4/22/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

95-96

I tried this for the first time back in February when visiting the Hudson property during PNV and really liked it. Shocker, I loved it this time. Absolutely fantastic expression of Hudson fruit. Followed over two days, no change.

I love when fruit expresses where it’s from, and I feel Hudson fruit does that in spades. Such a distinctive ripe, opulent yellow fruit profile naturally. Juicy fruit jumps from the glass (pear, peaches) with honeysuckle, lemon scone and sweet nutmeg. What separates this from the regular Hudson is the vein of acidity down the middle that has this really fresh. Waves of lemon cream, honey, tropical fruit and pink sea salt. Killer texture. Very Aubert Hudson-like. Delicious in every way.

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Always fun to celebrate a birthday with a birth year bottle! I opened a bottle of this a few months back and couldn’t believe how good it was.

Coming from the famed Caldwell vineyard, this has such a bright eucalyptus note! Deep red/black in the glass with no bricking! Dusty fig, sweet espresso, dirty red and black berry fruit. Even after following from bottle over 3-4hrs, this has a natural cool/minty vibe alongside dark cocoa and sweet black cassis. So much youth and tannin! I should have spaced my two bottles out…these are still cruising!

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My choice for a Rhône style theme with my local group.

Definitely the oldest No Girls I’ve opened. As expected, these have a Burgundian flair to them in the way they are made when compared to Cayuse/HP/HC. Not as much depth/richness, but there is great acidity and the use of stems is clear. Faint ruby in the glass. Stemmy/green aromatics with herbs de Provence, black olive, Cayuse funk/iron on the nose. Saline, red and black berry driven on the palate with black pepper spice, truffle, beef jerky and big phenolics. Tart and acidic, I followed this over two days, and to my surprise, held up very well. Pop now.

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I always enjoy the Alexander Vineyard wines. As a native Texan, it’s nice to have a tasting room where they bring in good wine when surrounded by a sea of subpar TX wines/wineries.

Paired with sushi, this was a knockout pairing. Enough richness to play with ootoro sushi, but also enough acid to work with more herbal and truffle heavy dishes. Bordering on tropical, the fruit is upfront alongside typical mineral/chalky grittiness. Lemon tart, floral honeysuckle wrapped in an elegant Bordeaux Blanc profile. Not getting better, but not falling off a cliff. Pop and enjoy.

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

I’ve had a few days to think on this wine, and I finally feel comfortable saying this is the greatest dessert wine I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. 100% semillon. Each grape is picked one-by-one by hand. This was the 9th time this wine was made since 1943.

Between dark gold and deep amber in color. Aromas of honeyed tropical fruits and sweet espresso that fill the room like a candle. Unctuous and oily on the palate, there is coconut richness with an insane amount of brown sugar and orange marmalade too…honey roasted cashews, pineapple upside down cake. As massive as this is, it still has structure but also a vein of acidity to keep this thing afloat. At 35yrs, this is unbelievably good and shockingly youthful. If you have a bottle, it’s no good. Send to me so that I can dispose of it for you…

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

A treat to try this next to the ‘88, and also against a mini-flight of Leoville Barton. This ‘14 was shockingly odd…unbelievably high toned, sharp, and bing cherry driven aromatically. It actually has this weird cherry reduction profile but also a malic/butter note that needs time to blow off. Crème de cassis and red licorice on the palate with a small amount of graphite. A lot of Calistoga cabs for me show the warmth of the region and this evidently is in that vein, but it’s very Montelena-esque at the end of the day. I’d hold another 5-7yrs.

4/13/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to do a side by side with the ‘88, and also check in against the Montelena. Profile wise, this leans ripe and modern stylistically. There is a kiss of brett that takes you to Bordeaux but it’s mostly red and black fruit driven with a vanilla pipe tobacco sweetness, leather, cassis and a little bit of a floral note, especially aromatically. Big structure for the vintage, but open for business now if you can give it a few hours in the decanter.

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Here we are six years after my last ‘88 Montelena and I’m looking at my old review as if I wrote it about this current bottle! So bright and lively. Gorgeous deep ruby color (darker than the ‘88 Leoville Barton). There is a Christmas spice (maybe more mint-driven) aromatic with bing cherries and floral notes. Red fruit to the core with some spiced blackberries, earthy/herbal savoriness, great acidity and a snappy/youthful finish. Cedar and espresso. Held strong over a few hours open. Not falling off a cliff, but don’t miss this window if you have some!

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty.

