1/26/24, 4:43 PM - My guess was Merlot/Sangiovese, so I needed to research it before replying. It is Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese, though it's not disclosed in what proportion. The Petit Verdot part would be tough to identify for me as there's so few Tuscan examples for comparison. Altogether it's a really tasty wine.
12/17/23, 5:27 PM - It's certainly a good value CdRV and I like how it plays on the palate, but it's still too young and I didn't find the aromas or flavours engaging enough to make it a strong recommendation. Compared to the WineAlign review, I didn't find it to be either swelling or illuminating...
12/17/23, 10:56 AM - Glad I could provide in time service. I still have some more December notes to upload, it's a busy time of year and hard to find a chance to sit down and get it done. Cheers.
8/30/23, 2:53 PM - It has always been one of my favourite varietal Cabernets of the world. I'm happy to hear that it holds up as well I would expect. Cheers!
3/11/23, 4:12 PM - It's an interesting Pinot that is showing well now. Given the absence of pure fruit, I don't think it would benefit (or at least it doesn't require) any more time in development. To be safe, drink within a year or two. Cheers.
11/6/22, 7:02 PM - It is definitely accessable now as all its attributes are immediately apparent and while the tannins are present, they are not harsh. In addition though, if you want to lay it down as you would traditionally apply to a Barolo, I'm confident it will be drinking well for the next ten years or so, and hopefully longer. (Regarding the rating, I almost took off some points because it is just a 'normale' Barolo, but after reviewing what I wrote, I figured it deserved the full 5/5). Cheers.
11/1/22, 7:07 PM - Good catch, it's one probably the best example of Vin Santo I've tried in recent memory (though as you noted, not many have surfaced lately). Unbelievably expressive, you could smell it from the glass at arm's length. Cheers!
7/26/22, 4:31 PM - I had to double check that the correct wine was in my glass as the colour was absolutely opaque; must be some new fashioned wine wizardry in the works. On the other hand, I'm old fashioned and want my Burgundy to reflect place not extraction.
3/27/22, 3:40 PM - It's like my nose has been unshackled and it's free to roam and report again
3/27/20, 5:54 AM - It is a wine from Argentina, but I am comparing it's style of winemaking to that of California.Cheers.
1/9/20, 7:56 AM - Although the 2017 is advertised to be available, it was the 2016 that we were sent for assessment...we will have to wait and see what hits the shelves on the 11th. Cheers.
9/8/19, 11:37 AM - I sincerely appreciate your feedback. Cheers.
7/23/19, 10:29 AM - Similar notes, but enhanced impression over my last tasting. Could be the time aerating or the effect of the other wines against which I was tasting the d'Aiguille ... either way, it showed very well.
4/16/19, 11:39 AM - Hi Mark1nptJust a heads up. It's a newly posted note but it's for a 2007 tasting. Hope the bottle still shows well for you. Cheers.
4/16/19, 12:47 PM - Almost. I have wine crates filled with 20 years of paper-and-pen tasting notes; I decided to switch to a digital platform last year and use CellarTracker to keep my notes handy. When I have spare time I have been adding the highlights from past tastings and back-dating the notes for reference.
1/14/19, 10:13 AM - Brought to our store manager's summer pool party by co-worker Pierre Kelly and drank out of a plastic Solo cup. This was the first wine ever to make me go WOW, now I get it! ...and I embarked on a study and a career in the business.
11/18/16, 8:17 AM - Thanks for weighing in, I was hoping to generate a buzz with this post. Admittedly I have never used the 'Tuna can' tasting descriptor before; it reflects an attempt to summarize an unfamiliar characteristic (other voices in the tasting room were less diplomatic). NZ Sauvignon are great for polarizing opinions, recently I sampled both the 2015 and 2016 Kim Crawford; I enjoyed both and celebrated their cleanliness - my colleague, however couldn't stand the 2016. The world would be so less interesting if we all agreed all the time. Cheers.
11/7/18, 12:35 PM - Hi BordeauxNut,Dog Point along with Stoneleigh's Latitude were the first and most visible NZ wines in our market to show off with a distinctly gassy (or sweaty) expression. I chose to use Dog Point as the point of communication as I have had more opportunities to sample it than any other. I do encounter it with some regularity in other NZ wines as well and more recently, Chilean Sauvignon Blanc too.I have been able to discuss the issue with a Master of Wine working in New Zealand as well as a New Zealand winemaker working locally. What I have come to understand is that none of this is by accident, whatever I am perceiving (I am pretty confident it is H2S) is there by design. I'm just in the minority in finding it's levels to be offensive. And yes it shows up in the 2017 too, I just didn't bother to post it as I think I've made my point now.Thanks for keeping the conversation going, but I won't be complaining about this issue anymore.Cheers,
10/29/18, 7:34 AM - I appreciate the comment as it had me look again at my notes for the wine and noticed I entered the wrong score for the 2006 - it is correct now at 95/100. I use Cellar Tracker as a cataloging tool and need the score entry to sort and reference amongst my past tastings. On the day of sampling, the 2015 for me lacked aromatic intensity and complexity to put it into the 90's, but it is still a well-made bottle of wine and I feel my tasting notes reflect that.Cheers,
9/27/18, 6:53 AM - As it might be clear by now, I am in the process of uploading past tasting notes to Cellar Tracker (I have boxes of papers catalogued back to 1999). I can't include all that I have sampled over the years, but the most worthy of comment will get a note. 2010 is bringing back memories of great Australian wines; it's like going through a photo album of old friends.Cheers.
