young finish. Just wow! Earlier this year, I had rated the top end cuvée La Marguerite 93 points which costed $88 CAD. I am rating the Laquets 94 points which costs less than half at $42 CAD so you decide which one to buy. I can’t recommend enough. It will last at least 20 years. A monster.

11/9/2019 - BradE wrote:

Ponsot Clos de la Roche: Thick as motor oil, and one of the most concentrated tastes of wine you could imagine. A unique and pleasurable experience.

5/17/2020 - Ara Kafafian wrote:

Tates just like a flat method champenoise sparkling wine. Yeasty notes ending on a lingering finish. Not worth $48 CAD. Drink now.

7/31/2020 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Blind, black color with purple rim, like drinking blueberry pie. A fruit bomb, super ripe on the verge of being over ripe, vanilla, mocha, tar, glass coating huge structure. Legs that don’t move in the glass ending on a bitter/young finish lasting over a minute, still an infant. 10 years of patience is recommended before popping corks and preferable drink by 2040. Once unveiled, I was floored as I had no idea Canada was able to produce such rich wines in the Similkameen Valley, British Columbia. By far the greatest Canadian red I have tasted so far and unfortunately, this wine will never be made again.

6/6/2020 - Ara Kafafian wrote:

Blind, deep ruby, leaning towards purple, slightly vegetal, medium body, well balanced with a length finish. Seems like it will hold another 5 years. Yikes $106 CAD.

1/27/2020 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

The greatest Beaujolais I’ve ever had. Purple color notes of dark berries finishing on a slightly and unheard of tanic lengthy finish. Hurry and purchase as many as you can while quantities last as I fear that shelves will empty fast on this one. Priced $30 CAD, will last 5 to 10 years. A monumental achievement in the monumental 2018 vintage.

12/15/2019 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Without any decanting, this medium body Greek Xinomavro exploded from the glass with notes of vanilla, cherries, anise seed, lychee and led pencil. Tremendously long and smooth begging for another sip. Drink now and the following 5 years. Impressive for $33 CAD, stocks are almost out.

2/23/2019 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

I can add this wine to a handful of perfect wines I have been fortunate enough to taste in my life. When a wine is so ripe, so thick, so rich, so purple/cherry coloured so well balanced with a never ending finish, it must be perfect. It tasted like a freshly bottled wine. Still an infant, this wine will hold for 20-30 years.

11/13/2019 - Ara Kafafian wrote:

In a blind tasting of 8 CDP 2016 wines, cherry, vanilla, crushed stones, minerals, iodine and pastry cream dominated this medium weight silky smooth wine. Once revealed, the Clos des Papes seemed a disappointment considering I had scored this 96 six months earlier. Bottle variance? I can't recommend this to anyone considering it's $138 CAD price tag at the moment. I will definitely try again in 2020. Drink over the following decade.

10/21/2019 - Ara Kafafian wrote:

Slight brick rim, bitter, tart, acidic, menthol, vanilla and black tea notes. I thought I was drinking a $25 CAD old world wine, however when the bottle was unveiled, I thought the $55 CAD retail price wasn’t justified. Drink now.

6/12/2019 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine:

Incredibly dark, youthful and tannic, this 22-year-old Piedmont has developed an animal aged Bordeaux like nose which stumped all my fellow wine lovers a few evenings ago. Atypically dark for Nebbiolo with perfectly balanced mid-palate and finish, this wine will continue to evolve effortlessly for the following 10 year and maybe beyond. I fear recent Gaja wines will never be as sensational as they were in this heralded vintage. 1996 still continues to be my reference point for what Piedmont can achieve in a sensational vintage. Amazing!

12/10/2018 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine:

I am drinking his la crau single vineyard Grenache. Only 300 bottles, I have bottle 072. Stunning stuff. Essence of Grenache and the sun of southern France with georgeous red fruits . Bit of alcohol burn or I would score even higher.

3/31/2019 - Ara Kafafian Does not like this wine:

I rated 50 points because the character on the label picking his nose is quit amusing. That's were the fun ends. This cherry/orange almost bubbly supposed wine reminded me more of a sugary wine cooler with CO2 rather than wine. Is this for real? Do people actually buy this stuff? Just awful.