1/28/2024 - pepmi wrote:

This case of attractively priced Barolo ($30.00/bottle from Flatiron NYC) reinforced my experience with mid-tier Barolo -- they have an optimal drinking window one should adhere too. Let's say 7-8 years. Open too soon and experience a closed wine with overpowering organic notes and little fruit. Wait too long, and the tannins have subsided but so has the fruit. Open at the optimal time and one finds an open, balanced wine with complex notes of fruit and organics (leather, tobacco, cedar and so on). A long finish with tannins with alcohol and sugar in check. Unfortunately, one often discovers this optimal window by chance. Alas, I tend to drink Barolo too soon or too late.

12/31/2023 - pepmi wrote:

I bought this single bottle of the 1990 Chateau Latour for $99 USD from The Wine Library soon after its release -- and way before Gary Vaynerchuk became an internet phenom. Back then he was "employed" by his dad who owned the store. Enough of the history...

Very little sediment evidenced when decanting. Dark ruby red with absolute clarity and no browning on the edges. A clean nose mostly of alcohol and esters. An initial impression in the mouth of mustiness evidenced by all tasters. A replacement bottle was readied.

Within 30 minutes this dissipated and we all experienced a near perfect wine. Not much fruit. Primary notes of leather, earth and dry tobacco. Quite round, lush and full in the mouth. The finish was remarkably long with contrasting tension between sweet black fruit and tannins. These same tannins were teeth numbing moments before. Or maybe it was the alcohol...

The mustiness returned on the second glass 20 minutes later and stayed with us for the balance of the bottle. Not so off-putting to wish we were drinking something else -- rather just the slightest of annoyances. Otherwise this wine would have been a 98 or higher.

The drinking window on Cellar Tracker extends to 2060 but I would suggest drinking this wine within the next five years -- unless you have plenty of the 1990 Latour and are willing to take the chance.

12/31/2023 - pepmi wrote:

A very funky nose upon opening that fortunately blew off within minutes. Deep red concentration suggesting more Syrah than Pinot Noir. Plenty of dark fruit. Hot on the finish. While I enjoy sampling Pinot Noir from regions beyond Burgundy, there are times I wish the locals would have renamed the grape. A change in nomenclature eliminate comparisons to the benchmark and prompt a more neutral or even positive tasting note.

12/31/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Drinking perfectly now. Bright yellow in the glass. Pervasive zesty lemons supported by the slightest touch of oak. Well balanced.

12/28/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Substantial sediment upon decanting. Magenta at the center fading to a prism of browns and brickish reds. Legs dripping on all sides. An overwhelming nose of prunes and raisins.

If this were a blind tasting, I would have placed this wine as a decade or so older. Considerable tannins on the finish. The finish also hints at balsamic vinegar.

I have a hard time thinking this would improve further with age. It's lost the beauty of a Barberesco in only six years. Despite purchasing this bottle from a highly reputable retailer with impeccable cellaring, I have a suspicion this is aging faster than originally intended.

12/26/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Father time has caught of with this wine which is now a fading memory of its once glory. Thin was the common descriptor among the tasters.
We "suffered" through the decanter before opening the second bottle for Christmas dinner.

12/26/2023 - pepmi wrote:

A strong performance following the 1986 La Mission Haut Brion in a two bottle Christmas dinner. The last bottle of a case purchased years ago. Cellar Tracker stats indicate I paid $20/bottle.

A delightful surprise and I am happy I did not review my most recent tasting note from a decade ago. A deep sea red of darkness in the glass following decanting. Quite viscous with noticeable legs and staining. Much vivacity in the mouth with notes of blackberry and cedar. The finish lasted longer than the time it took to empty the decanter.

12/15/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Based on my tasting note from two years ago, I should have consumed this last bottle 23 months ago! Does anyone go back and read their tasting notes? Anyway...

Decanted. Noticeable browning on the rim. Color reminiscent of that worn maroon blazer from parochial school. A nose that reveals a 14.5% alcohol level. All that said, well balanced and round in the mouth. The heat on the finish though is off putting. Let's get it a try and see if it softens in time...

