3/20/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

On the list at R’evolution in NOLA at $325. Short decant , then paired with snapping turtle soup and hard boiled quail eggs. Paired well, both funky, earthy, and rich . Mashing the eggs into the soup highlighted the apricot skin and the aged yolkiness of the viognier’s flavor profile. Held up through 2 hours , again showed nicely w crisped sablefish, yellow rice,pickled onions and fennel fronds. Should provide great pleasure with careful pairings for another 5-7 years; sherried notes will overun acidity soon after.

3/15/2024 - OenoEd wrote:

8 mos since my last note on this, very consistent, but at this slightly young and awkward stage, showing more musk, patchouli, white pepper and new oak than my last bottle. I do believe this will be two points better in two or three years. Will drink Marine until then , his pink chardonnay for fun and with salmon, and Seth’s impressive XOmni until this comes together. Worked with fresh stone crabs tonight; anything would have, but I was quietly longing for the salinity and minerality of Marine.

3/2/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Lime zest , lees, and volcanic basalt from start to finish. Plenty of acidity to balance the Lafon Puligny like richness, and Seth never lets oak dominate his wines. Im sad that the gorgeous fruit for this has been taken by Evening Land , and that Seven Springs wont be produced by Morgen Long again anytime soon. Long finish with chalk dust and mandarin. I think this vintage will drink beautifully for at least 10 years. It did benefit from a half hour decant tonight, and paired beautufully with crisped sweetbreads , capers, Italian butter, and sablefish braised in tangerine juice, miso, ginger and sweet soy. (Surf and Turf!)

2/22/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

From half bottle, decanted 40 minutes. Distinctive and vibrant nose, electric images from the kaleidoscopic bouquet; at once rustic but elegant, crafted by a woman born to make wine. There is mysterious organic decay here, briny and metallic, like the smell from 100 feet away of sun baked squid guts in tin cans. Black plum, dried unsweetened cherries, and red currant buried under piles of wet blackening autumn leaves and wormy earth. Slightly bitter roast cocoa beans, and the acidity of recently canned tomato sauce. Long cocoa dust finish, moderate tannins, clean, fresh, young. Her best wines are a cook’s delight, inspiring new pairings and inventive twists on the familiar, like the menudo we had tonight, over polenta, and garnished with a crispy crumble of salted and dried Viet baby crabs. I will stock up on these halves; so versatile, an exciting and affordable vintage, good till 2050.

2/21/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

This is a delicious and very well made gruner, great QPR.
Nose offers green melon, asparagus, granny smith apple skins, fenugreek. In the mouth, this is light and clean, more green apples, green papaya, unripe plums, very crisp, 20 second simple finish. Score would be 2-3 points higher, but for a distinct absence of minerality. Maybe there’s a hint of bitter chalkiness. Enjoy through 2025; I served this w a first course of asparagus grilled w garlic butter, and an orange zest aioli; it worked beautifully. Yogurt and Z’atar marinated grilled shrimp would pair well, also.

2/4/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Peach, petrol, and crushed white stones on the nose, a bit of musk melon too, as it warms in the glass. Very clean and bright , barely herbaceous, relative to QPR expectations. A little more of that herbal whole cluster character in the mouth, but still elegant, crisp, and medium bodied, with fresh linen flavored acidity and a long saline and peach pit finish. This 2020 is drinking beautifully now; it held up well to a porceletta rack roast, w maple, fennel and armagnac notes. Should drink this well for at least 5 years. Dont be fooled by the cost or screw top, this is serious juice, a stupid bargain!!

1/30/2024 - OenoEd wrote:

Nice note below, pyrazines is a good call: lots of beetroot, bell pepper, and wormy earth. I liked it as it opened, ten minutes in , especially with miso glazed grilled quail , where the acidity and bright red cherry fruit were able to dominate the vegetal qualities. As dinner disappeared , so did the charm of the wine. Despite interesting cedar and tobacco notes behind the brambly cherry, that slightly acrid flavor, thin midpalate, and finish of crunchy red bell pepper left me disappointed. The addition of Malbec here would have helped to provide balance, a bass note tempering the shrill cab franc discord.