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

As part of my white wine flight theme, I wanted to compare Hyde and Hudson side by side, then finish with Kongsgaard, since it is a blend of both.

Similar to the Hudson before it, I normally like to drink Kongsgaard on the young side, and also similar to the Hudson, on this day…it didn’t seem to have the typical opulent/massive profile. White peach and apricot upfront as well as sweet cotton candy on the nose. Ripe yellow and tropical fruits dominate the palate with sea salt, ginger and lemon cream. Faint note of butterscotch, but not near the amount I’ve found previous vintages to show. What Kongsgaard does well is have a wine of this profile but somehow find a way to have elegant qualities about it. Decant or hold a few years.

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

As part of my white wine flight theme, I wanted to compare Hyde and Hudson side by side, then finish with Kongsgaard, since it is a blend of both.

While more opulent in style compared to the Larry Hyde before it, this isn’t as full throttle as Hudson’s of old used to be. With almost 6yrs on it, this was fresh and fairly light on its feet. Same sweet aromatics of cotton candy, marzipan, and lemon cream. It’s rich/oily on the palate, but it doesn’t feel heavy or dense. Honeyed tropical fruits and baking spices with a nice, mildly sweet finish. I’m surprised to say this seems freshly bottled…tasty now though.

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

As part of my white wine flight theme, I wanted to compare Hyde and Hudson side by side, then finish with Kongsgaard, since it is a blend of both.

Initial reaction is this presents much differently than other Hyde Chardonnay offerings. Aromatically, there is a green/herbal flair that has many guessing Chablis. Tart lemon and honeysuckle too. Once on the palate, the warmth and round profile brought everyone back to Cali. Good vein of acidity (most Hyde offerings do). Balanced by both citrus and tropical notes…oak isn’t playing a big part. Reminds me of Massican’s Hyde vineyard Chardonnay. Open now with a decant or hold a couple years.

4/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

I knew nothing about this producer when I purchased, but I feel like Pinot meunièr can become magical when given age/healthy amounts of reserve wine. This is from a 1992-2017 solera. 100% meunièr. 5g/l dosage.

Faint salmon-tinge color to this. Aromatics aren’t overly expressive, but there is some honey roasted cashews and spiced pear. On the palate, this is absolutely delicious…loads of fruit (as meunièr normally shows) with golden and red raspberries, golden delicious apple, more spiced pear, nutty and baking spices. Creamy and layered, it has a profile of “freshly aged”, with the reserve wines coming in to play at the finish, broadening out the wine. No need to hold these. I should find more.

4/7/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I picked up a 3-pack of these a couple months ago after seeing these for a steal-of-a-price knowing who is behind it. Fun and easy. Probably no need to hold these, but enjoy over the next year or two.

100% Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict. 40 months on lees, 5yrs aging in bottle post disgorgement. Zero dosage.

Yellow in the glass bursting with copious amounts of bubbles. Bright and zesty! Lemon everything (grilled lemon, lemon zest, lemon tart). Crisp and refreshing on the palate with honeysuckle, sea spray, honeyed Granny Smith apple and a sweet lemon crisp note at the finish. While lean, it’s not austere like some zero dosage sparklers can be (Cali’s warm profile certainly helps). You’re hard pressed to notice this spent as much time as it did on the lees and in bottle with how bright it is. Nice for the $35 price.

4/6/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Zero expectations here, and I am now on the hunt for more. Absolutely killer and (evidently) a wonderful QPR.

Didn’t know what type of profile to expect here, but I (incorrectly) assumed it would be somewhere in the middle and while pleasant enough, nothing to write home about. What I found was a wine that reminds me an awful lot of Domaine de la Bongran’s EJ Thevnet (all time favorite of mine), yet dialed back just a touch. Light gold in the glass, big aromatics of ripe peach, yellow fruits, and a dash of baking spice. Texturally is leans bigger, but the finish snaps back with great acidity. Lemon cream, golden raspberries, limestone and a vibrant finish. Whereas the Bongran has a touch of sweetness, this has more of a small perception of sweetness. Loved it.

4/4/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

92-93

I picked up a couple of these when I visited the K Vintners tasting room outside of Seattle a couple years ago. Killer QPR.

It’s tough to be excited about domestic Viognier, but this has so much texture and ripe fruit! Pop and pour. Yellow in the glass. Big aromatics of honeyed yellow fruits, honeysuckle and sea spray. Richly textured but not too unctuous, there’s loads of lemon, underripe white peach and a finish of savory mineral-type grip. A Viognier that, at 5yrs, still seems young with plenty of dense layers. Tasty.

