4/14/2024 - TightLettuce wrote:

From magnum, similar notes as before.

I feel this wine is perfectly aged for my liking, drinking beautifully

4/2/2024 - TightLettuce wrote:

Vomit!

A friend opened one of these up. How does anyone drink this? Its hardly real wine

3/31/2024 - TightLettuce wrote:

Everyone needs to stop telling people how good this is! Shhhhhh

3/30/2024 - TightLettuce wrote:

Thanks @ Wine_Enjoyer
PnP
This wine is absolutely my style. Served blind, and was about at true to form as Burgundy can be.
The nose featured ripe red cherry with earthy/herbal undertones and a slight floral finish.
The palate was fresh and vibrant. I am a big fan of where this wine is in its evolution. Not a wine for long term aging, where it was last night was RIGHT where I like my bergs.
Overall 92 points for me. Not a huge or broad shouldered burgundy, but a delicious, well layered and prototypical example of a well made Pinot.

3/30/2024 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

This is my first experience with this wine, but was blown away by the quality.
The gentleman who brought it decanted it for several hours. The quality was evident from the first nosing. Ripe blackberry, leathers, spice, and floral notes.
The palate was very dialed in, but the star for me was how fresh and lively the acids were. A very well balanced, full throttle shiraz.
Served Blind, I guessed high quality Southern Rhone.

Perhaps not my favorite style of wine, but there is no doubting the winemakers precision and ambition to make a top shelf wine. 96 points for me.

3/30/2024 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

PnP

This drank amazingly last night.
Dark cherry, bramble, tobacco pipe, and as @wine_enjoyer pointed out, a little balsamic note that gives it an Italian character.
Tannins were smoothed out, acids were still very intact with a nice structure to it. This is an excellent bottle, that was guessed as bordeaux. Glad I still have another, really enjoyed this last night.

92-93 points.

2/4/2024 - TightLettuce wrote:

Can confirm with a few other reviewers here, there is no rush to open these.

1 hour decant, it was open right out of the gate. Dark raspberry, wilting rose petals, a little tar and well rounded baking spice as well. Very deep and complex wine.

Tannins were cranked up on this bottle, and the acids were still lively and fresh. This bottle had it all. perhaps just missing a little concentration and a long finish, but very difficult to critique.

96 points is fair

2/4/2024 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

This was open for business with minimal decanting

Great value bordeaux and was a crowd pleaser last night.

1/5/2024 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Decanted 2 hours

A show stopper of a bottle. Garnet in color, Medium + color intensity.
Nose was perhaps slightly tight, but gorgeous with black cherry, violets, leathers and bramble.
Palate was intense with a very long finish. A very well made wine with further upside. Tannins and Acids were both dialed up to 11.

For me this a HOLD. I think another 5 years of bottle age are certainly warranted, with a drinking window extending beyond 15 years. The 2010 Brunellos are shaping up to be epic

12/15/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

Drank 2 bottles from my cellar a few years back. Wasn't thrilled. Opened one a couple nights ago and it was beauty!

Fragrant right out of the gate, dark cherry, floral, balsamic, and quite okay. Notably modern in style, the oak was probably a bit heavy handed but it didn't destroy the overall beauty of the wine

Medium bodied and balanced on the palate this is in an excellent spot right now. 91+

11/11/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Still quite fresh, oak was powering but well integrated at this point.

93+

10/9/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

A quality merlot with a style true to pomerol. Nothing extraordinary but also no flaws, just a real nice, low cost example of what pomerol wines are all about

First bottle of a case of 6, they are within their drinking window now. I'll probably open one a year moving forward

10/7/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

The consensus at the table was 93-94 points, a truly epic showing for a 2010 chianti classico

At 13 years old, it is at it's peak. The tart cherry notes are still present but starting to fade. A dominant aroma of dried rose and violets consumes the glass with leathery notes intermixed as well. light mushroom notes are beginning to come alive in the foreground at this point of the evolution as well.

The palate was superb, tannin and acids were both medium plus, the finish was nice and long. I think there are too many people who drink these young and don't get to enjoy the drinking experience our group had last night.

Amazing showing Fontodi.

9/24/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

Drinking about 2 years past prime. Still nice but the tannins are fading fast, with acids still holding.

Decent but not thrilling

7/10/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Drinking Amazing!

Primary notes are hanging around, secondary and tertiary notes are evolving and developing.

A real treat and a beautiful wine made in a difficult vintage

5/4/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

Very good, bordering on exceptional.

Heavy amount of sediment (wine is unfiltered), take care when decanting

4/30/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

In such a good spot. Beautiful honeysuckle, tart crust and almond notes. Vivid concentration. Paired amazing with home smoked atlantic salmon

4/2/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

In a really nice secondary phase right now. Nothing amazing by brunello standards, however, this is a very classic and elegant style of brunello that I love, and is in a good place right now.
90+

3/5/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Decanted 3 hours

Huge wine, and after drinking this bottle, can certainly see the reason this bottle received such high praise.