12/3/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Day after notes. An credible wine with decades left. Almost zero sediment. Ethereal notes of cedar, tobacco, eucalyptus and blackberry.
Round in the mouth, exceptionally balanced with a finish that never stops. I have one bottle left and wish it was eleven.

11/23/2023 - pepmi wrote:

A vestige of its former self. I once rated this wine a near perfect 98. A glimpse of a nectar honey slightly off on the finish with a tinge of rust. Much less unctuous than at its peak.

11/23/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Alas, all good things must come to an end. The last of a case of Chateau Montelena from what will likely be the greatest California vintage of my lifetime. The overwhelming flavor note was of raisins. The family enjoyed the wine but it was not to my liking. C'est le vin.

10/13/2023 - pepmi wrote:

The best and last of the three bottles I purchased. Decanted with fine sediment. A lovely garnet color in the glass. A nose of rose petal, subtle oak and a hint of alcohol. Broad in the mouth, the wine laps across the tongue and "seeks the cheeks". The finish is quite pronounced with just a touch of something vaguely metallic at the end that wafts up to the nasal passages. Metal is not quite right but I am at a loss for a different word. Not a flaw but a distraction once noticed.

8/20/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Unfortunately, poor serving conditions impacted this experience and I'm not sure how much should be attributed to the wine itself. The suggested drinking window beginning in 2023 is out of sync with my view (from this bottle) that the wine was a few years past its peak.

How poor were the serving conditions? It's a warm summer evening and I brought the wine down to cellar temperature by chilling it for a while. The glassware was a step above glasses suitable to your morning juice. So, who knows how good or bad this bottle of wine was?

7/31/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Echoing my earlier tasting note, this wine is an absolute steal at $18 a bottle. There is not a wine made in the USA (at that price point) that can match the Greysac for balance, food friendliness, dark fruit/leathery complexity and an alcohol level of 13.5% Do you want to know what most everyday, cabernet based wines tasted like before Parker or Global Warming, then give the 2015 Greysac a try. I have a Greysac from 2000 in the cellar -- should be fun to try this too.

6/10/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Decanted with virtually no sediment. The deepest, maroon-blazer color. Sweet Raspberries up front. Quite balanced and round in the mouth. Tannins provide a structure that suggests this wine will last another decade. A chewy muscularity without any fat. There is a certain amount of heat on the finish that doesn't detract from the pleasant, overall experience.

5/13/2023 - pepmi wrote:

A subdued, musty nose upon opening without the presence of any fruit or flower. Decided to decant after cheating and reading Burghound's latest tasting notes. A not so pleasant fist mouthful. Sour, tart and overly acidic and shallow finish.

This is the last of three bottles purchased. While I am hopeful it will open up and bloom over the next hour, I am relieved that I have no more bottles in the cellar. I don't think this will improve much. This is more dead than dormant.

4/1/2023 - pepmi wrote:

Bright cherries with an underpinning of cedar. Tannins are very present and suggest a +10 year drinking window. A bit too much heat on the finish in my view. I would suggest drinking on the younger side -- as the fruit fades the alcohol will become more pronounced.

3/7/2023 - pepmi wrote:

What a pleasant discovery. We opened the '89 Talbot not knowing what to expect 34 years after the vintage. Aside from a crumbling cork, we were delighted from start to finish.

I decanted and captured a ton of sediment. Once free of residue, the wine in the decanter was a very deep garnet with zero signs of brown or brick hues, even on the rim. Plenty of vitality and viscosity were present. The nose was clean without funky barnyard odor. Eucalyptus and menthol notes were prominent supported by leather and tobacco as undertones.

In the mouth, the wine remained fresh and quite round. The finish lingered. Naturally the wine tasted of fruit (it was made with grapes after all) but fruit wouldn't be its prominent characteristic. Rather, the fruit was integrated and elegant, producing balance and finesse.

A joy to drink. Two bottles remaining in my collection. For this experience to repeat or be shared, proper storage and care of each bottle is essential.