4/3/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

94-95

Opened for a buddy’s birthday party. What a lovely surprise. Cork was a struggle, but hardly any seepage at all. On a table with a ridiculous amount of bottles, including standouts like ‘95 Opus, ‘85 Freemark Bosche, ‘74 Sterling Merlot, ‘13 Salon.

Pop and poured. Excellent youthful color! Deep ruby, hardly any bricking. Gorgeous aromatics of red and black berries, vanilla pipe tobacco, sweet spices. On the palate, it is wonderfully integrated and layered with stewed red and black fruits, fig, espresso, dusty coco (maybe fading signature Rutherford dust?), and a small bit of tannin at the finish keeping this buttoned-up and well structured. Excellent finish and balance. Held strong all evening. Seems as though this had a toe in the early ‘90s style of more bright Napa cabs and one toe in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s style of starting to increase ripeness…great marriage of the two. Pop and enjoy!

3/30/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

92-93 for me.

Consumed half bottle at pop, then corked for another 4hrs before consuming the rest. No change.

What a beautifully elegant and refined ‘09. The highest compliment I can give this is that it was a simplistic joy. Some wines make it easy to get nerdy and command your attention…some wines are underwhelming and not worth your time. This was squarely in the middle. It was a joy to not feel the need to overthink…it’s exactly what it should be. No bricking at almost 15yrs. Decidedly black fruit heavy (black currant, cassis, underripe blackberries) with a sprinkling of raspberries and black cherries. Aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, dark florals. Integrated on the palate with good structure and acidity…not a massive wine, but it put on a bit of weight/length the longer it was open. Still sporting a fair bit of tannin at the finish, but it’s balanced. Drink or hold.

3/20/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I compared this 2017 Haliotide Late Disgorged BdB to the 2016 Ultramarine Heintz BdB to get a feel for styles. Followed over two days with no change.

I’ve had the Haliotide rosé and thought it was really expressive. Lots of bright red fruit. I love late disgorged offerings so I picked this up to try.

This Haliotide spent 68 months en tirage! However, I expected a more leesy profile as this wine is razor sharp. Nice, clean and pure. It’s like drinking Chablis with bubbles. Lemon, underripe pear, and honeysuckle aromatically. On the palate, it is mineral heavy with sea salt, lemon to the max, and a bright and crystalline acidic profile. The zero dosage nature comes across naturally without being too austere. Screams for food…sushi or oysters would be a killer pairing. I enjoyed drinking this, but I think I expected a bit more mid-palate richness. If you love Chablis or leaner style grower champagnes, this is your jam.

3/20/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I compared this 2016 BdB to the 2017 Haliotide Late Disgorged BdB to get a feel for styles. Followed over two days with no change.

One of the better Ultramarine wines I’ve had, and definitely pre-funk. I feel like the last few vintages have shown a lot of bottle variation and sometimes a green/herbal profile, mostly in the BdN and BdB (never in the rosé, that’s my favorite wine in the portfolio).

The older vintages always had a distinct cream-soda aromatic to them that I loved, and this has it in spades alongside truffle Honeycomb and spiced apple. Oxidative flair but not an overly oxidative sparkler. Great depth and richness here…almonds, lemon cream, caramel-green apple. Wears the low dosage so well. Broad on the palate (in a good way). I’d be fine drinking this without food. Tasty.

3/19/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m at 92-93 here, but this is absolutely going to improve. I should have bought more than just a couple!

Paul Dethune champagnes are quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This cuvée is 50/50 (Pinot noir/chard), with 30% coming from their Solera dating back to the 70s.

I’ve said that I feel Petit & Bajan are the equivalent of Bollinger Special Cuvée in grower form, but I stand corrected. THIS is Bolly SC with a grower champagne vibe. Gold in the glass. Aromatics of lemon cream, lemon croissant, golden raspberries, and honeycomb. On the palate, it has the toasted Bolly profile but it’s dialed back a touch…feels more focused. Less expansive, but there’s added power here. Beautifully balanced with the sweet (the fruit, not the dosage) and savory (honey roasted cashews, sea salt). Imagine Bolly SC and a CHeidsieck Blanc de Blanc…you’ve got this. Loved it.

3/15/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

94-95

In the running for shocker of the year so far. Not only because of how youthful it was, but in how it cleaned house at a small Syrah tasting with my local group.

