7/30/2023 - csimm wrote:

I’ve written a few times over the years on this wine and it has progressively become better and better. Now a decade from vintage, the Stardust Heaven is in a wonderful drinking window. Black and dark red fruited, black rock, and hints of eucalyptus, this showy-meets-serious Rico Suave impresses with lovely balance and a debonair depth of flavor. Everything is right with this bottle. A great QPR that hovers in the $100-ish range. Consider popping ‘em if ya got ‘em.

5/8/2024 - csimm wrote:

(Fair warning, I had a healthy dose of green tea before scribbling this; so, buckle up friends…)

Let’s start out with a full disclosure type of confession on my part. In fact, it’s more of a developed bias that I seem to share among a number of those in my wine orbit who have been critical of California Chardonnay. Hanging around a bunch of Jungian wine pontificators who, like me, seem to have developed some peculiar joy in turning their noses at anything other than white Burgundy, just reinforces the constant slight I have given to the Golden State’s queen of varietals over recent memory. Without going down a wacky and now seemingly overplayed rabbit hole on the topic, it’s almost redundant to say that my home state Chardonnay has been betrayed time and time again with ripe, sweaty, sweet, over-oaked treatment by those who feel that masking its true character is worth the payout from those palates who seem to want for everything marshmallowy jumpy house gummy and slathering saccharine succulent. Good on ya… I guess…

Yet, I suppose it’s like anything fringe. On one end of the spectrum, I don’t want a flabby butter bomb that drags its gooey knuckles in pineapple extract soup before slothing itself in my mouth until it dies a slow death in a syrupy swallow. Also, having a searing, militant acid soldier hucking hydrochloric 0.00 pH and fossilized rock bombs at my palate is no kind of fun either. Who knew I needed such catharsis from my struggles with California Chardonnay (and don’t call it “Cali” Chard. No one says “Cali” unless they are visiting from Ohio; just like no one should say “Frisco” or “San Fran”). Dr. Phil seems like a guy who drinks Butter Chard with flapjacks and whipped cream. Maybe he can provide therapeutic guidance to me and my struggles with my nomadic palate…? Anyway, suffice to say I have loved big California Chardonnays some moons ago, but have personally become increasingly sensitive to (and critical of) the Lemontini movement that has all too often cast a sloppy shadow over what could be amazing fruit (from some sites at least), but for those who pick in late December and hammer their crop with confectioners’ lumber and candied fat fairy dust.

Ok…enough of that. This whole buildup boils down to one thing really. The 2022 Sphaerics “if and only if,” hailing from a nice little carve out of the Upper Barn vineyard, is an exquisitely balanced rendition of domestic Chardonnay, or any Chardonnay for that matter, so much so that I had trouble finding fault here. And mind you, I wanted to find fault (cuz that’s what insecure people like me do all day). After all, I was drinking California Chardonnay, right?! My initial notes read, “Calculated and poised in every way. Silky layers of lemony-lemon drop cloaked in a feathery encasement of almond milk and crème fraiche.” (ya, I actually wrote that – I don’t get out much). On the nose, it initially shows as slightly reductive, encircled by lemon curd and vanilla scents. On the palate, it’s a deliberate wave of lemon (did I mention lemon??), yellow apple, vanilla, cream, pumice, and, oh ya…lemon. This thing has curves that carve an exceptional lane of delivery for the giving fruit. The purity is unmatched. The mid-palate pauses for a nice chewiness before sashaying along with its salivating beam of measured acidity on the beautifully balmy finish.

Now, I didn’t want to do this, but the comparison to Aubert is difficult to remove myself from. This, of course, is not a bad thing by any means, but it is important that this wine stand alone with its own distinctive identity and not “just be another Aubert,” or some copycat. That would mean it’s somehow second to Aubert, which it most certainly is not. I’ll say this just once…For those who like Aubert’s Lauren, you’ll likely go gaga over the Sphaerics, which I find to be generally better balanced, show elevated integration of the oak (70% here), and exuding enhanced class overall. A longer fermentation seems to have added textural superiority and depth here as well. Perhaps less powerful and overt as the Aubert lineage, the Sphaerics is a trendier and more poised partygoer in comparison. Think Dominque Crenn versus Charlie Palmer.

The Sphaerics was served alongside a 2014 Stonestreet and 2006 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir, all of which were spawned from Upper Barn. The Sphaerics was closer in form to the Mon Plaisir, as the Stonestreet was a bit more angular and superficial in its presentation.

97-100 points right here folks. I suspect a little bottle age might make for an even more complex luminary. Tip of the hat to Laura Jones for fashioning this special wunderkind. Invite all your fancy friends over, blind the Sphaerics with a Coche Corton Charlie, and see where the votes go…

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

I LOVE fresh Sauv Blanc right out of the tap. I’ve found my interest in SB waning a bit, to be honest; however, when you have the right one, it really hits the spot. I know there are some smoking jacket types who like their SBs with age, but I say nope to a bunch of that. I want this right now. Poppin New Kids on the Block fresh, with all the Right Stuff (not the astronaut movie, but the song…get it…? …anyway…). This 2023 is turned up to 11 compared to the 2022, with fresh squeezed everything amplified to perfect chord without ever coming off too loud. No noise here. Just a kickin hook with a catchy melody. Ice cold and perfect. Body. Acid. Poppin lime and honeydew notes playing dodgeball with a blade or two of grass. Finishes relatively smooth, indicative of a top white BDX. Drink now. Drink cold.

9/3/2020 - csimm wrote:

2 of 2:

Specific tasting note aside, I offer a “short” epilogue sparked from this particular wine (well, short by my standards at least – so those who know me can bank on it being a stretched novella), as the Hated Hunter and some of the other comments here on Cellar Tracker caused me to ponder a bit about the SQN marvel – This is around the time I should just stop typing, but alas, here we go; so, proceed at your own risk:

For those wondering if the touting of all things SQN is worthy of the constant cult applause and if such broad acclaim actually translates into a product worth seeking out, my (emphasis on “my” and not “the”) simple answer is, “Yes.” (Some may stop reading now simply because their answer may be, “No,” or, “It depends,” or, “…But their prices keep going up!” or, “Allocation lists are for chumps.”). I certainly don’t fancy myself some blind cult follower who needs to have every goofy labeled wine from across the globe in my cellar just for the sake of collecting (for me, I drink my wine; so, ideally I only buy wine I actually like, not ones I think will gain me wine geek friends or I can flip for some pocket-lint-full of loose change). There’s nothing wrong with a cool factor or the pride in popping the cork on a rare wine in the company of friends and those who appreciate such things, but in the end, the product better deliver and just plain ‘ol taste good – otherwise, why bother?!