9/13/18, 9:24 AM - I have posted a note from a May 2012 tasting as well. The description reads as similar but my overall impression was very different. I have elected to post both as evidence that even with practiced impartiality, frame of mind or external influence can notably affect perception and ultimate criticism.
8/8/18, 5:31 AM - Thank you 'batcavewines' for posting a comment to which I can specifically respond:The wine was opened but not decanted for about two hours before sampling; it had been tasted by a few others by the time I poured it into my glass, so it was exposed to some aeration, but not extensive.I picked the 389 and 407 specifically to include in this tasting because I have fond memories and high expectations of Penfolds wines. I appreciate that people get excited about their bottles (my experience with Beaucastel fans comes to mind); it makes for a more interesting world when we each have our own voice. But ultimately I post what I assess in the glass on a given day. If it offers a different experience at maturity I hope to be able to post it here.Cheers to all.
7/20/18, 11:25 AM - Re-tasted July 20 2018. Clean sample this time.
6/6/18, 5:02 PM - A pleasant drink yes, but what i left unsaid is that by pinot noir standards, it's lacking a structured bitterness to balance the soft fruit. In my application 3/5 (my 85) is a good wine but with room for improvement.Cheers.
5/27/18, 12:41 PM - It's an older 2012 note but I haven't had anything lately to change my opinion. I sampled the Rose Brut a couple of weeks ago and didn't find it engaging enough to bother taking the time to post a note.Cheers.
5/16/18, 6:07 AM - My tasting note describes a quality young wine that I afford a 4/5 rating; I attach a score out of 100 as that is the only format Cellar Tracker supports for community ratings. Is 90/100 truly a tough mark or could the reverse be true and those that offer a score of 98 or 99/100 be too easy to please?Point of reference: Clonakilla Shiraz 2015 - JS score- 99 Dandelion Shiraz 2016 - JS score - 94It just turns out to be that my slider is about 10 points to the left of the celebrated critics centre.
11/5/17, 7:05 PM - Thanks for highlighting the tasting note; I often find there's a brooding curiosity in Pelham Pinots
3/12/18, 8:09 AM - They probably aren't going to disappear off the shelf overnight, so I vote open a bottle and check it out - it will need food, something like a mushroom risotto with lots of Parm as these are not cuddly wines. The 2010's are built more like Barolo than Burgundy. The question is, will they continue to age and improve and it's been a while since I tasted this vintage; my experience with Pelham Pinots from warm years are that they go in and out of phases of pleasure and funk, so you are going to have to risk enjoying one. If its beautiful, buy the rest, if it if fading, put the cork back in the bottle and return it to the store. Nothing lost. Cheers.
12/18/17, 6:56 PM - The 2012 hasn't made much of a move from my assessment in 2014, so my guess is that it will continue to take its time to evolve and maybe in 10 years or so present like the 2000 today. As for improvement, that will depend on your preferences. I don't think that vintage is much worthy of the investment, but to another at our table, he preferred the dense, youthful flavour of the 2012 over all others poured that day. (I'd rather three bottles of the Coudoulet for mid-term cellaring)
10/31/17, 4:26 PM - Sampled beside two other Chateauneuf, a Vacqueyras and two Cotes du Rhone amongst other international wines. Beaucastel presented a solidly made wine, but not a stand-out in terms of complexity or intensity.I do think it will reward cellaring, but I assess the wine as it presents at the time tasting...admittedly too young for best appreciation.
11/1/17, 5:26 AM - P-M, I absolutely agree. I am not trying to distort the rating system, only to set wines where I feel they should rest on a quality scale. Where applicable I will set my rating to include what I sense to be quality potential; case in point, the 2015 Crognolo by Sette Ponti. I rated it 4.5/5 - a bottle with a very good future ahead of it.Where I feel the disconnect is here might be in the use of the 100 point system. Far to casual use of 90+ ratings out there, particularly from pro reviews; I find it refreshing that the Cellar Tracker community generally has more restraint. I use a five point system as I feel it better separates the good from the great from the outstanding.Ultimately, even if it is contrary to popular opinion, I was not enamoured by Beaucastel. To my assessment it merits a 'good' rating of 3/5.Always happy to called in to participate in a debateCheers,
10/31/17, 4:18 PM - Year after year, Silver Oak delivers as advertised. Great quality and consistency - I have never been disappointed.