While I will admit, this wine is not my particular style (it was heavily extracted and more american style), it did have insane complexity, and the finish lasted so long, you could taste it the next day. A truly epic bottle of wine.

3/5/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

Decanted 2 hours,

this is in a beautiful spot. very classic left bank bordeaux. not overly heavy, and not a long finish, but it was a great, true bordeaux expression that was a crowd pleaser

2/17/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

2 Hour Decant

A little torn here.
Color is very deep garnet, bricking is obvious and the legs are substantial
Nose is dominated by oak. Baked cherry compo, leather, tobacco, white flowers, nutmeg, and a reoccuring nail polish remover note.
Palate was beautiful. Medium + tannins with plenty of acids to balance the wine beautifully. 30 second finish, everything you would want in a wine.

Overall... this is my first of 4 bottles. I think there is still time for the oak to integrate a bit better, but... these 2010s.... it seems everyone was chasing Robert Parkers blessing in this vintage. The fruit was exceptional, the balance, purity... amazing. To heavy handed on the oak for my old world palate sadly. Still an amazing wine? NO DOUBT... but in my opinion oak should be like make-up, when done correctly, you should hardly know its even there at all. In this case, it was applied with a shotgun and unfortunately the amazing fruit and finesse of the wine will never get to shine.

93 points maximum. will hold my remaining 3 bottles and pray for better integration.

1/22/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

Drank beautifully with a 1 hour decant. Tannins were round. A touch on the primary side still, but still lovely

1/2/2023 - TightLettuce wrote:

1.5 hour decant, drank over the following hour
Not a bad wine, but I expected WAY more to be honest. Palate was light, tannins and acids were not playing well together, and honestly, was just missing the magic (especially on the nose) that I expect from top end Barolo producers.
Perhaps it was too young, maybe it was just the vintage that turned me off, or even just an off bottle. Will never know, but on this night, it did not live up to my expectations.

1/2/2023 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

beautiful deep golden in color. Wine was absolutely ready for business, the oaking integrated perfectly with fruit still remaining and mineral and wool notes showing its age.
Was a group favorite

12/31/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

1 hour decant, than served with roast.

Gorgeous to say the least. Highly intense nose, blackberry, currents, violets, tobacco, leather and a record for the most pencil shaving aroma you can pack into a bottle.
The palate was still fresh and exuberant, silky tannin structure and great acidity all in balance. Very long finish.
Fantastic showing, and honestly the beat St. Julien I've ever had.

12/26/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

Clean, great fruit quality. Lacked in character and complexity

12/26/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Good but not great.
2 hour decant. What I would say is, it had good depth of fruit, but lacked a bit in complexity. I will also say that stylistically it is not true to form with what I expect my age worthy brunellos to display. Will avoid this producer in the future

12/26/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

Christmas eve, 1 hour decant
Was open, but with plenty of life left. Great concentration of fruit, great secondary aromas and an absolute crowd pleaser

12/11/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

PnP from magnum
Sweet blackberry, black licorice, leather and herbal notes. Tannins were polished. She's in a great spot right now, paired great with brisket

12/4/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

Very disappointing. This is a wine of great depth of concentration, great acidity and tannin structure. The winemaker than butchered it by being far too heavy handed on the oaking. Maybe time till resolve some of this? I personally think there is too much oak to overcome, but nonetheless, I will be avoiding this producer moving forward. No elegance... over-rated

12/4/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Bottle has been in cellar conditions since release.

1.5 hour decant

This wine is amazing. The nose comes out and grabs you. Dark concentrated cherry notes, with loads of floral notes and sweet christmas baking spices. On the palate the acids are high and tannins are high, but very well rounded and integrated at this point.

This is a wine that everyone at the table left a little bit in their glass just to keep smelling throughout the night. It is an absolute BABE! I will be drinking my last 2 bottles over the next 5 years.

11/19/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

2 hour decant

Very austere, smoked pork belly and salami are on point. Blackberry fruit was in the background, and as the wine evolved violets and black licorice notes came through.

Not a heavy weight, but a beautiful northern Rhone that drank remarkably well young. If I had another I would put a good 7-8 years on it.

11/12/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Pop and Poured - VERY TIGHT. Needs a decant forsure. Decanted and consumed over 2 hours, and was singing.

Nose: Chalky, cherry and raspberry, leather, chocolate. Palate offererd medium plus tannins with wonderful texture, and medium plus acids.

Overall a good wine. Personally I would HOLD on this wine, it is still improving. I have a magnum that I plan to wait 5 years on based on this tasting.