I popped this ahead of time to try a glass because I was a bit skeptical of how it would show…my jaw about dropped when I smelled this wine. My goodness…deep and dark florals, violet, stemmy green herbs, black pepper. Wonderfully balanced and integrated on the palate. Whole cluster profile shines through in a supporting role, with the pepper-crusted blackberries, mocha, olive, charcoal. Not rich, not lean, fastball down the middle. Nervy acidity still. This has a cool-climate vibe to it with just a kick of richness to really seduce you. Brilliant. I may have underscored this.

3/14/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My last bottle of the #11 Little Wine. At this point, my notes for Sami-Odi all come across as love letters because I am captivated every time I have one. I’ve still yet to smell a wine that smells as good as these do.

Pop and pour initially for a glass, then slow-ox overnight and consumed the next day. This is an assemblage of 2021 (46%), 2020 (18%), 2019 (16%), 2018 (2%), 2017 (9%), 2016 (5%) & 2015 (4%).

As is normal, the aromatics upon opening fill the room. I’ve had plenty of SamiOdi and it never ceases to amaze how powerful the aromatics are. Deep purple in the glass (stains the glass type purple). Heady aromas of concentrated red and black fruits, boysenberry jam, violets, and sweet spice. You’d think with all those big aromas the palate would slap you around, but as Fraser can do, there is a fresh profile here. It’s extremely concentrated but somehow stays light. More dark fruits (freshly squeezed), espresso, small hint of both oak and green herbs down the middle to frame it. Tannins were still powerful on day two, but by no means overly so. Give this a half day decant, or slow ox overnight, and you’ll be enthralled.

Thankfully I’ve got the HD’s resting, and more on the way.

3/10/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My first time with Dehlinger Syrah. I believe this ‘08 estate is all from their Altamont vineyard in the Russian River Valley.

Deep red/purple in the glass, hardly any bricking. Aromatics of ripe red and black berries, violets, and sweet spices. I don’t detect any savory notes and assuming no use of whole clusters as I don’t get any type of green/lifted profile. Even at 15-16yrs, this is deep with fruit…black raspberries, black currant, dark cocoa, fig, vein of sweetness down the middle, but with a coffee/mocha grippy finish. Followed over two days and, shockingly, held up just fine. Pop the corks and enjoy.

3/7/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

95+ here. While the price hikes are frustrating (across almost everyone, unfortunately), these are still so good and worth it (to a degree). These are my wife’s favorite wines, and when she wants one, I’m happy to open and indulge!

Double decanted for an hour, then followed out of bottle the next two hours.

Being the only Napa Chardonnay in the portfolio, I love these (and Hudson) earlier on than the others as the opulent factor is dialed up. Yellow-gold in the glass. Tropical yellow fruits, ginger, baking spices and honey roasted cashews aromatically. Killer texture on the palate…rich but not flabby. Lemon cream, cinnamon, honeycomb, ripe white peach upfront before a sweet/savory spice at the finish. Even on the early side, this is ready to rock. Open now with a decant, or hold for a few more years before it sheds baby fat (but I love that about Aubert).

3/4/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m at a 92+ here. 53% Chardonnay/ 30% Pinot Noir/ 17% Pinot Meunier aged four years in fine lees and finished with a 0.75 grams per liter dosage. Disgorged Dec 2021.

Always been a fan of Jacquesson champagnes, but these are getting to a price where I’m not sure the value is there for me much longer (not sure if it’s due to the Chiquet brothers selling the brand a few years ago).

The 745 series is based on the challenging 2017 vintage. Even with the near zero dosage, there is good depth and complexity here from a fruit standpoint (not austere for austere sake). Aromatically, it’s bright with lemon zest, pear, ginger and honey-dipped apple. Benefitted from a bit of air time in the bottle and not serving too cold…apple turns to a faint spiced cider profile, with lemon cream, sea salt, hint of yeast, and a classical chalky-limestone finish.

2/29/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

A bottle I contributed during a trip to Napa’s Premiere Napa Valley week. This was opened at Torc, alongside a ‘97 Leflaive Les Pucelles, ‘11 Leroy Blagny, ‘89 La Chappelle and two young Napa cabs from Simon Estate.

Deserving of a 1-2hr decant, this got about an hour open in bottle by the time we got to it. I opened the ‘04 La Turque just a few weeks prior, so I had a reference point to work with. Heady aromatics, as expected…dark potpurri, spice, mesquite and mocha. On the palate, the youthful bacon-fat of Cote Rotie was gone and had channeled the classical tangy barbecue profile alongside black olive, peppered red and black berry fruit, and smoked meat at the finish. Whereas the LaTurque was almost Burgundian in profile (elegant, light), this was somewhere in-between the “bigger” LaLandonne and LaTurque…big, but balanced, likely due to vintage. Aromatics and finish here were standouts. Open now with a quick decant or hold another few years.

