2/10/2013 - alex.lewis Likes this wine:

From magnum. Still outstanding and probably about at it's peak. I first had this wine in 1998 and have revisited it many times over the years. Not the brash brawler it was in its youth but has aged into a distinguished gentleman. TONS of leather, earth, cassis, ollalieberry, dark bittersweet chocolate, espresso and a little thyme alll working together in concert. One of the best wines I've ever had!

2/21/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine:

I was a bit bummed by this after the 2 94 point reviews from V and WS. Unfortunately, this didn't go very well with my blond pasta puttanesca (Colu Henry NYT - a great recipe). I was surprised that this wine was a little sweet (I confess that I don't understand these Chenin blancs). The 2017 Chidaine Clos Habert that I had recently was even sweeter than this one, but I liked it better than this one (but, the 2017 Les Bournais was the best of the bunch - an unreal good wine, truly special - and not sweet at all). The Clos Habert was 12.5%, this one is 14%. This wine has a somewhat bitter aftertaste unfortunately. Now for the positives on this one: it has a beautiful creamy mouthfeel, papaya, honeysuckle, richness, nice acidity, salinity, fairly long finish - all wonderful and delightful qualities. I hope with time the bitterness will go away and the wine will be more pleasant with food (or maybe I'll just have the next one on its own, or will research how to pair a wine like this!). I have 1 left and I'll try it in 10 years or so.

7/21/2020 - tomoem wrote:

All CT users..... how do you find the year on this wine ? I cannot find it on the label front or back. I have tasted the 12' and reported but never questioned the year. I was handed a bottle tonight and cannot find the year logo. Is it on the cork ?

1/2/2020 - Snowey Does not like this wine:

In the mountains of Colorado, they have a party rig called a shot-ski (pronounces “shotsky”) where they have a ski with holes in it that they place shot glasses. This wine would be a good choice for said shot glasses given the amount of alcohol it has.
16% ABV and you feel it as it goes down. Maybe things will get better as it ages or maybe it’s for people who enjoy rubbing alcohol smells on the nose and punch to the throat on the pallet.

The above is largely hyperbole. TL;DR The wine is too alcoholic at this point. Not for me.

9/20/2018 - msuwine wrote:

My first reaction (after opening it): Holy butterball, Batman!

My second reaction (after 20 minutes): Maybe there's something more here - or maybe not. On the plus side, this defines "full-throttle": ripe, oaky, viscous, buttery, nutty - a whole lot of flavor, oak, and California sunshine. On the down side, the wine doesn't seem able to locate the brakes: there's a lack of tension, acidity, and precision found in the best of these kinds of Chardonnays (e.g., Aubert).

My final reaction (after an hour): This is a really fun, a little reckless, Chardonnay that is priced fairly and goes down very, very easy. I wouldn't call it classy, but I would call it enjoyable. This needs at least an hour of air, though, to show the refinement underneath the oak and fruit.

Light gold in color and full in body, the wine offers preposterous aromas of lemon meringue pie, fresh french toast, and toasted almonds. Tastes of apple pie, buttered popcorn, caramel, and vanilla bean, with a sweet and creamy finish that has just enough acidity to get off the ground. 14.8% alcohol. If this sounds like a dessert, you're paying attention - but, to me, it has just enough restraint to make it work. It's like that movie "Man on the Wire" - the guy is completely nuts, but he has just enough skill and balance to walk the line.

For whatever it's worth, I believe a golden mean is possible in modern domestic Chardonnay - to borrow from Aristotle, a desirable middle somewhere between excess and deficiency. To my palate, some wineries cross it (e.g., Bevan); some flop around on both sides (e.g., Martinelli); and some have mastered the dance (e.g., Peter Michael). I'm not sure if this falls in the second or third category, but it's good - quite good - and I look forward to trying another bottle in a year or so. 94+.

5/18/2016 - oncocyte wrote:

Brett, Brett, Brett. Then additional powerful Brett. Finishes with not Brett notes but rather with Brett's 1st symphony.

8/30/2015 - brown57 Likes this wine:

Aerated and decanted for about 75 min. before starting. Served around 63 deg F. First things first. Forget about the Spectator 96 point rating. I've found that paying too much attention to such things will only set oneself up for disappointment and detract from the overall experience, which would be a shame.

Found the Seven Springs pinot to be nicely concentrated, with dominant notes of red & black cherries, baking spices, and a little bit of earthiness underneath it all. Medium fullness on the palette, which lends a sense of class to this wine that you won't find with many of the lighter pinots. Right now, its profile is rather fruit driven (i.e. "new world"), but that may change over time as the fruit fades and the earthy components move more to the front. This wine got better in the glass over two hours so definitely decant this one for an hour or two before getting started.

10/12/2015 - Lemmy-W wrote:

No matter how hard I try, I can't get over with the unpleasant nose. This bottle was open for 10hours before consumption.

2/2/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine:

One of the most profound noses I have ever experienced. A blend of dark mature fruit, lovely thyme and sage combined with creamy expressive orange blossom and abundant lavender, the 2007 V.I.T. really impresses tonight. The palate follows through with a very elegant approach representing the house style of M. Chapoutier. The balance is striking and the integration magnificent. A profound wine, which just seems to be improve as time goes by. Bravo! (score is 95-96)