3/5/2024 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

It has held up remarkably well after 17+ years. Silky smooth resolved tannins, rich creamy mouthfeel, syrupy but not cloying with lots of blackberry and vanilla. 15.8% and you can feel it but it's somewhat in balance with the intensity of the fruit and oak.

6/7/2020 - judgepalmer wrote:

The green pyrazine character has really faded and integrated with time - it's still there, especially on the nose, but in a nice way and the candied red fruit has emerged. Tannins fully resolved and showing great with a pan seared filet mignon; it finishes long, full and balanced. Glad I waited - might have hit the peak!

5/28/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

The nose is pleasant but a bit musty and tired, like I’ve rented a 150 year-old farmhouse on the coast of Ireland for a quiet weekend away. Upstairs, in an old sock drawer, is an ancient bag of potpourri containing dried herbs, crusty rose petals, and lumpy brittle strawberries that mingle with the peat and damp hay drifting through the air. The palate is fresher, brighter, the same but somehow newer, like the proprietor of the old house, a 30-ish strawberry blond named Fiona, whose great-great-grandfather built this place with his bare hands, has burst through the front door to greet me with a wink and wry smile. Like her, this wine is feminine but not delicate, stout but not burly, complex but not ostentatious. I’ll spare you any further indulgence of this tortured metaphor, but this wine is nearly everything you want in a mature Barolo – the acid is bracing in a good way, the tannin fully resolved, the balance exquisite, the length prodigious.

5/26/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

A well-crafted white Rhône blend - the high percentage of Picpoul (40%) works really nicely with the Grenache Blanc, keeping it taut and fresh while enhancing the melon-y flavors. The 2% of Viognier, while not announcing itself in any obvious way, certainly serves its purpose in brightening up the nose. There’s a hint of funk - which I like - mixed with mineral vibrancy to keep you on your toes. An awesome partner with my fish tacos and mango-cilantro slaw.

5/10/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

I bought 6 bottles after tasting out of barrel in 2008 - and still have a few left. These wines continue to pleasantly surprise me with this much time in the cellar. I think it's maybe nearing the end of its "post-prime" but still a really wonderful experience - the nose is expressive if a little earthy; the fruit character is rich cherry pie and very intense; the mouthfeel is silky and the finish looooooong. The dusty and oxidative notes are definitely beginning to peak their head out - if you like that kind of thing, then WOW, given how much fruit is left.

5/16/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Most would assume this wine is over the hill but it shows really well. Lots of red fruit to offer along with some dust, mushroom, and other tertiary character.

5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Intense candied brambly fruit, polished to a fine sheen with Tahitian vanilla.

5/22/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Absolutely stunning example of Pinot Bianco, an underrated variety in my opinion. The nose shows yellow apple, orange blossom, some creamy custardy character and a slight hint of sweet spice. In the mouth this wine is lush and lively with loads of texture from the barrel ferment and sur-lie aging. Quince jam, pineapple upside-down cake, and chamomile resonate on the intense finish. Had this for the first time at Single Thread a year and a half ago and bought a few bottles shortly thereafter. Worth it.

5/19/2020 - judgepalmer wrote:

Consistent with the last bottle. This wine is unfortunately dead.

5/19/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

This REALLY needs 30+ minutes of air to open up. At first, it’s extremely muted in every way, and shows a bit of oxidative character. I almost gave up. Slowly, notes of lime zest, under-ripe honeydew melon, and oregano start to emerge, at first on the really long finish - the finish is what kept me from walking away. What is constant throughout is the pleasant, zippy mouthfeel which makes it an enjoyable seafood-friendly acid-driven quaff. And the longer I swirl and sniff and swish and swallow, the more this has to offer - purity, focus, balance, length - an archetypal Mediterranean white wine.

5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Bursts from the glass with pomegranate, cherry cough drop and shoe polish. These notes carry onto the expansive palate which is structured with melty tannins and bracing acidity. Despite the somewhat mature character of the flavors, the medium-long finish is fresh and zippy. Barbera done well is so much fun!

