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Comments on my notes

(43 comments on 42 notes)

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Orange
2016 Paolo Bea Santa Chiara Umbria White Blend
12/21/2023 - thesternowl wrote:
93 points
Poured into a Boa decanter about 30min prior to service. The 2016 “Santa Chiara pours a brilliant, deep and slightly hazy copper gold color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with desiccated apricots, dried apples, yellow flowers, and curaçao. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium- tannins. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is super long and super amazing. This is such a wonderful bottle of Bea. When his whites hit, well…they really hit. Drink now with a short decant or over the next 3-5 years. Bottle 1641/6133
  • wayfarer commented:

    12/27/23, 7:45 AM - Love Bea Whites--have had the Lapidus and Arboreus and have Chiara in celler. Unique and intriguing, beguiling... Cheers!

Red
2013 Foradori Teroldego Sgarzon Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
8/5/2023 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine:
92 points
evolves at a glacial pace. Similar to last note, still on the younger side. Will easily hold another decade.
  • wayfarer commented:

    8/5/23, 5:32 AM - Just picked up a 2021, and reading my notes on 2013 and yours, hmm, 2031 to open.

White
2018 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
12/7/2022 - hiker_guy wrote:
Nose has very prominent oak notes still. There’s some brightness of fruit underneath it though

Palate is still pretty primary and oak dominant. There appears to be fruit underneath it but I’m not sure it will integrate in time.

Given my recent experience with the 2015 being dead and long past its prime I’m confused. Cellar these or drink early?
  • wayfarer commented:

    12/14/22, 4:08 AM - I've had numerous vintages, dating back to 2010, and when looking back at tasting notes see I've not let any go much beyond 6 years. That said, multiple different vintages have been excellent at 5-6 years. I have one 2015 left and I'll see how that fares.

White
2014 Domaine Economou Assyrtiko Sitia
1/21/2022 - forceberry wrote:
94 points
A naturalist Assyrtiko from Crete, aged for approximately 4 years before release. 13,5% alcohol.

Medium-deep, somewhat evolved burnished golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Rich, complex and subtly sweet-toned nose with layered aromas of rosin, some cloudberry, a little bit of leathery funk, light smoky nuances, a hint of bruised quince, a touch of beeswax and a red-toned whiff of cherry. The wine feels dry, concentrated and moderately wild on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of waxy funk and bretty leather, some resinous notes, a little bit of beeswax, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a hint of ripe cloudberry and a mineral touch of tangy salinity. The high acidity lends great intensity to the wine and keeps the rather substantial body of the wine nicely in check. The concentrated finish is long, powerful and acid-driven with intense flavors of leathery funk, some tangy saline notes, a little bit of smoky minerality, light fruity notes of cantaloupe and quince, a hint of beeswax and a bretty touch of Band-Aid.

A very powerful and complex Assyrtiko that is quite unlike its varietal peers from Santorini, but not one bit less impressive in style. The wine has an obviously funky, naturalist edge to it, yet it comes across as layered and intriguing, not "natty" or "weird". All in all, a very distinctive and idiosyncratic take on both Assyrtiko and Cretan wine that is very impressive already now, but most likely will continue to improve for at least a handful of years more. I can see why Yiannis Economou's wines can be so divisive and I can also see why he is considered a cult winemaker of Crete. The only wine I can think of that reminds me of this style is Art Space Assyrtiko from Santorini - both very unique in every way, although Art Space's wines are perhaps even more difficult to get your hands on. This was pretty pricey for a Cretan wine at 45€, but managed to deliver for the price, easily.
  • wayfarer commented:

    10/25/22, 1:42 PM - Curious how you would compare to Paolo Bea's Arboreus or Lapideus, if you've tasted them.

White
2017 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu Chardonnay
7/16/2022 - 2mwine Likes this wine:
56 points
This was far over the hill….
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/17/22, 6:43 AM - That's unfortunate....