1/27/2024 - OenoEd wrote:

Like a couple of others here, I wanted to love this wine, for what it cost I deserved more than it delivered. Decanted for an hour, and drunk over 3, it remained hearbreakingly dull , well made, well balanced and solid, but lacking energy, vibrancy, complexity, An overvalued, overhyped ,highly coveted cab blend that , at least by this bottle, was crafted for the many Americans devoted to RP, and all things Italian. Im just guessing here, but Im sure this wine’s principal market over time has been USA, and maybe tourists in restaurants seeking the familiar and famous. I just dont get it, wish I did.

1/26/2024 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Rich and still primary deep black fruits, dark chocolate, silky tannins, long and maybe nearing its prime, but beautifully structured to last 30 years. Would pair perfectly with a not too spicy mole negro duck or chicken, or for dessert, with dark chocolate and blackberries. WOTN over some stiff competition: ‘90 Sassicaia, 75 Heitz MV, and Gaja Sori Tilden. Thanks Irv, Jamie, and Acker!!!

11/15/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

I decanted this for 40 minutes before service, and kept it at about 53 degrees. I like this bottle even more than last two I noted here. Even more welcoming, so easy to love for casual drinkers, but interesting enough for we winos. The steady lees contact provides depth and weight, and is a bit too prominent, but this remains a big platter of fresh and dried peach, nectarine, and white melon dusted with applewood smoked sea salt. Its damn yummy, and perfect tonight with cherry wood grilled gochujang marinated skinless chicken thighs, chopped salad, and seared lions mane shrooms with lots of garlic and orange. Just keep heavy cream and animal fat away from this beauty, and it will shine. Kudos Seth!

11/8/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Henri died in 2016, so this exuberant Celestin, likely made mostly by son Marcel, is neverthess a legacy farewell and gift to Henri’s successor, and to us. This isnt and wont be the iconic ‘89, but it should compare favorably to tbe 2000 and ‘09., both delightful contributions to the CdP diaspora. Its vibrant electric acidity and primal black fruit take on sui bois and black mineral weight over 90 minutes in the glass. There must be a bit of viognier in this blend, too, with the 90% grenache, unless the ultra ripe grenache fruit took on its own lily, violet and lilac undertones. A pleasure with wagyu tartare and quail egg, but also with a perfect ris de veau prep by Chef Cindy Wolf at Charleston in Baltimore. 20-30 years of great drinking ahead, but accessible now.

11/11/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

On the list at Hoya Hotel in Tampa at $50, grossly overpriced, but I hadnt had it, and server assured me it was on the “dry side” and should work well with my chiiled tapas of “aguachile” bay scallops, and roasted garlicky octopus with baby yellow golds in a garlic aioli. Indeed it did, a clean, stony, and acidic chenin with the 15% viognier adding round if not rich texture and a hint of white florality. At $30, Id have been a happy camper, but at $50, it seemed a foolish indulgence. A nice warm climate quaffer with any shellfish, not intended for aging.

11/10/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Sweet new oak. vanilla bean, black pepper, lilac,,ripe black and blueberries. Almost 15% abv. Perhaps someone can stop by my headstone in 15 years and lmk if it evolved into something more than another highly extracted , new oak, Napa fruit bomb. I took a chance on this, newborn though it is, to accompany perfect short rib at Alligator Soul in Savannah. Food helped. Im done buying wines like this, but I understand its popularity in US. respect.

10/28/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

In prime drinking window, but this needed a full hour decant to lose bottle must and green pepper notes. This is the real deal with texture, depth, iron ore , cigar box, saddle leather and sweet black plum. 15 years of great drinking ahead. Had this with 10 day aged duck and black truffled potatoes at Lafayette in Philly. Superb.

10/27/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Consistent with last two notes here; great longevity and QPR. Softer now than 3 or 4 years ago, probably best to drink before 2025.