2/20/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Always enjoyed the Reynvaan offerings, but this was my first time with their Contender. It is co-fermented with Marsanne (as opposed to the traditional Viognier). 97 Syrah/3 Marsanne. Quick one-hour double decant.

I opened this alongside a 2015 No Girls Grenache and while there were obvious similarities in profile, this was distinctly different and the preferred wine from the group. Both sport the classical “funk” of Rocks district Rhône varietals, with perfumed dark florals, black olive and smoked meat. The co-ferment obviously lends toward a more aromatic wine but the palate was even more intriguing. Again, classical notes of peppered strip, spiced raspberries and blackberries, but the texture brought about a sweet-tangy finish as opposed to the typical overly savory profile of similar wines. It’s a note I’ve gotten on older Cote-Rotie wines and I love it. Drinking beautifully. Acidity is still vibrant and food pairs wonderfully at this point. Followed over two days and no change. Pop and enjoy.

2/11/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Almost identical note from my 2018 bottle. Andremily is easily a top 5 favorite producer for me, and their rosé is a favorite.

I believe this is roughly 45 Syrah/30 Mourvèdre/remainder TBD?

Young and spicy herbs with savory oak tannin. Translucent ruby in the glass. Ripe black raspberries, peppered strawberry purée and cherry jerky notes on both the nose and palate. There’s a hint of green/herbs but it’s faint. This is a wine that belongs to its own class, not anyone else. Love it or hate it style, and I can’t get enough. This winery just knocks everything out of the park for me.

2/7/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Opened as part of a tasting with Alex Macdonald and while he was in town. Day two was a small group of us with killer wines (2010 Chave Hermitage, mag of ‘02 Krug, Selosse Substance, 1996 Latour, 2003 Mouton, 1992 Dominus).

Quick one hour double decant to prep this beauty. While La Mouline is my favorite, La Turque still incorporates the co-ferment with Viognier. 93 Syrah/7 Viognier.

Beautiful translucent ruby in the glass. As I get with certain Cote Rotie wines (especially Guigal), barbecue and bacon fat can be overwhelming when young, but this has channeled a really balanced profile. Aromatic notes of smoked meat, cherry liqueur, and espresso. Beautifully rich yet elegant on the palate. Great nerve of acidity with a finish sporting plenty of tannin to carry this a while. Black peppered raspberries, black fruit on the palate with a little bacon and a hint of sweet/tangy red fruit at the core note. Enjoy now with a short decant or hold another 5yrs.

2/7/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge wrote:

Opened as part of a massive Macdonald tasting with Alex Macdonald in town. This was the first vintage Continuum was all estate (Sage Mountain/Pritchard Hill), and not include any sourced To-Kalon fruit.

Oddly enough, I can’t give this a score. It seemed a little muted at times (maybe low trace of TCA?), although the one time I got aromatics from it, it was as expected. I think I may have one more…I hope I do.

Gave this a two-hour bottle decant before diving in. Great color…red, purple, black tinges. Muted nose. Palate was better…spiced dark fruits, sweet espresso, graphite. Tannic. This came across one dimensional (which is not something I ever get with Continuum). Chalking this up as a one-off and expecting the next bottle to be its normal tasty profile.

2/4/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Had this for the first time back in November at Les Avizes where Jacques Selosse is located. Thankfully I was able to get another bottle to bring home. 96+ for now. With a few more years post disgorgement, this will be even better.

100% Pinot noir. 0 g/l dosage. May 2023 disgorgement.

Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, with Anselme Selosse’s son showing his heritage with his personal label. Profile wise, this reminds me of the Jacques Selosse VO…the oxidative flair is there but balanced by crisp fruit that is able to shine. It pours almost with a tinge of copper color. There is a whiff of fino sherry initially before it yields to spiced apple, pear, and honey. The longer it’s open, the more layered it becomes (with the sherry flair staying consistent, but not a dominant note). It feels more nervy on the palate than JSelosse champagnes do, with a core of tangy fruit, and a killer finish that doesn’t want to stop. The Kimmeridgien soils come through at the end.

1/24/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m scoring as is today, but I really think this inches upward a bit over the next 5-7yrs.