White
2017 Viña Otano Rioja Blanco Viura, Macabeo
2/1/2022 - DragonflyCellar Likes this wine:
90 points
It's like a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc got married, made sweet, sweet love and had this wine baby
  • wayfarer commented:

    6/14/22, 2:06 PM - That's a pretty good line.

Red
2016 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese
5/1/2022 - Kris G wrote:
flawed
As usual a bottle from Felsina showed a very rapid decline in the glass and ended up down the drain after 10 minutes in the glass. I really don't understand what is going on with my Felsina-bottles. The bottles which are consumed by my buddies in the wineclub suffer from the same issue (yesterday 5 Rancia's from 2011 and 2013 went immediately down the drain). PS : they are stored at 12 °C.
  • wayfarer commented:

    5/1/22, 4:19 AM - Well that sucks. Keep fingers crossed.

White
2018 Harken Chardonnay Barrel Fermented California
its a 10 dollar barrel fermented chard and its hard to find any edges...flat painless round some orange juice like acid and its not overtly sweet to my senses... i did mix it with grand marnier however which was excellent...the note claims.buttery big styles chards are gone.
damn perhaps to some degree..we are post modern and everything..this wine produced even after an anti parker era...kinda just dig it because of the winemakers words on label...that era of super massive buttery sweet chard is probably gone..in a post parker au natural era we are in...the words on the label tempt my thoughts to ponder...everything has been scaled back? or even caged? is cali chard supposed to be exuberance,exotic..maybe thats what drew us in first place...
  • wayfarer commented:

    1/6/22, 4:50 AM - Pretty good read over breakfast coffee, lol...

White
2018 Alain Gautheron Chablis 1er Cru Montmains Vieilles Vignes Chardonnay
1/2/2022 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine:
93 points
{Bought on release, first of 12. Diam cork} Has the incisive cut that I like in 1er Cru Chablis, and this wine's major strength is the volume, breadth, and persistence in the mid-palate through finish. Lees-y, sophisticated Kimmeridgian limestone soil derived fruit without any overt oak. Lots of minerals too, but unlike many other excellent Chablis this has the sophisticated mid-palate to match the quality of the minerals. Opened last night, consumed most over the evening, then a glass today at lunch. 80 year old vines from 0.66 hectare plot, allowed a year in old wood with no interventions. Superb. Drinks well at room temperature as well as chilled.

Neal Martin's note on this wine reads like he tried a different wine, or this wine at its most awkward moment.
  • wayfarer commented:

    1/2/22, 4:09 PM - Nice note, hoping you've nailed it vs Martin, with 6 in cellar.

Red
2019 Viñedos Bernabeleva Vinos de Madrid Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha, Grenache
12/19/2021 - Mimesis Likes this wine:
89 points
I had always turned my nose up at this "starter" Bernabeleva made for the US market, but I recently bought a couple of bottles online by mistake thinking they were the "regular" Navaherreros. Either the 2019 Camino is way better than usual, or I've been an idiot all these years. It's a delight. Really clean, pure grenache; a perfect house wine that will guard the single-vineyard wines as they age.
  • wayfarer commented:

    12/19/21, 6:44 PM - Like what ben c said. Had one or two vintages not quite on par, but generally great stuff. I think of it like the grenache version of Collestefano verdicchio metallica.

White
2018 Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis Friuli Isonzo
8/1/2021 - JJYoyo Likes this wine:
93 points
What a wild Pinot Grigio! Unexpected orange color. Nose that is half Riesling, half oxidated who knows what. Delightful edge of raspberry to it all. It’s like a Ramato but it is not rose in attitude , more like a cross between regular Pinot Grigio , rose, and an Alsace VT (although it has only a touch of the exoticism of a real VT). Something that seems vaguely familiar but totally out of the blue. Wow. A thrill!
Score: 93. Relative to expectations: +++
  • wayfarer commented:

    8/1/21, 6:49 PM - Crazy, makes me look forward to it!

White
2020 Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
6/13/2021 - wayfarer Likes this wine:
89 points
Enjoyable
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/29/21, 2:03 PM - Drank quite a few 2019 Scott, this first one from 2020 was on par, but didn't tickle my tasting notes neurons I guess!