3/3/2023 - pepmi wrote:

The palest of yellows color reminiscent of a varietal other than Chardonnay; Sauvignon Blanc comes to mind. Lemon is the most noticeable first impression. Quite acidic, astringent and racy in the mouth -- and narrow -- this wine moves front to back rather than side to side. A tart long finish. Very little sense of mineral, terroir or wood. Steel tank fermentation? A reference point, this Bize reminds me of a Chateau Montelena, which typically does not undergo malolactic fermentation as far as I know. A wine best drunk with food in my view.

1/13/2023 - pepmi wrote:

A pretty find from Flatiron at only $23/bottle. Value purchases like this reinforce my conviction that I "owe" it to myself for buying that 2017 Penfolds Grange @$700/bottle.

In the glass, a translucent maroon-blazer red (my old school uniform). The nose is floral -- rose petals with a touch of alcohol. Rolling over the tongue in the mid-palate, ethereal whiffs to the nasal passages.

Sweet cherries with very little earth or vegetation. The alcohol again is present on the finish with a slightly sour cherry note. Hints of metal that are the only detectable flaw.

A perfect time to drink this wine. No reason to wait.

11/12/2022 - pepmi wrote:

This bottle reminds me of why I fell in love with Bordeaux. Carraudes perhaps the first among the first growth second labels?

In my view the wine is near its peak without any noticeable signs of regret -- oh, I think I should have opened this a few years ago. The nose is quite clean and floral. A red of royal depth and viscous in the glass.

Lush, rolling in the mouth from side to side. Notes of cedar and cassis with a hint of tobacco. The remaining tannins add just enough structure to the finish. Sweetness defines the remnants upon the finish.

One bottle left. Tonight has given me the motivation to open the second before too long.

10/28/2022 - pepmi wrote:

A wine comprised of disconnected parts. An alcohol heavy nose, a jumble of fruit, wood and harsh metal on the finish. It's hard to imagine a work of art emerging from these raw materials.

This is the first of three bottles purchased at Flatiron. I'll slip in one of the remaining bottles as the second or third bottle during a night of many and see if anyone notices. I'll tuck away the last bottle, forget about it and hope that I am pleasantly surprised in five years' time.

10/23/2022 - pepmi wrote:

A modest improvement on the last bottle opened, which I presumed was flawed. Brick red with slight browning on the rim. An absent nose. This bottle had thin, subdued fruit, dry in the mouth with noticeable wood and brush, and a finish marked by tannin. Made it through half the bottle with my ever-present dinner companion.

10/21/2022 - pepmi wrote:

The auction price for this wine is $10. I paid $18. At these retail prices, Greysac should be the house wine in every bistro across the United States. Here's why.

I opened the 2015 last evening and had two glasses. Straight from the cellar at 56 degrees, the wine had youthful vitality and freshness. And at 13.5% alcohol, one could consume two glasses without sedation. Fresh dark berry fruit and narrow tannins that stay with you. The complexity was rooted in terroir.

Of course, a wine like this would not stand a chance against a first or second growth. That's not really the point. And many would prefer the profile of a California Cabernet. But for the money, a better food wine is rarely found. This assessment is not unique to Greysac (apologies to the Guyon family). As a rule, one can't go wrong with wines from the Medoc to serve everyday bottle after bottle.

10/15/2022 - pepmi wrote:

At $35/bottle a wine like this should be on every wine list in America. There is not an Oregon Pinot that can match it at a similar price point. Light maroon luminescence in the glass and an inviting nose of cherry underscored with a touch of wood.

Chewy in the mouth with mouth puckering tannins more than 10 years after bottling. This wine should be drunk in the near term as I fear that with more time, the cherries would fade leaving the wood to gain more pronouncement.

A very nice food wine that won't make your head go spinning with either a sugar or alcohol rush. Elegantly restrained.

10/2/2022 - pepmi wrote:

This was really quite nice. Decanted due to a broken cork. Virtually no sediment. Quite beautiful on the nose -- notes of cherry primary. Nicely balanced and lush -- imagine gentle, lakeside lapping on the shore. This is pleasant -- quite broad an deep. I can offer no reason to hold onto any bottles in your cellar. Drinking beautifully right now.

9/25/2022 - pepmi wrote:

This was a big, two-peat let down. Both bottles way past their drinking window contrary to published windows of 2025 - 2065. I wish.