10/24/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Cellar stored since release this 20 year old Oregon beauty is opulent and rich, beautifully balanced, tiniest hint of bricking on the rim, but still so juicy black cherry jello youthful! Id guess another 10 years of great drinking for a well kept bottle, given the primary fruit and acidity still vibrant. This was the debut release of Upper Terrace, well chosen Dijon clones on property Parker helped select. Slight sediment but “unfined and unfiltered”. pays off here with the earthy mushroom and baking spice finish. Superb with pecan shell and apple wood grilled stuffed quail tonight!

10/22/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Consistent with my July note. Maybe a bit more round weight, without losing acidity or deliniation. Held up perfectly to a spicy green curry, shrimp and chicken.

10/20/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

I love being proven wrong by a great bottle here. My 2020 note suggested to “drink up”, despite a 93 score, but this has improved. More chalky minerality, shortbread, and lime zest than before, but still vividly rich and acidic. The oak has integrated, less obvious. Juicy peach skin finish. 5-7 years more great drinking? Worked beautifully with fresh stone crabs and mustard sauce tonight.

10/18/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Everything is BIG: critics scores (94-97), abv (15%), deep black color, rich body, extraction, tannin, it is pretty much the kind of Southern Rhone loved by 2017 Parker point chasers, and those hapless souls waiting years to get on SQN’s allocation list. But Krankl is a magician and pulls off BIG w grace, elegance, and drinkability. Not so much here. Nose is a joy with plenty of cassis, warm blackberry pie, wet copper and black ink, and earthy mint, but you can smell the heat. Even after 2 hours, this was still hot, despite vibrant acidity, baked black cherry, lightly stewed fruits, black granite notes, and an interesting finish of black licorice and spicy red pepper jelly. I drank two glasses over two hours, with pork chops and well seasoned mushrooms, and then just gave up. I will use the rest of the bottle for stew, after burning off some of that alcohol.

10/3/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Powerful, succulent , and mature; Ridge, always good, always reliable, but, as here, sometimes the rich and balanced black fruit, szechuan pepoercorn, cassis, and smoky black cherry wood qualities in the nose and in the mouth are delicious but not quite compelling enough to carry. the 14.5% alcohol. There is a little heat and bite mid palate to finish, and a note of piney disinfectant, likely from the Carignane. Maybe the impact of high alcohol seems less overt in 5 years; a 50/50 call, in my book. Ok to drink now, just decant it for an hour or two, and serve it with asian spiced shortribs, or charred lamb (rosemary here works great) or ribeye. I will not be surprised to rate this 2 points higher in 3-5 years.

10/1/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Very slightly oxidized nose : honeycomb, freshly laundered thick flannel, white peach, orange zest, green melon rind, sawdust. Really impressive for 8 year old viognier, let alone from WA state. Viscous but not heavy, flat, or flabby. Still good acidic cut, sweet peach juice, orange bitters, pomelo, tangerine, white pepper, and an odd but delicious dried salty crustacean shell finish. Wow. Held up beautufully to a clean out the frig chicken fried rice, bok choy, flavored with ginger, thai hot sauce, orange zest , grated bottarga, and bottled teriyaki. This won’t get better, as after an hour it takes on sherried notes, but still a great treat.

9/28/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

My third note on CT for this beauty, and she is evolving wonderfully . Yes, the first 15 minutes of bouquet could fairly be described as a little “bretty” (more so than “reduced”) but its not a much different funk than what we love in many great Rhones, old Graves, and more than a few bottles of aged Musigny and Gevrey. Of greater interest is that the power of its sweet fruit, dark minerality, and the silky persistent tannic structure quickly become more important. I actually grew to love the slight barnyard , horsesweat, talcy nose over two hours of drinking. This never seems heavy or rich, flat or monotonous; it is pure pleasure throughout the meal. This should stay great 7-10 years.

9/24/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

A perfectly good wine; the bouquet deserves 91 points with its cherry, wild strawberry, violets, saddle, and earth. Needed an hour to soften and show its stuff. In the mouth, the red plum and cherry fruit flavors dominate, but this is just a little tart ,and it finishes a bit short and thin. Dusty skin tannins. But there’s enough bright red fruit acidity for it to show better with pasta and lamb chops. Ill hold the other few bottles I have for a year, and try again.