White
2017 Doro Princic Ribolla Gialla Collio
Reminds me of Sancerre, and not in a good way, like when yer high and Sancerre's telling you to take out the trash and yer like oh man, which one of us is underwater right now
I see that this is for sale for $49 @Gasbarro's on Atwell's ave; someone should remind them that crime should not be committed on Federal Hill, it should be planned. I paid 18 elsewhere and am ripshit, verily. Somebody needs to remind doze Pseudoslavs in Friuli dat nobody in America is paying for cleanliness from Somewhat Europe, they're paying for the dude who was up for a 4-way in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, who's like every natty wine maker ever, to take a dump in his son's dollhouse and age the rebula (as in, dude you should get that rebula on your face looked at) in that, and America Still Matters, Olympix r sün populi, ASM! ASM! ASM!
I acknowledge that the subtle anise and orange of this would go perfectly with the Sol Azteca chamorritos
If you've made it this far, you've probably not admonished the staff @Gasbarro's about anything: just claim you've got to go pick up your cupcakes @The Blind King or they'll give them to a musician
Everything I said about the 2018 Domaine des Terrisses goes 2.5 for this, 'merica will be a mire perfect union if it respects its more outre state's burgeoning oenological prowess. But this sugar water, even after the little spritz blows off, I don't know whether to drink it or put a little behind my ears for hygge shui, and you can get nips of those at the Chinatown bazaar that's been going out of business for the past 25 years for 3-5 bucks, depending on how they size you up
Jeez, I think I put more effort into critiquing this wine than the Princic's did making it
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/9/21, 4:54 AM - Hysterical and entertaining though I kind a think the wine was neither that good or bad, put it to a beat and there will be a new genre of rap, wine review rap.

White
2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu Chenin Blanc
6/11/2021 - pa1966stang wrote:
flawed
Oxidized or at a minimum super advanced. Down the drain.
  • wayfarer commented:

    6/11/21, 5:19 PM - Bummer

  • wayfarer commented:

    6/12/21, 5:31 AM - I've had more problems with chidaine, but then there's more in my cellar. It does seem an issue.

Red
2015 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières Pinot Noir
4/25/2021 - vide wrote:
90 points
This is my second Beaune wine in the same number of weeks, and my impressions are the same. My advice is: stick to white wine. Smoked dark fruit on nose and palate, pleasant but saying very little. No real depth on the palate (and this is for a 1 cru). The wine is just too light, and without personality.

When it goes down the track of bright-smokey fruit (effectively a cul de sac), Burgundy can't compete with the heavy weights in the Rhone and the more gentler (but nonetheless impressive) wines in Bordeaux.

I have also started to become suspicious of wine labels that contain more than 20 characters in them.
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/25/21, 6:03 AM - That's hilarious.

White
2019 Cà dei Frati Lugana I Frati Turbiana, Verdicchio
3/13/2021 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
88 points
Early days for this one. very aromatic on the nose with verbena soap, mandarins, fresh lime peel. On the palate sweet mandarin fruit attack followed by a little bitter grapefruit kernel and peel finish. Perfect texture! good freshness. Not all together yet. Save for 3-5 years and drink with food, perhaps grilled swordfish or tuna with some fresh salsa. Like many of these verdicchios the qtr is great compared to many other famous white wines of the world. 88 now but potential for 90 points later on for sure.
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/13/21, 5:27 AM - turbiana? trebbiano? I'm confused by the varietal designation here. love verdicchios too! qpr of both is often great.

White
2019 Agro de Bazan Albariño Rías Baixas Granbazán Etiqueta Verde
3/20/2021 - druhf01@yahoo.com wrote:
91 points
This is a Chairman's Selection in Pennsylvania, for a measly $12. An appealing nose of apple and osmanthus (or maybe a little dried apricot). On the palate, zesty acidity and more orchard fruits. The finish is elegant and lovely, and this was fabulous with sushi. In a few months, we'll be in the Outer Banks, cooking pristine fish, fresh off the boat. I told my wife, we need to have a few bottles of this wine, because it's a stunner.
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/9/21, 7:21 AM - Live in Boston area, but am in Philly so appreciated the tip and picked some up for this sweet price.

