2/17/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

The first time I tried the wines from Sparkling Pointe I was invited to a blind tasting at the vineyard. They were serving some incredible vintages of some incredible champagne along with their Brut Seduction, in this case the 2005. I was blown away by just how much these wines tasted like those from the best houses in Champagne and it was close to Bollinger's 2002 R.D., a bottle that retails well over $300 and is by far the best sparkling wine I have ever had. All of that beautiful yeast and brioche is there with a palate that is dry but full of fruit and bright acidity. I recently cracked open one and it has only gotten better with another year of bottle age.

2/17/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful and crisp Burgundy. The aromatics are a bit floral with hints of tropical fruit. The palate is full of bright acid and the finish is long and ends with a hint of buttered popcorn. This wine is best served around 50F to really bring out the fruit, much colder than that and the acid overpowers it so temp is key on getting the absolute best out of this wine. The Pre aux Dames is also several steps above in quality and flavor of the regular Bourgogne from this producer and well worth the extra few dollars you will spend. I will admit that this is one of my favorite Burgundies under $30.The 2015s are looking strong too but this wine definitely does best with 3 years or more in the bottle.

2/17/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Drinking this 2000 vintage Chard with 17 years of age on the bottle was truly a sublime experience. The color is a deep gold, the legs slow and well defined, and the aroma on the nose is caramel, almond, and a hint of stone fruit. The entire palate is alive with this wine and it still has incredibly fresh bright acid for such an old wine. This wine is probably nearing the peak if not just about there so drink it if you are lucky enough to still have one around.

1/12/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

A nice Cali cab priced at the top of what I would consider the inexpensive range for the region. The nose is bright and aromatic and opens up a bit with time. I find this wine very sensitive to temperature. Anything warmer than 66F and it falls totally flat so try and cool it down a bit before drinking, 62F seems about perfect for it. This is a fairly easy drinking wine with or without food and doesn't require much contemplation, just a good solid sipper.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Does not like this wine:

I'm not really sure what to say about this wine other than it just seems lifeless whether right out of the bottle or given a chance to breath. Instead of opening up it just falls flatter and flatter with time. I know some people really enjoy this wine but I just don't care for it.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

This is a wonderful chenin that has loads of life in it and is a wine that could cellar for decades. At this age it is bright and full of acid yet remarkably well balanced on the palate. If you have only been exposed to South African chenin please go out and find a bottle of this to see what chenin is all about. not that there is anything wrong with South African chenin but the complexity of this wine just hasn't been matched by any I have had the chance to taste.

1/2/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

A nice big spicy Rhone blend. There is a good bit of spice on the nose and a velvety mouth feel that is very satisfying. I love this wine paired with a nice rich steak or lamb and it does need some food to truly shine.

12/8/2016 - Spirited Wine and Liquor wrote:

This is a nice valpollicella that does a good job of being a baby amarone. I've noticed some people here reviewed it as falling flat on the palate, I have not noticed that at all. The fruit came through fine. Now, that said I do typically decant this wine for several hours before drinking. A freshly opened bottle is all alcohol with little complexity. Once it has some air time it opens up and does live up to its name. An amarone it is not but a nice ripasso it absolutely is. It is also best with food where the tannins do their job, drinking this without food is less than ideal.

1/3/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

This is a wonderful example and with 7 years of age on it this wine has really come out of its shell. I first had this wine in 2013 and it was bright and crisp with great acidity but it felt a tad unbalanced. well, after 4 years the magic in the bottle did its thing and the wine is now superb, well rounded, delicate, and subtle. The nose is aromatic but instead of the citrus on the nose in the younger version this wine has moved to stone fruit. The palate is wonderful with hints of dried apricot. Drink this wine now, I believe it is at its peak and another year or two will add nothing to its complexity.

12/22/2016 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Beautiful aromatics on the nose with hints of rose petals, white peach, and a hint of pineapple. This wine is 90% chard and 10% pinot blanc. The acidity is perfectly balanced when served a bit above 50F, too cold and the acidity overwhelms the complexity of this wine. The body is medium and the mouth feel fresh and satisfying. A great wine on its own or paired with food.