Brown, raisiny, prune juice not even suitable for cooking. Down the drain. Both bottles have been properly stored. This hasn't happened in quite a long time. Oh well...

7/17/2022 - pepmi wrote:

Deep, inky black. Dense, hard to penetrate aromas. Rough up front on the palate. The back end does exhibit complexity and nuance. Atypically Californian for Ric Forman.

I suggest decanting for a couple of hours or perhaps have a glass out of the bottle and drink the rest on the following day. Trust me, it will last.

I believe this is best drunk over the next 3-5 years. My fear is that what little fruit there is will completely disappear over time.

6/17/2022 - pepmi wrote:

Decanted with just a trace of fine sediment. Wood and rose petal on the nose. Round and balanced in the mouth. Fading tannins and a faint hint of alcohol on the finish. Soft in the mouth.

Drinking beautifully at the moment. I've been accused on Cellar Tracker of drinking these wines prematurely but I'll stick to my gut and say there is not much point in waiting any longer to open a bottle of the 20210. Looking at my $16 per bottle price from the Rare Wine Company, I am feeling like a shrewd buyer as I fill my glass again. This won't last long in the decanter.

3/27/2022 - pepmi wrote:

Pleasantly ripe cherry fruit grounded in earth and plenty of spice. It's fruit forwardness, while appealing, leaves this taster searching for more nuance and balance.

3/6/2022 - pepmi wrote:

Beautifully put together -- a wonderful wine to drink. Balanced. Soft. Subdued fruit, cedar and pencil.

2/20/2022 - pepmi wrote:

This is the first of a recent case delivered from the winery. A bit off -- green and sour. I am hoping this is just an off bottle or it was still recovering from the transit. Fingers crossed...

2/4/2022 - pepmi wrote:

Decanted because of the wax coating -- a pet peeve is cracking the casing to get at the cork. Another reason is that I believe this will open up quite nicely over the next 30-60 minutes.

Straw, pristine yellow in the glass. Citrus is the primary note on the nose. Floral as well. A bit of tart apples in the mouth. Quite broad, layered acidicity on the finish.

12/31/2021 - pepmi wrote:

Decanted for 60 minutes prior to serving. No sediment whatsoever. In the glass, a color reminiscent of my parochial school uniform tie -- a translucent maroon. Bright, clear as a bell and without sin! Aromas of cherry, wood and leather. Strength, tannins and staying power -- perhaps another decade in the drinking window?

Quite enjoyable and complimentary to our entree (yes, I meant a positive influence rather than "complementary compatibility." I'm searching for a bit more though. When I take a deeper dive, I'm looking for nuance, complexity and enigma. Instead, the oak and tannins are most predominant. I admit this might have been opened prematurely. My bad.

12/23/2021 - pepmi wrote:

Echos of my previous window. Fruit fading. The most prominent impact -- fennel on the nose and an ethereal alcohol level.

9/5/2021 - pepmi wrote:

As thick as a brick. The deepest squid ink, mouth staining color one could imagine. A velvet hammer -- unctuous to a fault. Where is the complexity and subtlety one expects from Spottswoode? There is a reason why I'm down to a handful of Spottswoode in my cellar. For sentimental reasons... too bad.

7/9/2021 - pepmi wrote:

Bright translucent magenta in the glass. Magnificent nose of olives, sweet cherries and just the faintest of floral notes. The wood on the mid palate provides sufficient weight to capture an otherwise ephemeral tasting experience. A long, dry, almost dusty finish contrasts the nose.

It's remarkable that this wine cost me $17.50. If it sold for 5X that amount, I would still sing its praises. The drinking window extends to 2050 but my holdings will be long gone way before then. Who says there are no complex everyday wines for under $20? I say those who aren't looking in Spain, Italy and the south of France.

6/26/2021 - pepmi wrote:

I have to admit that my first 3-4 bottles of the 2013 Spottswoode had me question my sanity to committing to a purchase of a full case. The wines were dense, packed with dark fruit and lacking in any of the elegance I recall from this notable winery.

Spottswoode was one of the few remaining California wines I drank -- along with Forman, Corison and Montelena from time to time. Once you have the Napa cabs from the early nineties burnt into your cranial hard drive, everything since feels like a big let down.