White
2016 Weingut Pfeffingen Scheurebe Dry Pfalz
3/3/2021 - Aparritz Likes this wine:
93 points
Spectacular. A brand new experience with a scherube and I couldn’t be happier. It tastes as of a Sauvignon blanc and a viognier got together with some super delicious results.
  • wayfarer commented:

    3/4/21, 5:32 AM - Cool to read your note, hard to find this varietal. The Pfeffingen is the best I've had. Very good qpr in my book too.

White
2019 Gérard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol Sauvignon Blanc
1/9/2021 - Bob H wrote:
Consistent with previous notes - I have to admit that I’m starting to have a real appreciation for this entry level wine, as it is an effective way to keep your hands off of the single vineyard wines and allow them a little bottle age. Given that, the kind of wine where if you like Boulay’s style, this should be a mandatory case purchase in most vintages.
  • wayfarer commented:

    1/9/21, 6:48 PM - Spot on recommendstion. Exactly how I felt about it after my first bottle, if not if 2019.

White
2018 Claude Riffault Sancerre Les Boucauds Sauvignon Blanc
11/13/2020 - theboot Likes this wine:
92 points
Sancerre isn’t typically a “wow” wine for me but this is an exception. Crazy concentration of citrus, almond, and underripe peach both nose and palate. Acid where it should be, alcohol in check and finish long long long. I’d serve this to anyone wondering what Sancerre is capable of delivering.
  • wayfarer commented:

    11/13/20, 3:31 PM - This wine, going back a number of vintages, was one of several revelations along the way to becoming a sancerre fan.

White
2012 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre Chardonnay
8/28/2020 - chablis28 wrote:
93 points
Tonight with pan seared halibut. Pale gold green. Sea breeze nose. Vibrant and exceedingly fresh lemon citrus with hint of tangerine with classic minerality and salinity. Ran into some premox with a recent 2010 Mileu VV causing me to open this sooner than planned. No regrets, its drinking great now. Happily this btl was in excellent condition and I have a couple more.
  • wayfarer commented:

    9/1/20, 5:34 AM - Having just enjoyed a 2012 Montmain VV with a hint of premox, good move on the 2012--2012 Mdt will be up next as I came to the same conclusion after the '12 MMvv.

White
2010 Château La Louvière Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
7/4/2020 - wayfarer wrote:
Sadly this has not aged well since last bottle. Tertiary flavors are now tired and old--meaning a bit of funk and sock. The palate still has plenty of good structure as far as acidity and fruit, but the nose is not so pleasant. Too bad. Opened something else for dinner and have continued to finish the bottle off over several nights as an experiment. Fwiw, a week later, a final half glass, funk gone leaving that rich aged mix on the tongue, with bit on the nose. Curious.
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/27/20, 3:56 AM - Not fully but on its way I guess.

White
2014 Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis Vieilles Vignes du Vieux Chateau Chardonnay
7/11/2020 - tunaguy Likes this wine:
93 points
stunning and a mesmerizing evolution over the course of the night. as good as it gets for village chablis.
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/12/20, 1:21 PM - They just make great wine don't they?

Red
2010 G.D. Vajra Barbera d'Alba Superiore
6/18/2020 - Rechrom wrote:
91 points
Forgot I had these. Opened with low expectation, as I thought this would be tired. It was not. Vibrant fruit, remaining good acidity, nice balance. A great wine with a red sauced pasta, not complex, but very flavorful.
  • wayfarer commented:

    6/19/20, 5:26 AM - One of my favorite Barberas, I've got one 2010 left, and been kind of waiting on it to see how it ages. Barbera-fruity, full, luscious, but don't get much info on how tertiary flavors develop, perhaps for good reason. Anyway always cool to see a niche favorite pop up in tasting notes.