So then, like anything, I think it is important to keep contextual grounding when attempting to equitably gauge one’s personal desire in acquiring and coveting these wines (and you can insert any of the Harlan, Screaming Eagle, DRC, whatevers of the world that you consider some sort of trophy wine that you are willing and able to get your paws on – I get that total “worth” is entirely relative). Having been fortunate enough to sample much of Krankl’s creations since SQN’s inception (initially and primarily because of dear friends who have been gracious enough to share them with me – so full disclosure there), I’ve found that one thing is ever-present in these wines: Quality. There is an attention to detail that always seems to translate in the juice itself. We can debate the “worth” of the wine and question inflated QPR (cuz let’s be honest, prices can get wacky), or if there is an actual emotional response you did or didn’t have from the wine; these are often worthy and necessary discussions. But within the style and milieu of California domestic red Rhone, I’m hard-pressed to find much in competition with SQN, at least consistently. And yes, I know others will disagree and can spout their favorites that they believe are cheaper and deliver better for them personally. I know SQN has had misses in the past, so folks can reference those as well I suppose. And reasonably there are certainly those direct comparisons that make sense at the moment – Alban, Saxum, Andremily, and further north to Kongsgaard, Colgin, and a handful of others. Everyone has their favorites of course. “But wait, you left out Tynan.” “But wait, I like Lewis.” “But wait, you can’t talk about SQN without talking about Lato.” “But wait, haven’t you had XYZ Syrah? That blows the doors off any wine you’ve ever tried you over-extracted SQN fanboy!” Yes, I hear you…

Trends come and go oftentimes as much as one’s palate-preferences, and as quantifiers such as DTC release prices start to level-out with auction and secondary market prices and availability, “cult” interest can sometimes become watered down. But for me it’s like this… If it tastes great to you and you’re willing to cough-up the cash and internally validate your purchase by way of whatever about wine makes you smile, then it’s a win.

Some folks I know are constantly pissed-off about buying certain wines every year just to stay on an allocation list either because of some status symbolism or because they are waiting for some 100 point unicorn to pop that will somehow be better than the 98 point wine they don’t want to buy. That seems to me to be a tiresome effort full of chasing shadows (and relying too much on pro scoring – which is a WHOLE other topic). But I understand the pull to play the allocation game and recognizing that scarcity and pro reviews can conjointly drive the market. And if you’re buying SQN you’re likely not just your soccer mom or dad grocery store connoisseur picking up a bottle on your way home from work. You already know a little something about next-level collecting, or at least about what this all-consuming hobby can do to a person’s wine psyche and his or her pocketbook. So, I’m one person who likes SQN as a whole, not because they are SQN but because the wine is friggin good…to me.

As for the Hated Hunter, it’s exactly what one would expect from this house. If it’s not for you, you’re in luck! There are THOUSANDS of wineries out there to check out. Go forth and conquer! (And this is the moment where you ask yourself, “What in the heck was that rant? I’ll never get that five minutes [ten if you’re a slow reader] of my life back after reading this!”). Yes, my friend, you’re correct. Now let’s hope you at least had a decent stem in your fist while you were enduring the likes of my train wreck thoughts. Cheers! (…cuz “Cheers” is what you’re supposed to say when flipping up your salmon-colored Izod collar, giving the two-pistoled thumb and index finger salute, and sashaying off to the valet to grab your turquoise-striped Mini Cooper)…

5/4/2024 - grapenomad wrote:

Pale lemon in the glass. When I saw this brought to the table, my first thought was “this is going to be way too young”. Boy was I wrong. It’s young, yes, but ready to be chugged straight from the bottle if you can’t wait a decade. Beautiful nose of all sorts of citrus fruit, nectarine, peach, crushed rocks, jasmine. Palate is electric, with some nice fruit concentration to contribute to the structure. Not hefty in any way, but has enough power to carry it into years and years of aging. Balance on point, varietal expression on point. Just an all around incredible wine. Thank god the majority of Rieslings are not in the Burg price range, this would be in the thousands I’m sure.

7/29/2023 - csimm wrote:

Pretty wild stuff here. Recently on the heels of a Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune, I was instantly reminded of its hyper-vivacious display of limestone, prickly pear margarita, petrol, and Maldon sea salt flake notes jetting out of the glass and completely consuming the palate in similar style to this Donnhoff. The Dellchen is The Muppet Show on fast-forward; it's Animal shredding on a drum solo and Kermit arm-flailing "Yaaaay!" until he slams into a wall kind of experience at the moment, with all of its parts crisscrossing in frenzied fashion. Primary and monosyllabic, and also turbulent and wired. It's chiseled without question, and there are moments of focus and direction, but the shiftiness is high with this one. I feel like any moment it's gonna huck a rock at the side of my head and then bearhug me and tell me we are the bestest friends in the world. In a word: Impulsive.

It's the uncultured Freudian Id of Riesling that wants everything all at once right now. A few years in bottle should be like Demerol for this jumpy monkey. I love the completely raw and unbridled spark here, and I'd hate for that to wane, but the tradeoff will be a more complex and engrossing specimen down the road.

I don't know about going gaga over the 100 point potential here... yet. It's not completely outside the realm of possibility, but I'll stay in the mid-90s for now and see what this truly morphs into once it learns some manners and stops trying to be the wacky uncle everyone wants to be normal for just once in his life and not totally turn Thanksgiving into a circus sideshow by the end of the night.

4/25/2024 - csimm wrote:

I guess I’ll just have to keep giving this wine 100 points. I’ve had the privilege of tapping this wine a number of times now, and every time it just kills it. This time, its prowess was tested against some of the best-est bottles in Napa (blind, I might add). And wouldn’t you know it, the Mac was the group’s favorite. (And then a 2021 Mac popped up and that was my ultimate favorite of the favorite of the favorites). How many favorites can one have?! “And you get 100, and you get 100, and you….!” And to be honest, there were a few perfect wines in that 2019 blind lineup. It’s pretty awesome when all the wines you try blind simply rock. 2019 in Napa at the top level is really a stellar vintage.

My initial notes on the 2019 Mac this time around read, “Wow…super yummy choclately chewy unctuousness; not hot or angular at all; alcohol in total check. Slightly sweet in entry, but perfectly poised. Modern and dark but not ‘over-modern’ nor heavy. Black fruit, mineral, soil, more fruit with air. A slight rusticity on the finish that quickly finds a glide with aeration.”

I wonder what it’s like to be a bottle of MACDONALD, making appearances here and there at swanky parties, having everyone tell you that you are the best in the world and doting over every aspect of your presence and personality, being the topic of everyone’s conversation about why you are so super cool. Oh, to be a bottle of MACDONALD. The Emily Blunt of Napa Cabs.

4/28/2024 - csimm wrote:

A few Coravin pulls from this bottle remind me that 2020 Cheval Blanc is an off-the-charts pure and regal expression, but it will require patience for sure. This had a flash in the glass of supremacy, and then shut down pretty hard after air attacked it. Unripe blackberry, black cherry, asphalt and black mineral notes dominate. It goes into serious Jack Reacher mode pretty quickly.

I’d say see ya in a decade, but it is probably even longer before it really starts to show its stuff in consistent fashion. It was poppin’-off no doubt, but it’s a short-lived jazz hands production at this juncture. The bottle I had last year was much more expressive and held its poise for much longer before it decided to hibernate. This most recent bottle indicates we are boarding-up for donkey’s years.

4/28/2024 - csimm wrote:

Ooh Lordy this bottle was hot and angry on first pull. AIR!!! When we woke it up, it didn’t wanna get up, it didn’t wanna come down for breakfast, it didn’t wanna do its chores, it didn’t wanna do its homework… It didn’t want to do anything but lay in bed, shove the pillow into its face, and not shower for another week. “Mommmmm… Leave me alone!” I mean, seriously this thing was at war with my palate at first. Blackberry scatter-bombs and black mineral missiles galore.

With a bit of nagging, finger wagging, and NATO peace talks, it started to bust out of its cocoon and release some of the flavor hostages, but it stayed pretty hostile throughout consumption. A big wine that still needs some big time in bottle. 2030 seems about right.