I decanted this wine and let it sit for about 30 minutes. The squid ink blackness of the color stood in sharp contrast from the aged Nebbiolo we had the evening before. I prepared for another disappointment.
The good news is that the wine has settled and lost some of its youthful masculinity. I'm not sure th wine is worth $175.00 a bottle but it was at least drinkable.

6/25/2021 - pepmi wrote:

The Cellar Tracker drinking window extends to 2036 but don't believe it in my opinion. This bottle drank like a twenty-five year old Barolo. Burnt sunset color, more earth and terroir than fruit. No longer vibrant.

6/5/2021 - pepmi wrote:

This became our "go-to" everyday Burgundy during the pandemic. A family favorite. A youthful vibrancy that shook away the COVID stay at home blues. Yes, we will get through this.

Bright cherry fruit with sufficient terroir and astringency showing through to root the wine. Quite round in the mouth. A long finish. Just a tad too much, residual heat in the throat.

Hard to match at under $35 a bottle.

5/31/2021 - pepmi wrote:

I suppose it is a matter of taste but the Bin 389 that I drank in the 1990's bears little resemblance to the 2017 that I purchased for reasons of nostalgia during the height of the pandemic.

Over the top fruit and jam. A complete absence of elegance. Ironically, this wine is way behind the times as its benchmark wines of decades ago are now the pinnacle of winemaking. Elegance, complexity and restraint (especially in alcohol level) are finally (thank God) back in style. I refuse to believe that Shiraz and Australian Cabernet cannot be tamed.

4/24/2021 - pepmi wrote:

Near perfect condition with at least two decades or more of drinking pleasure awaiting. First wave during decanting -- a bouquet of green olives bathed in olive oil. Eucalyptus at the high palate wafting into the nasal passages. Quite ethereal.

While pouring into the decanter there was a suggestion of dark chestnut brown. The mind fears sedimental sludge. Yet behold in the glass a diluvial abundance of life. Imagine the apex of California vitality with the restraint and poise of a well aged, Grand Cru Classe Pauilliac.

Sweet tannins not ready yet to fade and give up their life. A finish that extends deep into the gullet, coating the entire length in warm velvet.

This is a wine that when drunk will wish you another half century of life. Oh the sweetness of drinking the 2015's in the later years to come.

4/5/2021 - pepmi wrote:

This is a mystery bottle from whence it came I haven't a clue. I would generally mistrust a California Pinot with twelve years of bottle age. That would explain why I kept skipping over it all these years. So, with a menu of roast chicken this evening, my curiosity got the best of me. Open the damn bottle already.

Much to my surprise, this is a pleasant, floral wine that has me asking, do I have a second bottle I could also open? Bright, dancing fruit with just a touch of oak to ground the berries. A long, sweet, Santa Maria finish with subtle tannins. On its own, one might grasp for something more. Perfect though with a meal.

Don't expect a Burgundian experience. Sit back, pour and relish a $30 bottle of California wine you can actually enjoy.

2/26/2021 - pepmi wrote:

To my surprise, this bottle was just a touch over the edge of the drinking window. Definitely brown at core fading to an dark orange at the core. The fruit was gone, a bit ethereal in the mouth and the finish metallic tones to it. Hopefully just an off bottle as I have two more waiting in the cellar.

1/1/2021 - pepmi Likes this wine:

We decanted this about thirty minutes before serving. The sediment is quite fine. In the glass, dark burgundy fading to lighter earth tones on the rim. The nose is very clean and absent any distraction. Aromatic esters, cedar and leather are foremost.

In the mouth, lush and forward without noticeable flaw. Notes of licorice, eucalyptus and roasted cherry with a faint hint of sour that one must search for. The finish is quite throaty, bringing a warmth to the heart that perhaps is this wine's best feature.

We selected the '89 Chasse-Spleen in honor of my youngest son (who is visiting) as this is his birth year. With one bottle left in the cellar, we joked that we would drink the last one on his 50th birthday. That is not so far fetched based on this youthful tasting. Whether or not I will be here to drink it with him is another matter all together.