11/6/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

At Restaurant

Decanted 1 hour while we enjoyed Champagne, and she needed it. While I must admit that I by in large prefer my Bordeaux with age, this was open enough to enjoy young.

Overall, very complex and nuanced. Nose of candied cherries, plum and blood orange, sandalwood, and roses and violets in the background. The palate was much the same, with medium + velvet textured tannin, and medium to medium plus acids.

Overall, amazing wine and well enjoyed. It fell short in body as it was a touch lean, and the finish was not short, but not as persistent as desired, but still a very layered and decadent wine.

70% Merlot, 30% Cab Franc, if I had a case, which I don't, I personally would open one in 4ish years to see how she is evolving. For those who like their wines primary (or if you're American lol), try one now with an hour or 2 decant and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

10/29/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

A damn good right bank impersonation!

Plum, crushed raspberry, pencil shavings, chocolate and saddle leather notes. Acids medium -, tannin medium +

The winner here is the amazing nose. The body was medium- , but finish was long and complex.

91-92.

10/15/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Creamy red and black currant, pencil shavings. Not overly complex. Tannins are fully resolved. Does not strike me as a wine that will improve much more.

10/13/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

The hype is real!

Decanted 2 hours, but you could smell the wine from across the kitchen... it was immediately expressive.

Visually, obvious bricking, but showing no rush to open. Medium Plus intensity depth of color, garnet in nature.

The nose made my eyes roll into the back of my head. The depth of aromas on this makes me shiver. Dark cherry with a dusty library vibe followed by truffle and cola notes.

The palate matched the nose. Tannins were med + but well integrated. Still a tough grippy, but I enjoy that. Acids were medium, to a point of very good balance. The finish lasted 30 seconds at least, and seemed to just continue to linger.

The best wine Ive had in a long time. Drink now, but no rush.

10/1/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

This drank very nicely. From magnum, 30 min decant.

Rich and fleshy fruit, good concentration and some nice secondary notes of spice and cigar leaf.

Drink or hold, no rush

9/5/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

No formal notes

Drank beautifully, top of the 3 champagne we had during our anniversary.

9/5/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Very rarely do I agree with other users comments but pinot geek is spot on. A very uplifting bouquet on this wine, black cherries dominant with a breath of menthol. The palate was of the same profile, low acid and lean bodied.

Time is not on the side of this wine, the meniscus was notably thin.

8/27/2022 - TightLettuce Does not like this wine:

PNP
nothing spectacular. Green pepper dominated the nose, the palate was lifted with round supple tannins. Length was average.

It was fine, nothing amazing to point out

8/9/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

fully matured and drinking nice. I certainly don't believe it will get any better.
good depth of fruit with mocha notes chiming through. enjoyable drinking experience. 90pts

7/24/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Absolutely stunning
Tannins fully integrated, all the notes are very secondary and tertiary, dusty cherry, leather, violets and truffle.

She is certainly showing her age, and I might suspect this wine is at its peak now. Strong showing from castellare again, love the i sodi line.

5/28/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

Excellent value, beautiful expression of barbera... wish I could find more!

Very well made wine 91+

5/12/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

Pretty solid for a $14 bottle

Dusty cherry, pronounced oak, library dust and light mushroom notes, truly chianti.

I feel... like they force the oak... perhaps oak chip infusion which isn't needed. Nonetheless superb Tuesday wine to keep a case of in the cellar

5/3/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

simply gorgeous

5/2/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

Pop and Pour
Crimson in color, bricking is obvious
Beautiful nose, very seductive. Hedonistic cherry and graphite notes. Lean on the palate... as all of the 13s are, but very well balanced and harmonious.
This is about as thrilled as I have been about any of the 2013's I purchased, it was truly a magnificent drinking experience, especially considering the vintage.
Ultimately, this bottle verified to me that the 2013's need to be consumed in short order, they are not getting any better, and... perhaps some would argue, are getting worse. Today, I feel like the 2013 is in its sweet spot, glad we chose to open it.

4/14/2022 - TightLettuce wrote:

John below...
The 2014s aren't ready yet. I hate seeing negative reviews on wines that are closed and evolving. This wine will be fine, with patience!

1/29/2022 - TightLettuce Likes this wine:

1 hour decant, served with grilled ribeye and mushroom risotto.

This wine is in a gorgeous spot. Extremely expressive nose, candied raspberry, library book, pencil shaving and a fresh cigar note that dissipated over time.

Palate is similar profile. Not a heavy shouldered wine like the 2010s but broad enough to enjoy, and absolutely elegant.

2012 is an under rated vintage. I LOVE this wine, classic style bordeaux vintage and true Paulliac character. GPL delivers every time

12/26/2021 - TightLettuce wrote:

Sadly I agree with most. Very little that is inspiring here. Will be the last time I spend any money on a weak vintage like 2013.