Red
2010 Paolo Bea Umbria San Valentino Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
This wine was delicious. We decanted it for 2 1/2 hours before drinking, but probably should have decanted it for 4 or 5 hours. Toward the end of the bottle, it really opened up, presenting first dense tannins, then redcurrant, blackcurrant, and mulberry, along with a distinct but hard-to define herbal character. These were followed by tobacco, chocolate, and oak spice toward the end of the swallow. The body was very full, and the finish moderately long. If memory serves, the 2010 was a blend of Sangiovese, Sagrantino, and Montepulciano.

We had this with our Valentine's Day meal of wine-braised beef shortribs, winter squash and brown-butter puree, and homemade polenta. This was our only bottle of this wine, which we purchased at Paolo Bea and shipped home in a mixed half-case. My wife wishes we had purchased a case of this wine!
  • wayfarer commented:

    2/15/20, 4:16 AM - Short ribs sound like a perfect match. I last enjoyed a Bea Rosso with Osso Bucco, kissing cousin to ribs! Was a tasty pairing. Btw long decant makes a lot of sense, I felt the 2009 would improve with cellar time. Love his whites, equally interesting, even if off the beaten track to some palates. The Aboreous we had was one of the most interesting and delicious wines ever.

Red
2017 Ridge Zinfandel East Bench Dry Creek Valley
1/16/2020 - Papasteve33 wrote:
70 points
Had it with homemade pizza. It was average, it didn’t add anything or take away from the wine.
  • wayfarer commented:

    1/17/20, 4:33 AM - Is the score for the pizza or the wine? :)

White
2016 Avalon Chardonnay Chard California
10/29/2017 - John at WAJ Likes this wine:
85 points
Excellent $9 Chardonnay. Nice citrus and apple.
  • wayfarer commented:

    10/2/19, 6:15 AM - so why a 58 score?

Red
2006 AR.PE.PE. Valtellina Superiore - Sassella Stella Retica Riserva Nebbiolo
5/9/2019 - short and confused wrote:
93 points
I love these mountain Nebbiolo wines. 50+ year old vines. This is a “riserva” bottling of Ar.Pe.Pe.’s single vineyard “Rocco Rosse”. Elevage: stainless steel, 2 years in oak wood barrels (50 Hl), at least 6 months in bottle. Chewy and long with tart red wild berry fruits, forest floor and wild flowers. There is an ethereal dimension to this stuff that brings me to pinot. But it is not pinot!
  • wayfarer commented:

    5/10/19, 1:13 PM - I'm with you, love 'em too. Great value in addition to great to drink.

Red
2014 Wind Gap Wines Old Vine Grenache Sceales Vineyard Sonoma County
4/25/2019 - ppearson9 Does not like this wine:
70 points
Honestly what are you morons drinking? second bottle went right in the drain same as the first. I wouldn’t feed this filth to my mother in law.
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/26/19, 5:04 AM - cognitive dissonance at work, compounded by grade inflation perhaps?

White
2017 Azienda Agricola Prà Soave Classico Otto Garganega
11/30/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:
89 points
Almost two years and two months ago we lost our dearly beloved Dachshund Freckle Face Fennoman (see my 3 October 2016 tasting note for Château Léoville Barton 2002). Today our lives were enriched by the advent of Dijkleven Boška (b. 8 October 2018), a wire-haired Dachshund with call sign Otto. The only way to drink to his health, happiness and long life is of course with this wine, dedicated by Graziano Prà to Otto, his beloved Border Collie, “fedele compagno delle mie giornate”. Screwcap, 100% Garganega, volcanic soils, stainless steel only, 13% ABV. A delightful wine, ripe pear and white nuts, soft but fresh, minerally but generous, supple but with gentle bitters, floral finish, good resonance and length. Long may Otto live!
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/25/19, 2:33 PM - now that's a tasting note with resonance....

Orange
2010 Paolo Bea Arboreus Umbria Trebbiano Spoletino
4/8/2017 - Nick4378 Likes this wine:
94 points
I am head over heels for this wine. Apricots, Candied orange peel, honey, exotic spice like Turmeric. This grew in the glass with air. I really need to consume one of these over a couple days to experience that what this wine has to offer fully.
  • wayfarer commented:

    12/31/18, 6:11 AM - Yup, not many wines make me immediately look for more, but this one had that 'pinch me I'm dreaming' quality to it.