4/26/2024 - csimm wrote:

This bottle was all sorts of good. It had the energy and freshness I expect, with the elevated budding complexity and focus I expect from Cristal. This bested a 2015 by a decent margin (which most would say no surprise, but I’ve had some hit/miss encounters with the 2008 over the past couple of years). I had a number of other top big house producers crush a bottle of 2008 Cristal, giving me slight pause at times.

As it goes with all things wine, a very good bottle one day can be a great bottle the next. So is the case here with this bottle of 2008. One of the better showings this time around. For me, I still think the 2013 is stronger overall and will/has/does typically lap the 2008. I know the 2008 is the darling vintage for Champagne, but I have yet to be convinced it is the vintage to end all vintages, as declared by others.

I say start drinking these 2008s now if you value freshness. Obviously it can hold for some time if you are seeking more oxidative features.

4/26/2024 - csimm wrote:

This was a much better showing with this bottle than the one I had a few months ago. This was a bit more relaxed, slightly oxidative, but with notable concentration. Blind, I initially thought this was a 2015 Churchill due to their similar profiles and displays of fruit (once revealed). With its delineated linear bead and white/higher-riding yellow fruit, the Cristal was notably fuller than the Churchill. With air, it became more complex, which is where the subtle oxidative notes started to percolate.

I favor the 2013 Cristal (and 2008, though that has been a bit hit/miss for me - though a 2008 we also had during this tasting was very compelling). The 2015 will likely be a very good wine after a few more years in bottle, but I suspect it will never be a top reflection of the brand.

4/26/2024 - csimm wrote:

A reductive nose burns off with some vigorous swirling, offering the palate a super fresh expression of the varietal. Tense and nervy quince and citrus notes fire off from cheek-to-cheek, with lime, acacia, white pumice, flint, and lemon pith flavors popping and locking throughout delivery. Relaxes ever so slightly, with a more lemony expansion that coats the back end, tightening back up on the whiplash tension tail.

I find an excellent sense of keen focus and directional intent with this wine. It has a Jolie jawline that perfectly molds its form, with a sniper shot of flavor that both quivers and expands. This 2022 has slightly more body and breadth than the 2021 X Omni in its current state, though the 2021 is a marathon runner without question, so it’ll be interesting to follow the race over time.

Take advantage of the DIAM closure and give it a few years to see how it builds layering over time. Certainly one of the best Oregon producers of Chardonnay out there. There are comparative similarities with the Walter Scott X version, though I find the 2022 Morgen Long gives off a bit more of the chiseled eye of the tiger vibe. 95-96+ points.

4/26/2024 - csimm wrote:

This is a citrus pith, karate chop, high roundhouse Gymkata lemon and lime kick of Hot Topic flash and flair all in one hyper push of acid and energy on the front end, with a flinty-flowery Speed Racer delivery that pops the eyes and forces a phat all-tooth grin from front to back and side to side. What does it all mean?! I don’t even know, as I’m still tasting the roller coaster from the first sip.

This is all sorts of great and fun, but just be sure to buckle up and tell your kids you love them before you take off on this joyride. This 2021 is similar to the 2022, though I currently find the 2021 to be in massive sprint mode at the moment.

It’s sealed with DIAM, so use that closure as a dose of morphine that will benefit this wine with a deep breath and a short slumber over the next few years. Tap the 2021 again in a few years. Cool juice.

11/9/2021 - csimm wrote:

Halloween in the Vice Versa Cave: The best young wine I’ve had from across the Atlantic and the absolute show-stopper of the night. The concentration, sophistication, and complexity, even at such an infant stage, are so compelling and palate-grabbing that the dark fruit literally arrests every other sense and forces one to be completely enveloped in the Lafleur’s mesmerizing dose of black and blue berries, graphite, charcoal, black ink, fresh soil, bitter chocolate, peony, and molten lava Kīlauea-meets-Netherlands black licorice obsidian notes. At 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot, it is a tower of power that is effortlessly balanced and focused. The chiseled frame does everything with exacting resolve to fashion the total physique of this wine so that its fruit core and tannic edging become one. It’s juicy and all at once a tight drum that strikes perfectly with every beat of the stick, finishing defined and sustained.

What happens with air you ask? Well, heck my friend, it makes ya even happier than peeling a whole Cuties clementine in one bust of the skin. It’s just so persistent and thrilling, with more gloss than a pro bowler and his favorite oiled-up ball. The mediaeval gravel component is dark and wet, but also uber-polished. The Lafleur is the 1% of the goth crowd who actually turned out cool and managed to jet off to Paris Fashion Week, hit the runway, and then hang out in Morocco for a week just to work on the perfect tan, being mindful not to dull the foot-long tattoo of Jack Skellington on her shoulder.

Between the 2018 Lafleur and the 2018 Bryant (one of the best Napa wines I’ve ever had), the “Quasi-War” between the Frenchie Armée de Camembert and the Yankee Cheddarhead Cowboys was a straight draw. “And YOU get a hundred; and YOU get a hundred….” The Lafleur was slightly chewier than the 2018 Ausone served next to it, with the Ausone finishing considerably drier than its Pomerol competitor. In fact, when a wine crushes the company of Ausone, Abreu, Pomontory, Lokoya, Pavie, etc, etc all in one sitting, it’s time to call K&L and sell your cellar just so you can afford a couple bottles of this magical juice.

To the yacht and island owners, venture capitalists, sultans and princes, financiers, popes, and all the things I will never be, I say to you fine people: Buy the Lafleur. Buy a lot of it. Cram your bathtub full of it and swim in the spoils of the best grape juice on the planet. To a peasant like me, this is a wine that is an experience, not just something to pour down your jughole. If I had another bottle, I’d treat it like the princess it is, nuzzling up to it next to a warm fireplace, reading it poetry all night, playing with its locks of hair into the wee hours as we giggle and reminisce about times begone. (What…? Oh, sorry. It just got weird didn’t it… Anyway…)

100,000 points for now, with potential to reach infinity to the second power after a decade of cellaring, though realistically, I don’t know that you need to wait until your kids get married and then get divorced before tearing into these. Epic wine.

4/20/2024 - csimm wrote:

The best MACDONALD to date, without question. The refinement, polish, and sophistication that shines through in the 2021 vintage is no doubt a next-next level for what is already a storied legacy of wines from this producer.

If I recall correctly, this had been double decanted the night before, but whatever acrobatics Alex was able to do before service (to which we decanted it even further for a few hours before it quickly disappeared), it was singing like a red-handed informant on The Wire. The profile was the familiar black cherry, black olive, and dark-black soil/mineral core, but this possessed a silky conveyance on the back end that really took it to a highfalutin Augusta Masters level performance. Super sleek and distinctive from previous vintages in its razor focus and honed flavor expansion. A perfumed floral element was icing on the cake.

My advice: Buy this wine but don’t keep it. Don’t flip it, cuz that’s just insane lame behavior. Instead, Sally Struthers yourself into donating it to me; think of me as a mere caretaker of these little gems, like a docent at the Smithsonian, or a Walmart greeter. After all, giving is the real gift. …I mean, if you don’t already think these wines are 100 point artifacts, then best stick with your Barefoot berry-flavored Cabernet or your dad’s 1946 Mouton (after all, you can flip that trick for $7K) and let the rest of us (me) focus on building my mini empire of Macs in my humble cellar. Thank you in advance for your continued contribution… :)

4/13/2024 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine:

Eyes Wide Shut - Day 1 (A quiet place): Nose: Clean and fresh raspberries and exciting cranberries, clean new oak, red and purple flowers, clean forest floor with a gentle and exciting spiced tree bark. So aromatic on the nose here with fruits and flowers while maintaining nice elegance.