This fell victim to curiosity (as well as a ‘21 Modus Operandi UV-Laguna Pinot). I’ve had a few of Lato’s entry and mid-level offerings, but this was my first Pisoni from them. Loved it.

Profile wise, this is similar to Dumol (not as big as Aubert, but not a lean style either). A very pretty down-the-middle style. While the aromatics here were lovely (honeysuckle, faint lemon cream, citrus and sweet baking spices), the texture of this wine was a standout. Sports much more depth than initially expected (yellow fruits, peach, apricot, pink cotton candy, limestone)…not quite a lees-y style, but close, while remaining elegant and light on its feet (good acidity). Oak is there but plays a supporting role. For being so young, this was a supremely balanced wine. I need to consider buying more.

1/22/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

92+.

Went through a 3-pack of these over the past year. Enjoyed each one. Re-buy.

100% Pinot from Verzenay. Mid-2022 disgorgement. 3yrs on the lees. 3g/l dosage.

The dark black wrap around the bottle certainly makes this stand out. Deep gold in the glass. Powerful red fruit (raspberries) but also some tropical fruit (guava), and a toasty flair aromatically. Big rich and round profile on the palate with a small yeasty/leesy vibe, spiced pear, caramel apple, truffle honeycomb and limestone.

Style wise, this is kind of a grower champagne version of Bollinger’s Special Cuvée (similar price point too). Great with garlic fries!

1/19/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

One of my favorite CdP producers. I opened this alongside a buddy’s 2009 CSJ Deus Ex Machina and it was really intriguing to see the differences.

60 Grenache/20 Syrah/remainder a blend.

Quick bottle decant before diving in. While ready to go, an hour full-decant would probably be a good call at this stage, but not required. Where the Ex Machina was more high toned and layered (thanks to the blend), this was more up-front and plush. Violets and spiced berry compote aromatically. Dark berry fruit, sweet pipe tobacco and fig dominate the palate. Extremely concentrated (not extracted), with a savory graphite profile at the finish. Would have sworn Mourvèdre was heavy in this. Delicious. 93+

1/15/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My last of a 3-pack. I do think these deserve more time in bottle, so I’m rounding my 92+ up.

As I’ve experienced with all 00 wines, these really need either a quick decant or at least remove the cork for a bit before consuming, because the reductive flair is always apparent (albeit in different ways). Starts off with a musty, reductive funk but after 30mins, that funk evolves to a more sweet smoke/sweet spice aromatic (though I’ve noticed the sweet smoke more on the single vineyards, not the VGW or EGW). With additional time, honeysuckle, lemon cream, and faint pear show. It’s elegant and nicely balanced on the palate. Good harmony between texture and acidity. Stone fruits but also an underlying mineral vibe that lets you know this was made with Burgundy in mind. Wonderfully finesse driven and keeps you coming back for more.

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, these wines are a nice middle point between burgundy and leaner domestic Pinots and Chardonnays.

1/6/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My second set of wines to provide as part of a co-host event.

I picked these up during a visit to Morlet in the fall of ‘21. Sadly, these are the last of my initial stash. 58 semillon/36 SB/6 Muscat.

Poured blind for a group of 20 people at the end of a wine event, I was shocked that not one single person called this Cali. Many Sauternes, Barsac, and a few South African dessert wine guesses. It’s undeniably sporting botrytis flavors, but the richness has a wonderful spine of acidity. Honeyed mango, white peach and chock-full of orange blossom on the nose, there’s added candied spice and honeycomb on the palate. Didn’t pick up any nutty flavors (which I enjoy in Sauternes), but this was also fairly young. Extremely “fresh” for a dessert wine, if that makes sense. Best Cali dessert wine I’ve had, I think.

1/4/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge wrote:

Unfortunately, I can’t give this a fair score. After 4-5 bottles, I experienced bottle variation with each one. Some were muted, others were wonderful examples of what they are (91-92 range when in the zone).

Opened my remaining two bottles as part of a co-host event with some friends.

When these are on, they are incredibly savory, meaty and floral (like all wonderful Cornas can be). These last two were muted in the glass, even after 6hrs. Kiss of dark florals and game finally poked out, but you had to look for it. On the palate, a mix between Hermitage and Cornas…red and black fruit, fig, little leather (almost bretty) and iron, but the typical Cornas scorched earth and violet type profile wasn’t to be found. However, the tannin remained grippy throughout (so maybe this is in a shutdown phase?). Based on previous experiences where the fruit was more up-front, I’d hold for a bit.

1/3/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m in the 91+ territory here, but this is an older NV and the age pushes this up just a touch.