9/10/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

After my disappointment with a half bottle noted here in November ‘22, I opened this 750 with some trepidation. After a 3 hour decant, it remained very tight, so we corked it up and tried it today. What a difference a day makes! It softened and opened, and expressed everything described in note below. After two hours, the acidity dominated and it seemed to fade. But her wines have 3 or 4 lives, , and this felt like #2., thoroughly enjoyable with wood grilled lamb chops and creamed spinach, but not yet offering tertiary notes of rusty iron, huitalacoche, and hung game that these often show after 15-20 years. Looking forward!

9/3/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

At 48 degrees, needs a half hour to warm and aerate. Buttered popcorn , vanilla bean, smoked oysters, crushed shells, wet leaves. The overt oak in the nose is mitigated somewhat by the chalky minerality and white pepper which provide some balance. Yet, the meyer lemon, yellow melon and pineapple fruits still seem like they’ve been stored in new oak tupperware: you cant get away from the wood., until this comes up to 57 or so. As it fully aerates, the oak influence fades to background, a fascinating evolution. This would have been 2-3 points higher with a bit more acid and a lot less wood. Served with buttery lobster rolls on brioche buns proved that a great pairing creates its own sweet balance. Serve this to Cali Chard fans, not to lovers of Chablis, Chevalier, and Sancerre.

9/2/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Lemon, nutmeg, clean cotton, clove, deviled eggs, white pepper, crushed white rock, peach pits on the nose. Richer than expected in texture, with plenty of juicy green melon, peach skin, and kiwi in the mouth. A slightly hot and puckering finish. This needs 6 months to settle in, but is acidic and well crafted enough to drink well for 3-5 years. Perfect with scallops, parsnips, fennel, custard, eggs. Impressive QPR .

8/25/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

From half bottle, cellar stored since release. PNP, opened in glass after 40 minutes. Just beginning to show its stuff, in small format, still probably 2-3 years away. The nose inspires a cinematic image: a grizzled miner, cigar between his lips, hoping for gold, finding none, loads up saddlebags with copper and iron ore, and pushes his sweaty horse through damp and decaying forest floor. Somewhere theres a bottle of sweet black plum liquor that leaks in the leather. Ok, Ill stop. Medium but balanced body that mostly hides its 14 % abv. Rich spicy dark plum and baked black cherry flavors, with a long black tea/plum pit finish. Try this with a quality black cherry pipe tobacco after dinner, or, if you've got 750 btls, decant for an hour or two, and serve with well seasoned grilled beef. Held up nicely with my cherry wood grilled skirt steak and chimichurri tonight. An easy 15+ years of great drinking ahead.

8/3/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Tangerine, light caramel, smoked paprika, musky talc, cardamom, green apple, thyme and crushed white stone on the nose. Medium body, not at all heavy or rich, focused white pepper acidity framing white peach, kiwi, musk melon and lemon cream flavors. More weight than Chablis, less overt oak than Chassagne , I default to superb Puligny. Will peak in 3-5 years, but its perfectly wonderful now with a pan seared Kurobata pork chop w thyme and garlic, or a buttery lobster roll. Not Seth’s showiest wine (see X Omni) but truly impressive.

7/31/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Strawberry, green herbs, and chalky minerality on the nose. Well made, excellent balance of strawberry and pomegranate fruit, moderate acidity, and a 20 second stone pit finish. A little stemmy on the back end. Better paired with duck breast and red berry gastrique, herb coated goat cheese, or lobster salad on brioche. Not a wine Id offer as a summer quaffer, but great as a pairing with an early course. Drink before 2025.

7/24/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

This is a blended 1er cru from Jadot, with fruit selected from many of their 50 (!) sites, and offers good QPR for $65 a bottle. Ready to drink. Well made, no off notes. Ample acidity, but soft and light bodied. Nose of cedar wrapper and wet earth. Pomegranate and tart cherry flavors, sous bois, moderate finish. Excellent pairing tonight w pecan wood grilled quail, and a pomegranate/orange honey glaze. Structured enough to drink well for another 5 years; cork wasn't in very tight, so I wouldn't bother aging this longer.