Palate: Clean all around. So well polished with seamless blending of fruits, minerals, earth and clean oak. A precise strike of light graphite and minerals that lingers nicely in the mid palate and onto the finish, providing a nice savoriness. The crazy part is the build up of the energy as it finishes. Awesome gains on the finish here.. it's like it ramps up the more you keep tasting.

My first Lafleur - I mean Latour - ever and boy, it did not disappoint.

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

Punchline first: And ‘the Ks’ have it!! Kaannos and Kodo! I know I’m supposed to find beauty in all creatures great and small, and that love is discovered in all forms of doe-eyed unicorns and rainbows, but after sampling over 70 wines over the course of a three-day weekend, the Kaannos is THE BEST wine. It just is. If you dare take your in vogue flat leadership model and go old school vertical with it, then the Kaannos is on the top, like the very top. #1. Numero uno. The cat’s pajamas, and even the cat’s meow for that matter. The Kodo is… also… the best…!

Punchline #1 to the punchline: Kaannos TN – Not surprisingly, the first word in my notes just says, “perfect,” along with some hyphenated expletives that remind me this is, you guessed it, the best wine hands down. Dark fruit, but ever so balanced, with rays of succulent acidity (ya, that’s a thing), providing both elegance and speed. A nervy finish gives way to a second wave of flavor and energy. With air, it grabs ahold of more richness, akin to its Kodo brother. Darker, faster, even livelier with each sip. Block 4 powers, activate! The stamina here is worth waiting a few years, though Nigel puts it out at 8-12 years. But it’s a shakin good time right now without question.

Punchline #1(a) to the punchline: Kodo TN - And of course, because every kind of exception has an exception, I will confidently say that Kodo is also the best wine. But since I just made up a rule that says I have to choose (science and law and all that), the Kodo for me is the #1(a) to the Kaannos #1. Other Galloni sympathizers at the table pegged the Kodo for grand prize winner, not that I can blame them. But my iconoclastic side gave the Kaannos the edge. That is to say, they are both solid 100 point wines, but since GPAs these days are like 6.0 to get into community college (not sure what happened to 4.0, but I digress, again), I’ll go with the Kaannos at Harvard and the Kodo at Stanford. Kodo is a darker knight, with the depth of a thousand gallant chevaliers that parade through silky seas of dark chocolate and black cherries. Unctuous. Precise. Enveloping. Balanced, but with personality and attention-grabbing gothic gumption. The initiative here is fantastic, especially on the slowly building finish that envelops the back of the mouth. I feel like this is an earlier drinker than Kaannos.

I think I phonetic-a-sized my way through how to say Kodo, but I can’t for the life of me pronounce Kaannos, especially with all those little umlaut thingamajigs over every letter. I don’t know if it’s Kay-nohs, Ka-nos, Kaw-nohs, Can-os, or Ka’a-na-nah-na-nah-nah-nos. I know it means something to do with ‘translation’ in Finnish, but I can’t claim to know what the Fins have done to influence what I now consider the best 2021 wine I’ve had thus far out of Napa.

“Save the best for last” is typically prudent advice, and it’s normal decorum to build up to the ‘best’ wine when one is toured through various wine tasting experiences. However, in this case, the esteemed Nigel Kinsman simply said, “I like to jump around,” giving us novice geeks free rein to pick among the four glasses in front of us. A creature of habit, when I reached to my left and took a sip, not bothering to look at the name, the Kaannos hit me square in the jaw. Epic! There is a sliver of me that wants it not to be so amazing, like “here we go again, another fanboy tasting note from me on Kinsman.” I wanted to be neutral on these and just write a couple lame short tasting notes (and the crowd cheers). Better luck next time I guess. So, obviously, the Kaannos was completely rad! (not Rhad – but which is also rad, by the way). And the Kodo is also a mega hit-out-of-the-park showstopper.

… wishing Cellar Tracker had a word limit right about now…?… I don’t…. :)

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

The Hiero is a slighter higher riding monkey when compared to the Kaannos, Kodo, and Aphex. Yummy right now and not shying away from letting you know it likes to party, the Hiero is smooth, inviting, and fun, fun, fun. Redder cherries hopscotch with black cherry, plum skin, and a tinge of vanilla. Structure and acidity here are on point, with the back end filling out with softer, more affable curves on the finish. While your biggins sleep in the cellar, hang with the Hiero!

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

Punchline first: And ‘the Ks’ have it!! Kaannos and Kodo! I know I’m supposed to find beauty in all creatures great and small, and that love is discovered in all forms of doe-eyed unicorns and rainbows, but after sampling over 70 wines over the course of a three-day weekend, the Kaannos is THE BEST wine. It just is. If you dare take your in vogue flat leadership model and go old school vertical with it, then the Kaannos is on the top, like the very top. #1. Numero uno. The cat’s pajamas, and even the cat’s meow for that matter.

Punchline #1 to the punchline: Kaannos TN – Not surprisingly, the first word in my notes just says, “perfect,” along with some hyphenated expletives that remind me this is, you guessed it, the best wine hands down. Dark fruit, but ever so balanced, with rays of succulent acidity (ya, that’s a thing), providing both elegance and speed. A nervy finish gives way to a second wave of flavor and energy. With air, it grabs ahold of more richness, akin to its Kodo brother. Darker, faster, even livelier with each sip. Block 4 powers, activate! The stamina here is worth waiting a few years, though Nigel puts it out at 8-12 years. But it’s a shakin good time right now without question.

Punchline #1(a) to the punchline: Kodo TN - And of course, because every kind of exception has an exception, I will confidently say that Kodo is also the best wine. But since I just made up a rule that says I have to choose (science and law and all that), the Kodo for me is the #1(a) to the Kaannos #1. Other Galloni sympathizers at the table pegged the Kodo for grand prize winner, not that I can blame them. But my iconoclastic side gave the Kaannos the edge. That is to say, they are both solid 100 point wines, but since GPAs these days are like 6.0 to get into community college (not sure what happened to 4.0, but I digress, again), I’ll go with the Kaannos at Harvard and the Kodo at Stanford. Kodo is a darker knight, with the depth of a thousand gallant chevaliers that parade through silky seas of dark chocolate and black cherries. Unctuous. Precise. Enveloping. Balanced, but with personality and attention-grabbing gothic gumption. The initiative here is fantastic, especially on the slowly building finish that envelops the back of the mouth. I feel like this is an earlier drinker than Kaannos.

I think I phonetic-a-sized my way through how to say Kodo, but I can’t for the life of me pronounce Kaannos, especially with all those little umlaut thingamajigs over every letter. I don’t know if it’s Kay-nohs, Ka-nos, Kaw-nohs, Can-os, or Ka’a-na-nah-na-nah-nah-nos. I know it means something to do with ‘translation’ in Finnish, but I can’t claim to know what the Fins have done to influence what I now consider the best 2021 wine I’ve had thus far out of Napa.