From 375. Easy for my wife and I to enjoy while our two littles run around on NYE.

After the Mousse Fils L’Or d’Eugene rosé from a few days ago, this is totally different. Much more classical versus the unique Mousse. Pale copper colored in the glass. Lots of similarities to Charles Heidsieck’s Brut Reserve rosé with its strawberry shortbread and toasty layers, but the fruit isn’t as layered. Slightly chalk/limestone initially but gives way to Spiced rhubarb, red berries, white peach and an orange marmalade finish (maybe dosage peeking out as well as the age helping channel some depth and richness).

1/2/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

My last of a three pack, and this shockingly drinks almost identical to my last bottle over four years ago.

Lovely deep red in the glass with bricking around the rim. Fig bar, sweet black cherries and tobacco aromatics. Ripe red and black fruits on the palate...not over ripe, but definitely sweet. Channeling more of a cherry liqueur and concentrated mid-palate as it ages. Close to fully integrated. Quite smooth and still a lot of fruit playing a primary role, but it’s not getting any better. More sexy than intellectual (nothing wrong with either). Not as old-school as the ‘02 Mondavi VHR I opened the next day, but the fruit is charming here.

I’d imagine this will hold in this window for another couple years and then decline, but I didn’t expect it to hold in this same window for almost five years. Drink up.

12/30/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

2003-2020 perpetual reserve. 82 meunièr/18 Pinot noir. 2.5g/l dosage. Disgorged June 2022.

I absolutely adore the L’Or d’Eugene Perpetuelle non-rosé. This bottle is my first experience with the rosé version. Big fan of this grower champagne producer.

As typical for Mousse Fils, this champagne is mostly meunièr. Very apparent with the fruit forward and gummy (like fruit snacks) red fruit profile. Black cherry and strawberry cream. On the palate, this trends toward a more herbal strawberry, mint, even some red licorice. Not really oxidative or reductive. No autolytic/aged type notes I’d expect with a perpetual reserve type champagne. Color wise it’s close to the Ulysse Collin rosé but not as powerful. I’d pair this with seafood as opposed to more savory food. Fun.

This is grower champagne to the core. I like the non-rosé version a bit more due to the perpetual reserve profile, but this is tasty for sure. Not sure it gets better, just different (unlike the non-rosé version).

12/29/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

Forgot I opened one of these earlier in the year. Whoops. Wish I had more.

Hour decant, then consumed from decanter over the next 3hrs.

My note here is fairly similar to the 2014 note, but there is more concentration and power going on. Dark purple in the glass, with aromatics of both sweet oak as well as a kiss of whole cluster stem inclusion. Loads of dark floral notes, ripe blackberries, and smoked jerky. Large-scaled mid palate depth and richness of blue and black fruits with plenty of herbal flair and spice but it’s more iron fist in a velvet glove style. There’s black peppercorn and iron, as well as big central coast Rhône style with its rich and textural palate.

I love Syrah in all expressions. It’s natural to compare these wines to SQN (and Andremily), and rightly so. These are dialed up to 9, but pull back, whereas the others aren’t afraid of going to 11. No right/wrong answer, just style preference. I happen to love both.

12/28/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

A wonderful pairing for some Christmas caviar! From 375ml.

My local wine group has had a lot of fun/discussion regarding Krug’s Grand Cuvées the last 7-8 releases, as there appears to be a style shift. This 170 (base vintage ‘14) reminds me of what classical Krug GC can be (rich, nougat, ginger) whereas 169 and 171 are very sharp, bright and sport a non-typical Krug profile if referencing Krug of the past (168 does a great job of combining both profiles).

Krug’s 170 has an unusually high (about 45%) use of reserve wines due to the crop of pinot noir in 2014 not being great as well as evidently battling Suzuki flies. Thankfully there was plenty of pinot noir in the reserve wine library at Krug, thus this release shows a classical golden patina in the glass with aromatics of hazelnut, orange and lemon cream pastry. Beautifully rich and balanced on the palate with spiced pear, nougat, espresso, ginger and a hint of oxidation with plenty of leesy goodness. Wonderful GC that seems to be drinking perfectly.

12/24/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

This was given a short 30min decant before being consumed over the next two days.