5/16/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Flinty minerality, orange peel and a distinct and intense shot of herbes de Provence. The lack of fruit might leave you wondering where the 93 point RPWA score came from, but this is a focused, unique and mind-bending wine from 140+ year old vines. Pairs awesome with French fries.

5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

It's been awhile since I've had a Bordeaux that spoke to me this much. Still a baby for sure, and really, really tight at first, but the nose is intoxicating. The most prominent aromas are stone fruit, leather, and to a slightly lesser extent vanilla, but if you breathe deep, there's lavender, clove, and a kind of a marinara sauce character in a sweet, warming way. I'd also say you can virtually smell the acidity. The palate has a crushed velvet texture - not to say that it's smooth, because at this point in its evolution, the acid is strong and the tannins are yet to fully resolve, but it sits on your tongue in a comfortable if staid manner, like you've sunk into an old couch at a blue-blooded university club. It leaves you with red currant, sour plum, and firm blackberry on the long, but not too eager finish. I'm definitely left wanting more...

5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Man I love a Cab-Syrah blend... The nose is richly stewy and spicy like a black molé that’s been simmering for days. On the palate, subtle herbaceous and sour cranberry tones from the Cabernet dance atop bloody, leathery notes from the Syrah, almost as if the two grapes are aging at different rates in the bottle. I don’t mean to say that the wine is disjointed, as it is not only complex but also fairly harmonious for such a big bruiser. Probably a few years past its peak, but still a ton of fun - a really well made wine.

5/17/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

At first I was a bit underwhelmed, but as it opens, I'm more and more impressed with the purity and focus in this wine. The fruit character is nowhere near as intense as the similarly aged examples from California and Oregon I've been tasting recently, but it has much more to offer in both flavor and freshness than I expected from a 15-year-old village Burgundy. The nose is subtle but flirtatious, showing cherry, dried raspberry, almond, cardamom, and a hint of dust, all of which carry through to the impeccably balanced and oh so elegant palate.

4/16/2019 - judgepalmer wrote:

Delicious.

7/12/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Drinking great! Rich red currant and cherry fruit, beautiful underlying graphite, well-integrated chalky tannins and great balance.

7/12/2018 - judgepalmer wrote:

Showing some age but in a good way. Color fading and tannins pretty much melted. Dried red fruit and sweet leather character.

7/12/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Intense sweet raspberry pie atop a burly structure with some cinnamon and cedar - very much new world flavors with old world soul as you might expect from this producer. A wonderful bottle aged to perfection.

7/12/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Tannins have softened some with age and the cherry fruit is more stewy these days than bright or candied like I remember from years past. Still drinking nicely but maybe 2-3 years past the prime window.

7/12/2018 - judgepalmer wrote:

Waited way too long and I'm kicking myself because this wine was fucking awesome 7 years ago and I have 3 more bottles left...

6/4/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

At first came across as a bit simple, with lots of delicious pure red fruit character but not much else. With air (and especially on day 2) it developed quite a bit, adding depth and complexity in the form of subtle spice and earthiness. I think this could still develop bit more in the cellar.

6/4/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Tastes remarkably young and fresh after 9 years. A big Pinot showing lots of oak but not necessarily in an ostentatious way. Complex, long finish, all of the quality wine buzz words. As advertised, if not exactly the style I gravitate towards these days.

12/16/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Spice box. Alive and kicking. Serious complexity.

12/16/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Depth and structure for days. Needs air but keeps getting better and showing more fruit.

12/16/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Hugely expressive nose. Flavor intensity and structure. Wine of the night. Rest in Peace Gary A. you are missed.

12/16/2016 - judgepalmer wrote:

Showing syrupy berry pie with crushed rock without the acid to back it up. Just barely over the hill.

12/28/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Deep dark foreboding wine. Blueberry, espresso, black plum, bay leaf. Has improved greatly with time in bottle.

12/29/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Really takes awhile to open up but it's worth the wait. Intense red fruit and spice with bracing acidity. A hair heavy on the oak for me but I'm nitpicking - overall I'm very impressed with this bottle.