“Save the best for last” is typically prudent advice, and it’s normal decorum to build up to the ‘best’ wine when one is toured through various wine tasting experiences. However, in this case, the esteemed Nigel Kinsman simply said, “I like to jump around,” giving us novice geeks free rein to pick among the four glasses in front of us. A creature of habit, when I reached to my left and took a sip, not bothering to look at the name, the Kaannos hit me square in the jaw. Epic! There is a sliver of me that wants it not to be so amazing, like “here we go again, another fanboy tasting note from me on Kinsman.” I wanted to be neutral on these and just write a couple lame short tasting notes (and the crowd cheers). Better luck next time I guess. So, obviously, the Kaannos was completely rad! (not Rhad – but which is also rad, by the way). And the Kodo is also a mega hit-out-of-the-park showstopper.

… wishing Cellar Tracker had a word limit right about now…? I don’t…. :)

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

If you have twenty minutes of your life you feel like burning, go ahead and check out my tasting notes for the 2021 Kaannos and Kodo. You’ll get the sense of where my head was at during this recent tasting with Nigel Kinsman. That said, the Aphex is a smokin’ specimen as well. It’s actually a comparatively softer and more supple animal next to its two more boisterous brothers. It’s no bump on a log, mind you. It has the contours of, well, the bestest contour things out there (I tried to Google things that have the best contours, for reference, and just got a bunch of makeup commercials). Ecotone richness meets chewy dark cherry chocolate goodness, perhaps a bit similar to Kodo, but with extra senses of soil and silkiness, and slightly less dark than Kodo. The Kaannos, Kodo, Aphex trifecta is in full effect-a. If you are lucky enough to have these, then you are indeed a lucky little lad (or lass). Nigel says 8-12 years is the window. But, um, ya…I’ll not be waiting that long for the next pop. Just sayin’…

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

The fruit-friendly Genie is a good warm up to the over-the-moon performance of the 2021 Bella Oaks. The Genie is young and gliding on the lighter side of achieving substantial depth at this juvenile stage. It is a bit sweet right now, with black cherry and vanilla dominating. The finish is pleasant and easy going, like playing catch with your kid (assuming your kid can actually throw a ball).

The 2021 Bella Oaks is a flashmob of flavor in comparison. Not surprisingly, more mid-palate density with the Bella Oaks, which is kinda an unfair comparison. The Genie should be given a few years in bottle to form up, which I believe it most certainly will. Personally I think it’s a mistake here to use this as a right-now wine while waiting for your Bella Oaks to age. I think Genie should start hitting its stride in a couple-three years. With air, it really starts to amalgamate more. Final sips are the best.

The Kinsman Hiero showed elevated complexity and development potential compared to the Genie at this flash of time. Price-point here is obviously very attractive by Napa standards. Very nice inaugural run at this wine!

80% CS, 10% CF, 10% PV. 22 months in 76% new oak. 552 cases.

4/15/2024 - csimm wrote:

This is as solid as it ever has been compared to the last sample I was lucky enough to try the year prior. At first, it was a gushing glow of fruit awesomeness all at once, but with some air to stretch its legs, it found an amazing glide that simply would not stop delivering waves and waves of flavors. Neon red and black cherry elements sword fight with red and purple licorice notes. Some soil and gravel come to the hoedown, adding interest and layered structure to better corral the bangin fruit. It’s not necessarily an off the chain hide yer kids crazy Miami club vibe, but it’s party central in Telluride with a bunch of hobnobbers the likes of which you and friends want to jump the velvet rope and fake ID your way into the back room bar kinda of thing. “Ooh, look… is that Lady Gaga….?!”

Hold 5+ years once you get your paws on this jumpin juice. 99+ points (100 likely to come in 2030+).

A pile of “Oohs” and “Aahs” came from the group this was presented to. There were tons of Napa Cabs flowing through the masses the past few days, including a 2019 blind of some of Napa’s top performers. And even with all that, this Bella Oaks made an appearance and swiped the attention from a bunch of other producers. I too was inundated with a gaggle of 2021 Napa Cabs this weekend, and the Bella Oaks was a real knockout, no question. Standing by for the release…!

93% CS, 4% CF, 3% PV. 22 months in 70% new French oak. 646 cases.

4/10/2024 - csimm wrote:

Even more ripe and Martinelli’s “apple cidery” than the previous bottle I had a little while back, this is a miss overall for me unfortunately. It’s in the good/not great category. As others have noted, precision and focused energy are lacking here. Too chewy for me at the end of the day. Not to be too critical, because this isn’t a bad swig necessarily if you’re not paying too much attention, but keep your wine geek hat off or you might be a tad disappointed. I really wanted to be captivated by this wine, but alas, it’s a triple “zzz” M. Night Shyamalan type of showing for me.

12/19/2021 - csimm wrote:

Quite a distinctive Champagne, with a full breadth of enrichments that range from grilled Meyer lemon and saline sherry to autolytic Hefeweizen and chewy raw bread dough. Though this is a zero dosage creature, the barrel program here creates and interesting mélange of big house flavors, but still with a singular precision that is more akin to a grower profile. Finishes with apt spice, acidic cut, and chalk along the circumference of the tail, with the deeper and darker yellow and bronze elements coating the back palate with sumptuous substance.

This is not a zingy go gettum Tanzanian cheetah kind of delivery, but instead more of a risqué and sultry party panther. It has an oxidative quality without being oxidative (again, presumably due to the wood influence). It drinks like a big deal, but it certainly carries an idiosyncratic smart kid in the back of the room kind of composure that might give some folks pause. I personally prefer the 2013 for its additional uptick in energy, but this 2014 is a swanky smoking jacket kind of dealio that's worth considering.

100% Chardonnay BdB. Disgorgement unknown (likely early 2021 - based on the 2013's 02/2020 date). Zero dosage. 12% ABV. 2014 vintage. 40+ year-old vines (0.4 hectares). Montgueux. Aged in used barrels from Burgundy, Cognac, and a Savagnin ouillé barrel from Ganevat (Jura)

3/21/2022 - csimm wrote:

This started out a little funky and stubborn in the early going, with a completely muted nose and lifeless linear execution of “flavor:” lemon juice acidity and perhaps a little chalk on the palate, but otherwise fairly insipid for the first hour. Final sips were the best here, with some green apple, yellow pear, and lime notes peeking out around the yellow citrus core.

It got better, but it never got that interesting. It seems to carry a true sophistication, purity, and class that showcase focus and academic acumen (which will obviously be appealing to those seeking out these wines), but it doesn’t deliver wholly in the complexity and depth departments at this juncture.

Will time help? Perhaps, but I don’t suspect this will ever be a showstopper kind of P-M. Chartron’s style can often be higher register and more agile indeed. Traditional, classic, refined, and all the mildly standard attributes one could deem as positive in this wine can also come off as anemic, lackluster, and average...depending on how forgiving and altruistic you feel on any given day.

I was more benevolent with my last valuation of my previous bottle of this a couple of years ago, in hopes it would show signs of a pulse after some short term cellaring. Not so much (Yet? Still? Perchance?... Who knows). In any case, just know what you’re getting into here. If you enjoy playing Cribbage with your 95-year-old grandma in her assisted living facility in Plano Texas, then you will love the Chartron Pucelle.