12/31/2020 - pepmi wrote:

This magnum of 2016 Forman was a complimentary gift from the Forman team. I have been a Forman fan for decades, having first visited the winery in the early 1990's with my friend, John Thoreen, AKA, the Wine Tutor. So, forgive me for my bias.

What better opportunity to open a magnum than on New Year's Eve with family. I decanted this wine to discover a depth of pure red, violet and magenta hues. A clean nose of mostly heady floral notes. Others within the family remarked of cinnamon and spice.

In the mouth, one finds an inviting balance and an emphasis on restraint and finesse. The fruit is not the centerpiece, which is a testament to the winemaker in this age of global warming. The alcohol is all but invisible, which is always a pleasing sign to this taster.

The finish lingers and then fades at the back of the tongue with a touch of sweetness. A feminine wine that showcases soft lines and beauty. Just a touch more strength would suggest a longer drinking window. I think this is a wine best enjoyed young.

12/30/2020 - pepmi wrote:

Decanted from magnum. Two nights in a row so we must be on a bit of a Beaujolis kick. With tomorrow being New Year's Eve, we'll undoubtedly open something more grand.

The color in the decanter showed no signs of age but it's a horse of a different color in the glass. A bit of browning on the rim fading into a rusty sunset. The nose is clean but absent of fruit. An image of wet peat moss comes to mind and I mean that in a good way.

In the mouth though, there is an effervescence that borders on Nehi grape soda. Imagine Orangina made of red grapes. This leaves a sharp, acidic tang on the finish. I believe this is a fermentation flaw rather than an intention on the winemaker. It's not undrinkable, merely a distraction. That said, we'll probably open something else. If I want bubbles, I will drink Champagne.

The finish is sweet, an apt conclusion to this bottle.

12/28/2020 - pepmi wrote:

I must say that this is not a wine I expected from J.L. Chave. My first and lasting impression is of grain alcohol, namely Vodka. The color is a bright diamond yellow with a clarity that borders on distilled water. And the nose reeks of alcohol.

It has probably been almost five decades since my last shot of Vodka on a dare or perhaps at a fraternity party. That sense memory had been buried deep until now. There is a touch of Roussane fruit -- faint hints of apricot and lemon. And there is a certain balance to the wine. But that is about the best I can say.

What I remember most about that shot of Vodka from long ago was how the taste and smell of Vodka stayed with me long after I had swallowed. That unfortunately, is not an entirely pleasant way of describing the finish of a wine. I'm left with two more bottles in the cellar. Most certainly, a gifting opportunity ahead if we ever get back to socializing and mingling with others. Jello shots anyone?

12/27/2020 - pepmi wrote:

My son selected this bottle, opened and poured for us. I knew it was a Rioja but not the vintage. We had darkened the room for dinner so I was really flying blind -- no sense of the color or condition of the wine.

Not much nose to speak of. A first taste showed age and I figured the wine to be at least 20 years old, having had aged Riojas before. In the mouth, a brown must enveloped whatever fruit there once was. I brought the bottle into the light to discover it was only 9 years old. And in the glass, a dull but still deep garnet smiled back at me.

Within minutes, the musty overhang blew off, and a cleaner presentation of fruit emerged. A beautiful array of cassis wrapped in leather. Balanced and round. Supple with a finish of tart, sour cherry.

This is fragile and on the lighter side. I imagine this is about the time to drink this bottle if you have one or two. I can't speak to what this wine once was, but I would imagine that what this wine will become may not be worth waiting for. Better to drink now and enjoy.

12/26/2020 - pepmi wrote:

We opened this 2007 Rudius Syrah, following the 2015 Julien Cecillon St. Joseph Babylone we had over dinner. Eight years and a world of difference. I can't remember the last time I had back to back Syrah in one evening; perhaps never.

Out of the decanter, the darkest of brown immersed in a sea of deep red. A powerful nose of anise, licorice, herbal aromatics and eucalyptus. Sadly, the taste is far less complex.

In the mouth, a tug of war is waged between the forces of balance and subtlety against raw dark fruit flavors. In search of integration, one only finds opposition. Sadly, the finish ends rather abruptly. On reflection, the nose may offer you the most pleasing experience.