12/29/2016 - judgepalmer wrote:

Subtle, light and fruity. Where am I, Carneros? But wonderfully elegant and great paired with this coq au vin.

12/30/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

These wines are extreme in style but pretty darn good. Blackberry compote, deer blood, black olive, tobacco leaf - all in the right places. Intensity everywhere and showing no signs of fading.

12/30/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Mind blowing as always. Raspberry, venison, black pepper and cardamom are among the array of intriguing flavors that dance across the tongue like a tightly choreographed ballet.

12/30/2016 - judgepalmer wrote:

Cranberry juice cocktail and black pepper on the nose. Sour red fruit forward on the palate with subtle dirty and mineral undertones.

1/7/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

Big in all the right places. Deliciously rich.

2/13/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

Probably waited too long on this one. Really nice bright red fruit and lots of spicy oak character but the alcohol (15.4%) is rearing its head just a bit these days.

3/5/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

This wine is wow. Screw cap. Purchased at the winery in 2008. Showing no ill effects of aging, just flavor intensity and complexity. Focused wild strawberry, stewed cherry, toasted sage, baking spice. Can I say wow again?

3/5/2017 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

What a "Super Tuscan" should be. Good balance of aged old world Cabernet character with Sangiovese fruit and acidity. I mean acid for days.

5/28/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Delicious and unique. Tart strawberries with rhubarb and a nice balance of yeasty character.

1/1/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Purity is the word that pops to mind over and over again with this wine. Sings with bright red cherry fruit and has impeccable balance that you can't poke holes in.

5/28/2018 - judgepalmer wrote:

Classic right bank plums and graphite with some bell pepper character in a nice way. Seamlessly solid - enjoyable but not mind blowing.

5/28/2018 - judgepalmer wrote:

Ripe and spicy with beautiful texture. Oak shows strongly upon first opening but integrates nicely with time.

12/25/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

I can't imagine drinking this wine at a better stage in its development. Definitely has retained its "old school" bona fides both in terms of quality and style. Though you'd be wrong to call it "green," it has that eucalyptus-y herbaceous character in spades that harkens back to better days and is unmistakably Martha's. The acid is firm and carries with it a nice mix of fairly youthful berry and currant flavors, while the tannins speak softly but carry a big stick. It is certainly a food wine and I dare say that what was on our plate was ideal - roasted beef tenderloin, sauteed mushrooms with a splash of Madeira, Sancerre-marinated asparagus, and potatoes mashed by an Irishman. Merry Christmas indeed.

8/19/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

This bottle has aged beautifully - vibrant fruit and spice with elegance for days and no trace of any hard edges. Jackpot.

6/17/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

Holy crap this is good. This was an old Gary Vaynerchuk Wine Library TV pick-up that's been in the cellar awhile. Patience was rewarded - a world class Bordeaux blend with luscious fruit, impeccable balance and intriguing hints of herbs and earth.

6/10/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

Has aged very gracefully. Wow. Wow. And another wow. Gorgeous spice character and still plenty of cherry fruit intensity

6/9/2017 - judgepalmer wrote:

Did not disappoint. A very charming wine with an intriguing tomato component backed up by tons of cassis - "classic" California Cab. Great structure and for me in its prime right now (from half bottle).

4/19/2018 - judgepalmer wrote:

"Thick in berry and vanilla, this is an earthy vineyard-specific wine, robust in tannin and oaky shadows. Richly decadent, it has acidity that keeps it in check and makes it delicious now, though it could stand some cellaring." - Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast

2/29/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Takes awhile to open up but totally worth the wait. Brings deep dark black fruit and charcoal, while remaining spry and zippy on the palate - a food wine with flavor.

2/29/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Really cool wine, but not your typical Cali SB. Nose is very floral with a little bit of stone and tropical fruit. Skin contact and a bit of neutral oak aging give it amazing texture and depth on the palate with acidity that is present but not bracing. Try this.

2/29/2016 - judgepalmer Likes this wine:

Great 2011. Shows lots of bright red fruit and spice character. Medium plus body with big flavor intensity yet good balance of acidity and silky tannins.