4/30/2021 - csimm wrote:

3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): Take all the notes I just wrote on the 2018 Chardonnay and add an extra layer of delectableness – without sacrificing all of the harmonious zing and energy brought about by the otherwise Burgundian style these Fairchild Chardonnays seem to bring to the forefront. Yellow citrus and wet white travertine, with a ripe clementine note that adds extra interest. Outstanding texture and a deep concentration of flavor, all the while maintaining a controlled rapidity that invigorates the entire mouth and continues thrusting out bright acidity. Succulent and nervy. The 2017 is likely a decent marker to where the 2018 will ultimately end up. Again, I am shocked at the level of complexity and polish that Fairchild is able to achieve from this Ritchie site. Absolutely outstanding. 97-99 points.

3/19/2024 - N.Bonaparte wrote:

This was poured into white wine glasses and really benefitted from 30 min in the glass to allow the decent amount of energy to fade. Then this presents with citrus leading into a somewhat delicate and well balanced wine. The finish lasts a minute plus. This is already outstanding but a solid 5 years out from its prime with at least 15 years of solid drinking. This may not have the depth and breadth of the best vintages but this is still delicious. This paired well with pompano. Revisit 2026

11/16/2023 - csimm wrote:

This presents as super young and chiseled, but also giving mid-palate electricity with wonderful yellow citrus and stone fruit. Chalk-laced minerality without being powdery or “chalky” necessarily. Acid is super compelling and energizing. I would have never called this out as a 2002. What a great combination of breadth and precision. Lemon and lime zest on the finish with white rock, lichee, and green and yellow pear skin. This is like the 2013 Dom on a rocket ship. This 2002 P2 is the best Dom I’ve had.

7/27/2021 - csimm wrote:

Vice Versa weekend and dinner: A joint venture with the Bretons and Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, the Les Cousins is a hybrid of Vice Versa’s Napa juice and L’Aventure’s holdings from the Willow Creek District in Paso Robles. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this sub-species Liger unfolds in the glass with a unique succulence that is simultaneously lavish and precise. Black licorice, dark chocolate, wet limestone, warm blackberry cobbler, plum, and black cherry flavors march across the palate with a decidedly direct but also at once openly expressive bearing. It is almost as if Napa is the engine and Paso is the steering wheel, where powerfully-postured ripe fruit is given course and direction. The front end fools you into thinking it is going to be overtly exaggerated and extravagant, but along comes a mineral grip to crack it all into proper form.

To be frank, I’ve sometimes found Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon to be missing an element of concentration. They can be somewhat one-note for me (though, what Asseo does with L’Aventure is pretty darn phenomenal in general as it is). However, The Vice Versa Les Cousins caulks-in any perceived cracks in complexity and depth. Because I’ve also found many Napa Cabernets to be so bombastic that I can be quickly floored by the palate-burdening sensation of fruit, fruit, and more fruit, I endeavor to discover those Cabernets that carry requisite acidity, frame, and determined purity as well. Here too, the Paso terroir finds purpose in providing focus and keen maneuverability to which the core can travel with distinct persistence.

I mean, let’s be honest; some of these little experimental projects can be fun for the winemakers and proprietors to tinker about and Frankenstein their ways into making wines in attempt to enhance allure in their brands or market some form of fabricated exclusivity. But for us consumers, we are sometimes left wondering if investing in someone’s “just cuz” side project is worth even entertaining. I can tell you as someone who doesn’t have a shower of money constantly raining down on my head, I often ignore these types of ventures and just stick to what I’m relatively comfortable with in a certain winery. Yet, all that said, I can also tell you that as soon as I tasted this wine, my exact quote was, “Hey, hold up Patrice. When are you releasing this and how many am I allowed to get?” So, do your research as I know many of you will, but in the end, I’m ALL about this wine. It is not so unique that it isn’t true to the varietal and doesn’t have a solid place in the Vice Versa lineup. It’s unctuous and delineated in the same breath. It’s perfect fruit and perfect frame. It’s an amazing Cabernet Sauvignon. Period.

98-100 points. Let’s see what happens here once it hits bottle. A very limited production on this. Hopefully I don’t get too busted for doing a write-up on this since there won’t be much of it to go around.

4/7/2023 - csimm wrote:

A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: As much as the LPV and Crane are like eating a blackberry pie with the best fruit ever made on earth, the BTK is undeniably the leader of the SVD triad. The concentration is so insanely on-point, with a depth that lands in exactly the right mid of the mid of the mid-palate. It’s execution is flawless, and that’s saying something given what a baby it is right now. Gorgeous density, with blackberry, black soil, pure cassis, and black rock, the BTK is super chewy and at the same time layered with complexities that continue to blossom new flavors and textures. It’s got muscle and grip, so the waves of fruit don’t ever lose traction and break too soon before the persistent finish. For those who are looking for a big, modern expression of To Kalon, this is it without a doubt. Potential for a perfect score here. 97-100 points.

Note: The 2021s from Vice Versa were all composite barrel samples and not the final blends. I'll say this though: Whatever that TK is, they better bottle that bad boy as-is!

1/7/2024 - csimm wrote:

There is a polish here that immediately adds to the textural profile of this Canon. Somewhat plush, but not so much that it makes for too fruity or flabby of a delivery, the 2018 is similar stylistically to other St. Emilion siblings in this vintage. Approachable and fun, albeit still primary and direct, the core berry fruit sways into the modern field but makes sure to keep a solid foot in some older school attributes. I could have done with a hair more intensity and tannic structure, but its cut and acidic spine are enough to counter the ripe and contoured fruit. 4-5 years on its side will do it well.

I wouldn't call this a blockbuster Canon, but it's certainly a solid performer at a price point that isn't instantly nauseating. I think the 2016 has a little more going for it, but will take a smidge longer to come around. The 2018 seems (emphasis on 'seems') like it won't shut down too hard at any given moment, but a few years in the cellar will give a clearer picture down the road. For now, it's not a complete waste of time to drink now, but some short term patience will be rewarded. 93-94+ points.

1/7/2024 - csimm wrote:

I'm too dumb for this wine. I mean, I suppose that's not exactly narrowing it down, as most things can seemingly outsmart me these days. However, this particular upper-cruster makes me feel like I'm a dad who can't figure out my 6 year old's finger addition tables. And to boot, with a name like Aisana, it's gotta be all Persian and Pagan exotic-like, invoking harvest moon mysteriousness and worldly wonder.

With its first sip, it glides into the room with Astaire airiness and then just starts firing off Immanual Kant's transcendental idealism maxim with confidence and swagger. I just stare and nod my head up and down as though I understand. Another sip. The Aisana whispers, "Remove knowledge to make room for belief." Um, ya, sure; totally I get it, kind of like, ya, ok. By my third sip, all I know is that its classicism and polish have subtly taken over my senses and I instantly feel like I need to hop on a private jet to Chateau Haut-Brion so I can learn the secret Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon quadratic equation sauce that makes for killer Bordeaux whites. But, I don't own a private jet and I don't know how to make wine. So, there's that.

Elegant and creamy notes of lemongrass, yellow and green pear, lime and lemon pith, vanilla, and yellow apple make for a delicately sheeny entry. With a medium-bodied mid-palate and equally even finish, the Aisana is all class and sophistication. It's not a punchy nor tropical specimen, so it's otherwise wasted on your annual houseboat trip with your college friends shoveling chili dogs and doughnuts in their jawboxes. Go buy the perfect scallop (just one; not the frozen bag of 30 from Grocery Outlet), marinate for 60 days in a yuzu and seaweed paste from Yangtze, sear it ever-so slightly in your Griswold cast iron Spider skillet, and let it rest for exactly 247 seconds. Only then will you know the true pairing capabilities of the Master Aisana.