7/22/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Cellar stored since release. Decanted for 90 minutes. Rich black color, no sign of age, nose is like huffing high alcohol black plum and pepper syrup, intense, but kind of linear and not very interesting . Some black mineral bite in the mouth, some ferrous, dried sour cherries macerated in an iron vessel with fine vintage port. Not thick or viscous, but I agree with commenters who said this might be “too big”. Finish is firm, tannic, a bit hot. Ill hold my last two bottles for 3-4 years and see what happens. I almost wish they had skipped ‘03, as this special cuvee aint so special, aside from its expected concentration . Tasted blind with a 2000 Chateau Bellevue, the latter scored 2 points higher and worked better with grass fed beef.

7/20/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

This is a very good, but not excellent rose. Lovely color and expected light bouquet of peach, strawberry, cranberry and white minerals. Good texture, acidity, and mouthfeel, but the copper penny/ grapeskin bitterness as you swallow dominates the finish. Sometimes, in bigger and slightly riper bottles, that is a desirable trait, compelling the next sip to return your palate to ripe or sweet or defined fruit, to offset that bitterness. Theres not quite enough of that here to reward that next sip. Well made, but I think needed ripeness was sacrificed to enhance minerality and cranberry acidity, an image of being “serious”, and it didnt quite work.

7/17/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

In temp controlled cellar since release. Yet, cork was soft, and split apart on the pull; moist halfway up. Good black plum color, slight sediment, worth a 40 minute decant. Hint of bricking at the rim. Mint, cassis, and black berries on the nose. Very yummy, like a warm and savory dark chocolate brownie, with chocolate mint and wet cedar, and bright coppery tannins through the moderate length finish. A great match for 60 day dry aged ribeye. I think this is at peak drinking now, but will remain succulent and gorgeous for 7-10 years, well stored, despite the sketchy cork. Glad I have a few more bottles.

7/14/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

This has made amazing progress since my last note here just a few’monrhs ago. Or perhaps it was the 90 minute decant I skipped in May. Rich and round now, with strong but smooth tannins, Aromas of smoked turkey leg, toasted walnuts, black cherry compote with cinnamon, shoe polish, iodine and black plum. Gorgeous! Soft and silky mouthfeel, most of those flavors carry through, with a bit of graphite and heat on the medium length finish. Air helps cocoa dusted violets come through. Also, some delightful Candela green cigar wrapper!! I see this gaining a point or two by 2025. Seductive and irresistible tonight with pecan shell grilled quail, glazed with pomegranate molasses , pink peppercorn, buckwheat honey, and ginger.

7/11/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Best $12 white I’ve had all year. Truly a certified organic, biodynamic “terroir wine”, as Penedes marketing describes it. Xarel-lo, usually tasted in cava, presents in this screw top still wine as bright, bursting with lively citrus, with notes of almond , green melon, and chalky lime zest. Terrific for ceviche and shellfish, because it is a little briny, light bodied, full of acidic zip, and has a surprisingly long finish. No off notes, no wood, perfectly clean, and super quaffable. Probably two years more of great drinking for well stored bottles. A treat!!

7/5/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Quick note, this is still so young. Decant for at least an hour, it took 2 hours in the glass to open. Rich and brooding, still holding back its best. Big black primary fruit and hefty tannin, enough acidic cut in its balanced structure to guarantee the best is yet to come. Try in 4 years. Or, cool decant for 2-3 hours and serve with rare beef or lamb.

7/4/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

I noted this on CT in 2019, and was surprised I scored it just as high. . I think I was very impressed by the piercing acidity of its youth, even though the fruit leaned more toward tart citrus. This has evolved nicely, and is more rounded, and richer than it seemed 4 years ago. Matchstick, flint, orange blossom honey, and persimmon on the nose. In the mouth: Mandarin orange, ruby red grapefruit, and gooseberry cloaked in white schist dust. perfect with a fluke aguachile, dotted with kumquat skin. In it’s prime now, drink before 2026.