White
2014 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Chardonnay
10/26/2018 - theronware wrote:
92 points
Yes, the color is more golden than I'd expect from a '14 chablis. The nose and palate are on point, however -- a seductive melange of white powdered rock and focused, coruscating lemon-acid. It isn't effervescent but it is so replete with minerals and acid that it fairly buzzes on the nose and palate. Just love this stuff and wish I could find this producer more easily.
  • wayfarer commented:

    10/27/18, 5:38 AM - Have not opened this one yet, but completely agree on how fine the Pattes Loup wine is from others I've had. Prices appear to be going up unfortunately.

Red
2013 G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe Nebbiolo
9/15/2018 - Rollerball wrote:
92 points
Very interesting with suckling pig with smoked and fried eggplant, especially because next to it we had a glass of the much leaner Moric 2012 Reserve Blaufrankisch. The sleek but cozy Barolo with its plush, sweet tannins wrapped the pig like a blanket while the Blaufrankisch brought it out in the open like a spotlight.
  • wayfarer commented:

    9/20/18, 6:41 AM - Pretty entertaining. Always interested to hear about how different wine/food combos work out. This side by side was cool.

Red
2015 Domaine Maestracci Vin de Corse Calvi Clos Reginu Red Blend
3/30/2018 - guchl wrote:
90 points
Red and hint of blue fruits, flowers (violets?) and something salty/savory (tamari?). Really exciting - like a cru Beaujolais and a cool climate Pinot had a baby in Italy. Medium/light bodied but fine tannic grip. Drink now-2020+
  • wayfarer commented:

    3/31/18, 5:08 AM - like that turn of phrase, 'had a baby...' cheers! btw have you tried the Viñedos Bernabeleva Vinos de Madrid Camino de Navaherreros? kind of family resemblance as far as the grenache side. Similar qpr to my palate.

Red
2015 Château Puech-Haut Pic St. Loup La Closerie du Pic Red Blend
11/1/2017 - shadow wrote:
97 points
Just came today.
First thought, does a $30 wine need a name this long, I mean, does not exactely roll off the tounge.
Curious had to pop one.
Nose is intriguing like distant pop of prunes over a smoldering pine wood fire.
First sip, sweet fruit, dusty smokie background.
Has a thick palate feel.
Second sip, opening up with a bit of iron and blood.
This is some seriously interesting juice.
  • wayfarer commented:

    11/7/17, 11:26 AM - I've read this same comment verbatim attributed to Parker, just curious ?

Red
2015 Château de Brézé Saumur Rouge Clos Mazurique Cabernet Franc
Very fresh, just in bottle. So note that on the note. Big vintage.

Perfect underripe blueberry on the nose. In a great ripe Cab frank way. Big mid palate. Maybe a bit too big? Or maybe just right.

Heat and drought, its just big in the '15. And damn. It's either I just tasted 15 wines, or '15 is workin' it.
  • wayfarer commented:

    12/14/16, 6:37 AM - a variant on 'bottle in front of me or a frontal lobotomy' perhaps?

Red
2010 Finca Villacreces Ribera del Duero Pruno Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
This wine, on first notice, was to be the second coming. I think Parker or another prognosticator was low to mid 90s. I dutifully bought a bunch in 2012(?). Ever since I've been trying to capture the magic as defined by the pros. I failed and failed again. After two years, I opened another hoping that a few years in the cellar would work its magic and I would have the "experience". If it's too good to be true (what Parker et al said) it's not true. Kind of like the first love or Adele. It started innocently last night, like the others, a dense tannic something, but I felt it was more akin to "Hello from the Other Side" was well... Actually the bottle was a version of that over produced, over baked cultural moment. After 24 hours of air the bottle is revealing subtle nods to Bordeaux. Mostly fruit with hints of Cabernet broodiness. I don't know what tongues the pros were born with but this bottle has evolved into a vinous Donald Trump. It is a boisterous noisy mess of much a do about nothing. Oh well lesson learned.
  • wayfarer commented:

    5/10/16, 6:40 AM - love it. election 2016 comes to cellar tracker. have to figure out what is the sanders or clinton woty. i do agree with the bottom line here.