Drink now with your expensive friends, or hold a couple of years with the understanding that you will appropriately utilize that time to better educate yourself on the legends of the Seven Sages.

4/30/2021 - csimm wrote:

3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): A perfect wine in the making, the 2018 Macdonald is undoubtedly going to be one of the top wines of the vintage. For those familiar with the Macdonald lineage, the 2018 will be no surprise as a qualitative conqueror and stunning phenom for the region and the vintage. Blackberry seed, soil, charcoal, graphite, and striking minerality all make for a complex and loaded wine that is just waiting for the next decade to come around and blossom into its fullest form.

This bottle was double decanted for nearly half a day. So, it’s no secret that the Macdonald pedigree of these wines requires a good 7-10+ years before optimum drinking will be had. That said, this thing was off the charts with reverberating fruit flavors and massive tension that the controlled power was utterly vibrating on the palate. Over the next few hours of following this wine with dinner, it became even more expressive. As one could imagine, it was one of those experiences where you just wanna stick your face in your glass and leave it there for an hour. I didn’t want to play nice around others with this bottle, as the three-year-old in me was caught up in the, “Mine, mine, mine” syndrome. It was honestly a little difficult to pay attention to the other amazing wines on the table once the Macdonald came into play.

Frankly, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to process these wines every vintage with this producer. The Macdonalds are always on point. ALWAYS. They are always quality. They are always one of the most exceptional wines to come out of Napa year in and year out. One can try to explain it away all day long and go into all the details as to how and why this seems to occur, but the bottom line is that these are special wines and they continue to be special with the meticulous thought and passion that goes into every step of these wines’ constructions. They are special. Very special. Some wines make you smile. Some wine write history. This phenom does both. Sound the trumpets and release the hounds folks! If you’re able to hunt these down when they come out you’ll be a lucky chap indeed. This is liquid awesomeness and simply captivating. 100 points.

During this trip, I was continually impressed with all of the wines we were fortunate enough to drink. I will say also that there were three wines in particular for me that totally crushed my cranium with their unbelievable representations of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2012 Harlan, 2012 Tynan MG, and 2018 Macdonald were next-level juice that dominated the landscape even among their otherwise remarkable peers.

7/7/2021 - csimm wrote:

2016 Chateauneuf du Pape 99/100 point wine taste-off (and a couple of pirate Rhone wines): Sexy and powerful cassis and licorice notes lead the charge, with deeply pitched red and black berry notes rushing up to fill in the gaps. With air, the flow of flavor is even more expansive and explosive. Finishes with luscious influence and waves of surging and cascading succulence. A super suave and erotic style. A step up from the 2015 Mon Aieul.

The Usseglio house did some dominating during this tasting, with the Deux Freres, Mon Aieul, and Not For You all setting top-flight standards for the region and the vintage. Personally, I found the Deux Freres to be the most complete and sharply demonstrative wine in the lineup, with the Not For You and Mon Aieul tailing closely behind.

9/9/2022 - csimm wrote:

Ok, so this bottle screams two words to me very distinctly and without equivocation: "Drink Now." It's a Charleston chewy prune purple drank and all, but it's pushing past its window (at least, this bottle spoke loud and clear to that end). It hasn't tanked by any means, and I find it certainly to be a wine of lovely succulence and modern (like, really modern) hedonism, but I don't think this wine will be developing any "tertiary flavors" beyond ripe, more ripe, and really ripe over extended time. It's already spitting out some balsamic notes that stand to upstage the remaining freshness. Pop yo' corks folks.

4/7/2023 - csimm wrote:

A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: A new project by Jack Bittner, with Graeme Macdonald as winemaker, the 2019 001 (double-O[oh]-one) will be the inaugural wine from prime plots on the Ecotone site. Jack was gracious enough to meet us for lunch and bring along a bottle of this gem. It’s hard not to draw parallels to MACDONALD since knowing who is the consulting winemaker here, but the 001 has its own unique personality that I can only guess is an expression of the vineyard and Jack’s deft influence over the farming and ultimate production of the wine. It’s a stately and classically regal wine in the sense that it maintains outstanding poise and frame. The dark, asphalt-laced fruit is elevated and layered by flavors of purple plum skin, menthol, herbs de Provence, and gravel. This thing LOVES air, eating O2 like a 1-year-old in a face-full o’ mayonnaise. Allowing it to breathe is like allowing Elton John to play the piano. Expansiveness and succulence on the palate continues to unfold. The tune starts out unpretentious and austere, and then slowly builds and builds, bridging mineral with fruit, tension with accessibility, frame and body with weight and breadth. The finish is stoooopid long and especially refined.

Some new project is the last thing I need in my life, but gosh darn it if I can’t help but jump on the bandwagon and see what adventures lie around the corner with this wine. I’d feel lucky to be part of it, and recommend aficionados try to snatch this up when it makes its rounds; but of course, I’m shooting myself in the foot with hopes of nabbing a decent allocation by recommending others pile on. So, in that vein, don’t buy it. Forget about it. I’ll take it from here :)

In 5-7 (perhaps more like 10) years, this thing will be on fire. It is a wine for the patient indeed, but not without amazing promise right now with some coaxing. This is my kind of juice all day long and a wine that will likely earn an even higher score (perfect score?) down the road. 97-98+ points.

NOTE #1: It’s worth mentioning that we had the 2018 Abreu Thorevilos a few days later; that wine does share some striking similarities with the 2019 001, especially in the minerality department. The dark and cool asphalt profile of the 001 is akin to the Abreu, if but a bit more restrained and chiseled than the 2018 Thorevilos.

NOTE #2: Also worth mentioning, we had the 2019 Vice Versa Mysterons (Ecotone) a few days later as well (alongside the Abreu). To no surprise, Melka’s take on this site with Vice Versa is stylistically more flashy and opulent by comparison, but again, with a beautiful bead of minerality and black fruit that spoke a similar dialect to the Abreu and 001. The Mysterons is more party-ready than the others, so if you wanted to pop one of the three right now, the Vice Versa would be better suited in that regard.

4/7/2023 - csimm wrote:

A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: Salty and funky on the nose, with an instant cool climate aura that makes you wanna stick your face further into the glass and pretend you tripped and fell in a blackberry field off the coast of Patagonia (what with all the blackberry fields in Patagonia). Well, this is more like a St. Joseph lookalike, with smoke, black sea salt, brambly blackberry, pine needles, muddled plum, rainbow peppercorns, and bark flavors making for an old school profile that also presents as clean, pure, and fresh (a neat trick to be sure). There is a stemmy quality here without the bitterness (another neat trick), adding a savory-meets-old world classicism contour.

Give it a few years to develop some additional weight and complexity, but I’d say there’s merit in trying one of these early, too. It’s nice to find a cooler climate Syrah out of California that doesn’t instantly lead with booze and brawn on the front end. This 2021 La Pelle is a Syrah for those who own smoking jackets and Vizslas.

1/6/2024 - csimm wrote:

Not so sure I'm too stoked on the track record here with some of these sparklers. This one opened up with extremely aggressive bubbles (and yes, it has been resting on its side and treated with kid gloves since coming directly from the winery, and subsequent quiet cellaring). As soon as it hit the glass, it was flatter than a starving Placozoan hit by a road roller. No discernable flavors at all. A bit of a prickly texture on the tail, but that's about it. Otherwise, it's a dirt nap zombie appetizer kind of experience.