6/27/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

A shimmering pale straw color, bright. White pepper, grapefruit, green papaya salad, crushed shells, lime. No obvious oak, perhaps a kiss of lightly smoked pork fat. In the mouth, limestone, white peach pit, apricot skin, a touch of green wood, or algae, more like moss covered rocks on a sea jetty, young ginger. Moderate acidity and length, balanced. Versatile food wine, if you respect its lightness of being.: crab, oyster, scallop, chicken breast, avocado, asparagus, pistachio crusted grouper or halibut. Avoid fat, hot or complex spices, and rich sauces. Should drink beautifully for 5 years.

6/23/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

In my cellar for 20 years, the thin yellow wax seal yielded to the screw point, but the cork pushed down halfway with pressure. Never able to find
the Durand except when its not needed, I carefully extracted the cork which held together, despite being moist from top to bottom. Any anxiety about the wine's condition disappeared when the clean nose soon offered candied almond, gardenia, orange peel, peach, and wet oats. Perfect golden yellow color. This is expectedly viscous and rich, but not fat or flabby because the acidity is more than sufficient to balance the alcohol and floral notes. Lots of acacia honey, pine resin, minerality, and white flowers. Medium weight, long finish, light petrol in metal can tone compels another sip of sweetness. Paired beautifully with Ethiopian food; the sour puffy injera, berbere blend spices, collards, chick peas, beef tibs, lamb, and dark meat chicken all worked. The sweetness, viscosity, and acidity of the Gewurz made it a perfect match! As this is an Olivier Hengst, another 20 years of great drinking is a reasonable guess!

6/18/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

A well stored bottle needs a 2-3 hour cool decant. This is a Day 2 review. Nose offers white peach, nectarine, crushed stone, tangerine zest, manzanilla . Medium body for this wine, but waxy, viscous, and rich. Limestone, green tea, cherimoya, mandarin, hazelnut and brazil nut, and sourdough crumb. Worked beautifully with tarragon buttered lobster rolls; Patagonian Toothfish richness would work too. 40 second finish: peach pit, beeswax, white pepper. Defining peak for this wine defies objectivity, as it will be wonderful through most stages of its life. I’d guess it to be halfway through its ability to justify a 93/94 score. Wonderful!!

6/16/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Cellared since release. 10 minute decant. Lots of chocolate, boysenberry, and fully integrated tannin with enough acidity to harmonize the lush dark fruits. Ten years of great drinking ahead. Wonderful w bbq brisket, beans, and collards tonight. Proof that great CA merlot can be balanced, age worthy, not dominated by extraction or oak, and food friendly.

6/8/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Consistent with last bottle I had, below. I kept it cold tonight and enjoyed the brilliant complex acidity with salt cod fritters, and fried eggplant. The near complete malo takes over the palate as it warms, and, while still delicious, the pairing with fried and fatty food is best when it’s 45-50 degrees. Didn’t hold up to menudo, Mexican stewed tripe , too much spice, tomato and gelatinous texture overwhelm this gem. Drink before 2027 if you’re an acid freak.

6/7/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

In an awesome place: just off the top of peak, very slightly on the downside, but with lots of acidity, white minerality, and chalky lemon and kiwi notes. Age shows in the slight sherry barrel flavor on the finish, but it’s a balancing act, giving character and round balance to very fresh stony acidity. This is best paired with an earthy watercress or kale salad, and a light not over spiced protein: seared scallops, or pork tenderloin are great. I love this wine: it’s so honest and dry and clean, a treat; but, drink up.

5/28/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Another great bottle, consistent with my prior notes, and RiverRat’s last note as well. Like great Volnay, pure and without off notes despite the bricking. Ample acidity and grip supporting the sweet core of multi colored fruits enabled it to work w pizza tonight. At least 5 years of great drinking left. Ripe grapes from cool Sonoma climes in the hands of an artist like Fred have produced a superior Cali pinot, balancing black granite minerality and rich concentrated fruit in a compelling and elegantly acidic frame. Medium body and length, pure deliciousness.