My note is likely going to be reminiscent of my experience with the 2015 Panek I opened 3yrs ago. Out of the RM Cabernet lineup, Panek is the pleasure bomb. One of the signature traits I get from some of TRBs cabs is his ability to pull the entire fruit spectrum (entry of bright red fruits, mid palate of fresh and sweet blue fruits before a commanding and juicy black fruit finish). From the start, this was uber concentrated, but in an elegant way (not brawny). 2hrs later, this smoothed out and channeled a silky profile. This leans to a more floral, dark cherry, mocha fruit flavor profile up front before an inky, juicy, dark chocolate covered black cherry with mint and savory notes. Still on the upswing. Decant 2hrs or hold another 2-3yrs. However, it’s in a hedonistic stage now with minimal air.

12/21/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge wrote:

I was so excited to open this as I’ve had some really tasty and unique young Cotat bottles…but this was undeniably corked.

I gave this all the opportunity to be great, but the longer it was open, the more sharp (and chemical?) it got. Typical notes of green everything initially but they were all in the background to an odd chemical funk. Eventually, TCA showed up. Too bad, as the texture and mid-palate were really nice. Tropical and herbaceous but with enough cut to keep everything in balance…but the finish affirmed the presence of TCA.

Oh this wine game we play…

12/11/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m between 93-94 here. I haven’t had one of these with significant age, so I’m curious how they evolve. That being said, this was excellent.

Barrel selection of Stolpman’s best roussanne, blended with a kiss of Chardonnay (7%). Removed cork and let breathe for 30mins before consuming from bottle over the next two days.

This is incredibly concentrated but with a shockingly balanced acidity profile. Golden in the glass. The glass jumps at you with tropical yellow fruit, honeycomb, orange marmalade and roasted macadamia nuts. A bit oily initially but the finish has such vibrant and very acidity to snap this back sporting truffle honey and ginger. Excellent. Need to find more.

12/11/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m between 92-93 here, but this definitely has upside. Followed over three days.

Poured this in a blind line-up of new world Pinots and Grenache. While some bigger Pinots were confused for Pinot, this was easy to identify. Very translucent ruby in the glass. Extremely floral on the nose alongside plenty of juicy red fruit (strawberries, raspberries) and savory herbal spices. If whole clusters were used, it was minimal, but this isn’t a brash new world Pinot with overpowering oak. It trends toward a faint kirsch and black tea finish. I always enjoy Lato’s SRH Pinots and this is a good one now and will be for a solid 5-7yrs.

12/3/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge wrote:

Lots of hype around these wines and the new Jasud release. I look forward to hearing how Jasud differs from Beta.

Not sure how to score this, so I won’t. Polarizing. From a unique and different take on Napa cab, it’s really intriguing. For scratching the typical Napa cab itch, this won’t do it. Depending which side you trend towards, you’ll either love this or have no desire to finish the bottle.

Purposefully pop and poured so that this could be followed for 3-4hrs out of the decanter to see the profile. Translucent purple in the glass. 12.7ABV! All the fruit here is underripe (black cherry, black currant) with a hint of pyrazines, black tea. On the palate, it has ripping acidity, especially for a Napa cab. Sour red and black fruits with a finish that is remarkably similar to a cherry Jolly Rancher. Odd.

I’d say double decant this for 24hrs, but I also think it is what it is right now until it’s had 20+ years of sleep.

11/30/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I waited as long as I could to finally try but gave in. 66 Grenache Blanc/28 roussanne/6 Chenin Blanc. Inaugural vintage for the Saxum white.

As a fan of white Rhône style wines, I expected the youth to show in an overly savory/waxy way, but I was pleasantly surprised how open this was. Pop and pour. Medium gold in the glass. Classical roussanne notes of orange marmalade and apricot, alongside salted almonds and yellow fruits. Gorgeously opulent on the palate but the Chenin gives it a spine of acidity to keep it dancing. Honey-roasted cashews, honeycomb, lemon cream, underripe pineapple and a little beeswax.

This seems fairly open for business, so no regrets on opening. Little bit of air and it’s ready to rock.

11/24/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine:

I’m between a 92-93 here. Second time with this champagne in the last year and it has stayed consistently delicious.

Slightly older disgorgement at July 2021. 100% Pinot noir. Extra year of aging and fermentation in used barriques compared to all stainless for the Resonance cuvée.

Almost 6yrs on the lees and it shows with a leesy character alongside rich power (which can be hard to do with zero dosage champagnes, but the vintage and style help). Gold tinged in the glass. Spiced cider, oyster shell aromatically before a honeycrisp red apple, cranberry, red and black berry fruit and a mineral/limestone finish. I’d love to try this disgorgement a few years down the line, as I think it would be doing even better.

Happy Thanksgiving.