Disgorged November 14, 2023... or perhaps 1953?

4/30/2023 - csimm wrote:

Another go-around with this wine, which delivered the initial hit of powerful tannins, but was able to find a nice groove once given a healthy amount of air. This bottle kicked out super dark, black fruit and rock. The tension and speed are amazing for such a would-be brooding specimen. This upstaged the other cabs twice the price at the table by a decent margin. I still think this has its best days ahead of it with some bottle age (it's just a really powerful bugger on the initial pull of the cork), but the flavor profile and purity of fruit (black and Metallica as it is) are super compelling. I’m digging these Cabs from La Pelle.

1/21/2024 - csimm wrote:

This bottle was pristine, and needed at least a couple of hours of decanted air to get into form and offer some decent flavor expansion. Plum, black cherry, cedar, dusty spice, and subtle hints of burnt orange rind. Finishes linear and notably focused. A great food wine once it got going. Based on this bottle, it should lay on its side a little longer. Try again in 2028-2030, but it isn't a mistake to pop now with some air. Freshness is on point.

11/24/2023 - csimm wrote:

This 2021 is a powerful and driven specimen, with sweet, ripe, and dark fruit interweaving with a pronounced propulsion of candied raspberry and cassis notes. The finish is incredibly loooong. Finishes with a push, with light blips of heat on back end that dissipates fairly quickly, replaced by even more power and a push of tannins. The acidity and structure are exceptionally solid here. A biggin of a wine, and one that deserves some time in the cellar before a true amalgamation of flavors can be had. A lot of potential here.

I currently favor the 2019, which presenting as more black-fruited at the moment. This 2021 was served next to the 2018, which was obviously more resolved but still holding on to a considerable bit of power (much more than, for example, the Red Hen).

1/21/2024 - csimm wrote:

A consistent showing from when I've sampled this wine in 2021 and 2018. Spice box, dark black cherry, ripe black raspberry, soil, cedar, and even more spice (cinnamon stick). Expressive and large-scaled. Finishes rich and powerful, with some alcohol lingering. Fleshier this time around, too. Drinking fine now, if but a little burly for my tastes.

Unlike this Grenache, its Syrah sibling is all spun up right now (at least that was the case with the bottle of the 2008 Syrah served next to it was). Drink the Grenache. Hold the Syrah.

1/12/2024 - csimm wrote:

A solid bottle right here folks. In the same league as other Churchills, with perhaps a little less power and spice than the 2013 and missing the yeast note that the 2012 carries, this 2015 is a well-honed specimen, albeit juvenile and primary, that even now offers invigorating flavors of yellow, orange-ish, and green citrus, yellow and brown pear, fresh ginger (signature Churchill), and striking minerality. A really nice electricity here, which is common in the Churchill lineage.

Grab a bag of kettle chips and go to town. Glad I have a few of these to lay down for a while. Best to hold a few years but a treat to try now. The Churchill has proven to be a very consistent label.

12/28/2023 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine:

Consumed in plastic glasses on a yacht in the sea of Cortez. A great accompaniment to the sushi, sea bass ceviche, and fajitas.

1/14/2024 - csimm wrote:

Reminding me of a Marguet Le Parc I had recently, this LB is an exquisitely built BdB, with a beautiful yellow and green pear-driven profile, carrying additional white travertine-meets-yellow citrus notes that circle the flavor wagon in perfect formation. This drinks young, needing some air to allow it to unfold, but it keeps on truckin' throughout consumption. The energy is precise and direct, but with a voluptuousness that repeats the prominent stone fruit and finishes with both succulence and saline liveliness.

I'm a total fan. (Pushing 95-96+ points). Hold a bit for additional complexity. Lots of verve here, but it is already so balanced and carries perfect flavor distribution.

100% Grand Cru Chardonnay. 2012 vintage. June 2022 disgorgement. 2 g/L "Brut Zero." 12% ABV.

11/16/2023 - csimm wrote:

Sauvage, black cherry, meat drippings, and sanguine notes creep along the palate, ending in a clip of dusty tannins on back end that seem to disallow the flavors from fully expanding. This bottle comes off older than the vintage would indicate. Better with food, but as a standalone, it’s fairly reticent and grandmotherly.

12/5/2023 - csimm wrote:

Ok, so for those who desire a bit more detail, this is a follow up to my last extremely brief note a few days ago…

A big, sweet, ripe, purple, fruit-driven slather hound. Grab a Red Bull and top with whipped cream, and you got yerself the best Sonic blackberry slushy this side of San Antone. And to be fair, this is along the same lines as what one would expect from this wine. No surprises. If you like Materium, you’ll like this Materium. It’s on the ripe end of the ripe spectrum, was probably picked in late December, and carries a viscosity that Brer Rabbit would envy (see what I did there?... as in Brer Rabbit Blackstrap Molasses? Cute, right?! ……….you get it…). I feel like the last 5 years have made this even richer and more chocolatey. And again, if that’s your jam, this will literally be your ‘jam.’

Designed for those who feverishly elbow their ways through masses of merrymakers to board the flavor-choo-choo and ride it all the way to Miami Beach.

12/2/2023 - csimm wrote:

This really opens up after a couple hours of air, with a more deeply pitched profile quickly coming into form once a healthy dose of aeration allows the flavors to expand. Earthy black fruits, graphite, char, and bitter chocolate notes are enlivened by a streak of higher toned red raspberry. Finishes with a cedar inflected tail. Saturates on the front end, becoming nicely grippy on the back. A wonderful control and balance of acidity and core fruit with this Red Hen.

Hold for a few years, but already drinking like a champ. Punches way above its pricepoint. I favor this 2019 for its measured intensity and depth over the slightly more subdued 2018.

1/1/2024 - csimm wrote:

A brilliant performance, with a beautifully defined power/spice profile that makes for immediate pleasure; give it some air and you're in for even more of a treat. Yellow pear, yellow apple skin, ripe lemon, grey clay/slate and limestone, star anise, fennel seed, and subtle hints of margarita mix and Squirt make for a controlled but lively performance. There is a serious side as slightly darker grilled (pineapple? - but not tropical at all) and wood spice flavors appear. I've seen a note or two regarding a currant flavor, which I get as well. Finishes full and chiseled, with enough bristle to invigorate the palate. Notable flavor complexity and expansion for such a young wine.

Word on the street is that any substantial aging on Marguet Champagne may result in a higher risk of disappointment. If so, I say drink now (at least the 2018 Le Parc) and give it a bit of air. In contract to the 2018 Crayeres I had the other day, which needed more air and perhaps some limited time in bottle to develop a little more finesse, this Le Parc was a solid showing from this particular bottle. A buy-again for me, even more so than Crayeres and Sapience.

2018 vintage. 100% Chardonnay. Tirage: June 18, 2019. Disgorgement: March 8, 2023. Dosage: 0g/L. 1853 bottles. Sulfites: 24mg/L. 13% alcohol. (Plots border Krug’s Clos d’Ambonnay and Selosse’s Le Bout du Clos).

11/15/2023 - csimm wrote:

Always awesome. Always. Truly a benchmark for Yquem with some age on it. Undoubtedly sweeter and richer than the racier 2020 Yquem served beside it, the 2001 is in a great drinking window now. Every time I have this, it reaffirms my ardor for Yquem (the only dessert wine I even bother with at this stage). Paired awesomely with homemade creme brûlée. (Nice job bsumoba!)