5/25/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Great note, Rossodio, below, from 2 days ago. Agree with all of it; wish I was there to appreciate it with you! My bottle, served w clay pot fennel/garlic brined kurobata pork chops, finished for 3 minutes over hickory chips, made me want to wear all white: white peach, limestone, chalk, pale nectarine, colorless lime, crystalline acidity. This will round out and improve over 5 years, as the stunning acidity moves back, and allows that mildly sweet exotic melon, and underripe kiwi, to move to the forefront, and the texture rounds out. But I love the complex intense acidity now, especially with pork, lobster or soft shell crab, where it can perfectly balance the protein’s “fat”. Great intensity from mid palate to finish, an impression of grip and tannin. Many will love this more 7-10 years out, but I’ll be drinking mine over the next 4 years.

5/21/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

After waiting a year (see my 6/22 CT note below), I brought a bottle to Fossil Farms outdoor farm dinner in Lafayette, to share with a couple of chefs. Packed for hours in a cooler w ice, it had gotten too cold, but no one wanted to wait. I warned them not to judge too soon. Big oak, vanilla and butter toast nose, big body, but clearly tight and cold. 30 minutes of hand warmth and swirling and the overoaked Chassagne like monster transformed to a crystalline butterfly, most of the oak fell out off the palate, and this was now great Chevalier: crushed white rocks, green citrus, tons of lime zest, beautifully balanced, and GC like compelling acidity. Not quite as sharply delineated as my prior bottle of this, but somehow more complete, rounder, more “important”, no longer a novelty. Long finish and long life ahead. Worked beautifully w guinea hen forcemeat, white asparagus gribiche, and bouillabaisse, without tomato. Setting a high bar for how great OR chardonnay can be! Kudos Seth!!

5/19/2023 - OenoEd wrote:

Tight clean cork, PNP from this well cellared bottle. Very deep near black prune/purple color, with brick at the rim. Xmas spice, cassis, black currant, shoe polish, black cherry in the nose. Nothing really off, just getting old. Rich and silky, integrated oak, a touch reduced. Still ample acidity from the minor varietals in the blend, and dry black tea tannins through the long finish. Cedar and black fruits. Organic grapes, they say, unfiltered, with sulfites. Drink up w well charred beef perhaps. This faux Medoc showstopper is now a bit past its prime.

5/15/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

Huge fan of this juice from a reliable and always improving house. Greece in the glass: lemon verbena. oregano, crushed fresh sage, green olives, briney crushed shells. Grapefruit zest, cured lemons, green papaya , and green melon dance with the slightly bitter acidity that runs through the surprisingly long finish. That tension enhances food pairing possibilities. I sautéed some baby mustard and celery greens with garlic, chili pepper paste, and mustard oil, topped a Genio Della Bianca pie, and in 8 minutes had quite the feast, the wine providing a palate refreshing effect between bites. Drink before 2026, and you’ll be transported to Santorini!! Lemon sage chicken with olives would be perfect, as well.

5/14/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

In a perfect place right now. Cellar stored since release, PNP. Sweet ripe black cherry core, with loamy earth, black licorice, and mushroom notes. Clean, nothing off, great palate penetration. 40 second finish. In texture, tannins and and weight, more like Echezaux than Pommard. This is probably as good as it gets, drink before 2029. Great tonight paired with tamarind, date, and coffee spiced char grilled quail , and with veiny goat cheese to finish. Very pleased with Upper Terrace’s development , even if secondary flavors don’t ever match the beautiful primary fruit.

5/12/2023 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

I’m rarely at a loss for words, but the notes and comments below say it all. My personal preference is for the 2019, but that’s purely subjective; I was so surprised and impressed by the ‘19, I almost scored it a point or two higher. The 2021 is richer, more apple than pear, “strawberries and cream” spot on, full and round, better suited for veal chops and roast chicken than the ‘19 , which I’ve loved with shellfish. The pinot here offers color but also the suggestion of red apple skins and floral peppercorns. Finishes soft and voluptuous, less inviting for my palate than the compelling acidity of the ‘19. Finally, a big thanks to Seth for being active here, adding to our understanding of his children!!!