9/21/2016 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

What can really said about one of the most ethereal wines in existence? The color is goldenrod, dark and thick. Honey, creme brûlée, apricot, golden raisin, dates, and something else that I just cannot put my finger on that is almost savory. There is a wonderfully delicate acidity and this wine is still incredibly fresh, mine was in a 375ml bottle, with wonderful fruity aromas. The finish lasts for days and is truly at its best when paired with a funky and creamy blue cheese or foie gras. This wine still has a ton of life in it and I would have liked another few years of age on this one but it is still absolutely wonderful to drink now.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Wonderful yeasty bready nose with hints of green apple, pears, and chalk. The bubbles are fine and the finish lasts forever. The acidity is powerful and fresh which is incredible for a wine that was about 13 years on the lees when I first tasted one. This is powerful, elegant, and truly spectacular wine that will only get better with more time on the lees or in bottle. This is not an inexpensive wine by any stretch but I believe there is real value here and I would take this over any other champagne without hesitation.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

A wonderfully aromatic Cali red blend that drinks well on its own and pairs up well with food. This year it was 65% cabernet sauvignon with the balance consisting of zinfandel, petite syrah, merlot, and montepulciano. The nose has hints of rose and raspberries and on the palate dark fruits shine through with solid but not overpowering tannins and a hint of leather.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

A fun spicy wine that is dark in color, almost inky, with no sediment. It is spicy on the nose with notes of black pepper and tobacco. On the palate the texture is leathery and the spice carries through begging to be paired with fatty meat.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor wrote:

A wonderful 100% unfiltered Nebbiolo from the Starderi vineyard. Bright tannins, a nose full of earthy fruit, and fresh acidity. The color is a wonderful ruby-garnet. It is spicy on the palate with a touch of minerality. A drinkable wine without food it really shines when paired with pastas with acidic sauces or fatty meats like lamb and rib eye.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

The wine needs a touch of time to breath to really open up, it is fairly flat right out of the bottle but a little air time in the decanter works magic on this one. This is a big bold jammy Cali Rhone blend but it has some bright acidity to bring everything into balance, I typically shy away from the super jam bombs that Cali is known for but I'm appreciating the producers that are reeling it in a bit and refining their wines, the 2014 Computer Geek from Linnie is a good example of that.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor wrote:

Beautiful example of chardonnay done absolutely right in California. This is done very much in the style of Burgundy with a delicate touch of oak which is not surprising considering Aubert de Villaine of DRC fame oversees production. The fruit from the Hyde vineyard shines through starting with a beautiful nose with white peach, a bit of flint, and citrus leading to flavors that hit all the right spots on your palette with a refined and fresh acidity and a long satisfying finish.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Incredible off the radar white from Somantano made with a blend of Macabeo and Manzoni Bianco. The wine sees some contact with the skins during fermentation giving the wine a very deep gold color. The nose is all tropical fruit reminding me of a great Riesling but with a funk that says this is something very different. There is good acidity with plenty of citrus on the palette. This is a very small production wine and can be difficult to find but scoop one up when you do. It is hard to say what sort of age this wine is capable of but there is plenty of acid there for it to last in the cellar for some years to come.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Big aromatic white Bordeaux that is capable of aging for years in the cellar. The nose is full of floral and tropical fruit notes, best served around 50F, with crisp acidity and a good bit of minerality. The finish just keeps going and the mouth feel is silky with a medium body. This is one of my favorite whites.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

Solid offering with a beautiful floral nose with some ripe fruit, crips acidity, and tropical fruit on the palette. Perfect pairing for spicier Thai and Indian dishes. A solid summer sipper too.

1/22/2017 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine:

The wine is yellow gold in color with no sediment in the bottle. It smells a bit like grapefruit and melon with a hint of oak. The wine has nice acidity and a medium finish. It feels well rounded in the mouth and appears at its best when served around 50F. This is one of my favorite Cali Chards under $35.