Red
2013 Dievole Chianti Classico Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
201r was more wet. The 13 was the first vintage of the big change in oak. Meaning now far less barrique. To the point of no barrique and all in large oak cask. 2014 was an increase in production despite the wet but that is because they new the vineyards so much more. 2013 is 100% sangiovese. 2014 is vanilla and colorino in the blend. 2014 will be a mild vintage I am being told but we are about to compare to the winery 14 is the more balanced and shows really well now. We are having both side by side. For the vinter who I am eating lunch with there is no choice 14 is the on. But that could be his baby. 10 to 15 years old vines on the estate.

Big brightbfruit on the nose. Wants to or feels on the nose quuite concentrated but straight and clean too. And the palate follows suit with that as well. Straight clean and mineral. And I mean that in a good way. Very different than dievole than in the past.
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/19/16, 5:10 AM - Ben C--Quite voluble compared to usually pithy notes. Late at night perhaps or something? Mis-hits on keystrokes? Like to hear more on past to 2013 to 2014 in a slightly less cryptic form!

White
2012 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore
4/25/2015 - JVG wrote:
I thought this was a wonderful bottle of wine, though I understand why it may not be to some people's tastes. Medium gold in color, it is very shy on the nose, with just a suggestion of rose petal and orange peel. But on the palate, it is just so satisfying in a way that's difficult to describe. More like a red than a white in many ways. It is still reserved and doesn't boast a riotous mouthful of flavors, but it has a deliciously savory, organic (not in a technical sense) character, with silky but substantial texture, flavors of toasted almond, various herbs, some citrus, and, I don't know, a nobility of bearing. Sounds ridiculous, but that's the impression it made on me. The finish is nutty and saline, just slightly bitter in a pleasant way, and long. It's not a broad wine but a very deep one, if that makes sense. It has resonance. In any case, I loved it. Give it time and attention because it doesn't shout at you, and don't serve it very cold, just at or slightly cooler than cellar temp. Wonderful with food (I had it with chicken florentine and pasta, and the match was perfect).
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/1/16, 9:51 AM - Enjoyed the detail and emotive impressions you crafted. Sometimes this just happens with wine. I am a fan of the Fiore, having first tried the 2010--and just purchased the 2012. Have you tried the Carato? I enjoyed the 2008 a lot (only vintage I have seen).

White
2012 i Clivi Verduzzo Friuli Colli Orientali
9/30/2014 - Atwellian wrote:
90 points
Light brass. Dusty, mild citrus nose. Very smooth, soft mouthfeel. Pleasant and interesting bitter lemon/lime flavor, a bit too soft in the mid-palate. Nice long finish. Interesting changeling quality as each sip seems different in balance and structure; soft, then perfect, then soft again. Very good, perhaps needing time in bottle to settle down?
  • wayfarer commented:

    4/26/15, 7:00 AM - Indeed.

White
2010 Michel Gahier Chardonnay Arbois Les Crêts
PnP. Smells like citrus juice and peel, gently vanilla scented custard, savory bread crust, minty herbs, crushed stone, and hints of VA and smoke. On the palate, fresh and lively with huge acidity. Sour orange, understated tropical fruits, crusty sourdough bread, and stony minerality. Lingering citrus and minerality. Medium bodied, with a slight oiliness. No explicit oxidized character, but a slight savoriness adds to the moreishness. Good stuff!
  • wayfarer commented:

    8/26/14, 7:24 PM - Great note. I may not have gotten all that on my encounter, but it captures the richness & depth of character.

Red
2010 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese
7/12/2014 - slippytoad wrote:
90 points
A little thin. Improved after an hour or so but not worth the money
  • wayfarer commented:

    7/12/14, 7:28 PM - hmmm yet you gave it 90 points? just curious.

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