10/8/17, 10:22 AM - Yes, it was a preview of Ontario's June 10th 2017 release
10/8/17, 10:40 AM - Good call... Sold out in our area. A beautiful wine and worth grabbing if you see it nearby.
9/26/17, 5:10 PM - Upon seeing this wine at the tasting I had an expectation of flavor and profile built upon an experience more than ten years previous. It was one of the first wines to get my attention and challenge my understanding of flavor and character that can be achieved through the fermentation of grape juice..Sometimes you build something up and put it on a pedestal in your recollections, but it delivered everything exactly as I remembered. Very comforting, very rewarding.
3/22/17, 2:50 PM - I found and posted a tasting note from July 2015. Labeled with the same vintage, but there has to be different liquid in the bottle.
3/19/17, 12:47 PM - No I didn't decant it as I usually find there to be little sediment in Rioja wines and the aromatic characteristics are readily apparent; however the bottle was probably open for an hour or two before I tasted it.As a Gran Reserva, the wine has the stuffing to keep aging gracefully for years to come, but given the right situation, it would be no crime to enjoy it right now. Cheers.
3/17/17, 6:57 AM - I am in the process of transcribing pen-and-paper tasting notes and posting them in reverse-chronological order. I found that I had assessed this wine in Nov 2015 and was not as generous in my review. Could be that it was up against some stellar competition that day and showed as one of the better wines in May 2016 - either way I will leave the postings to reflect how I assessed them at a given point in time.
3/10/17, 8:52 AM - I appreciate the feedback. I strive to be open-minded and post more strict and impartial assessments of the wines I sample, but I think my frustrations came through that day. I guess I am fearful of a trend toward homogenization and simplification and that in the future it will be harder to find wines with remarkable varietal/regional/vineyard/vintage characteristics. When consumers are presented with a rash of wines made in this style, and they are critically celebrated, more wineries will get on board to feed the masses.I never want to dismiss an individuals preference, and making wine is not just a passion, but a business too... I get it, but I don't mind being the one to point out the Emperor's new clothes.
2/22/17, 10:24 AM - I don't disagree. I have the opportunity to sample currently available wines and I record my assessments. I will add however, that even in youth, the Poggio alle Mura dosen't show as much character as I expected given the estate and level of production; likely the influence of the harvest as you described. Certainly a wine to re-assess in the years to come. Cheers.
2/1/17, 4:48 PM - My tasting was from a bottle provided for assessment. It was more expressive in youth than typical for Perrin family wines. Keep it if you can, drink it if you must.
1/13/17, 9:51 AM - I usually get into the French wines early in the tasting, so it was not likely open for longer than an hour at the time I sampled it. The wine was not decanted, but I would recommend it if you have the time and resources.
12/1/16, 2:32 PM - I have found over the years that this Pinot goes in and out of phases between tastings. A live wine - always interesting.
12/1/16, 6:58 AM - I remember this brand (maybe even this wine), as the first, and for a while the only, Argentine wine on the shelf for sale; for three years in a row it was labeled as a 1995. Nice to see it back and showing well.
10/27/16, 12:45 PM - Tried it a second time that afforded a different perspective, so I have adjusted my review to be a bit more realistic.It was the better wine at the table the first tasting but more average amongst the second. Relativity matters.
9/28/16, 12:06 PM - Tasted in the fall of 2002 as a part of a vintage veritical: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998.
9/28/16, 11:59 AM - Tasted in the fall of 2002 as a part of a vintage veritical: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998.
9/28/16, 11:58 AM - Tasted in the fall of 2002 as a part of a vintage veritical: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998.
9/28/16, 11:53 AM - Tasted in the fall of 2002 as a part of a vintage veritical: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998.
9/28/16, 11:42 AM - Tasted in the fall of 2002 as a part of a vintage veritical: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998.
9/27/16, 2:15 PM - Tasted in a vertical flight of 1970, 1980, 1990, 1999, and 2001 vintages(the newest vintage at the time of the tasting).Before this tasting I was only mildly impressed by this wine, but to experience it in this perspective and appreciate what can be achieved with long-term cellaring was eye opening and most rewarding.
9/27/16, 2:14 PM - Tasted in a vertical flight of 1970, 1980, 1990, 1999, and 2001 vintages(the newest vintage at the time of the tasting).Before this tasting I was only mildly impressed by this wine, but to experience it in this perspective and appreciate what can be achieved with long-term cellaring was eye opening and most rewarding.
9/27/16, 2:13 PM - Tasted in a vertical flight of 1970, 1980, 1990, 1999, and 2001 vintages(the newest vintage at the time of the tasting).Before this tasting I was only mildly impressed by this wine, but to experience it in this perspective and appreciate what can be achieved with long-term cellaring was eye opening and most rewarding.
Thanks for letting us know about this problem. We will review your comments and be in touch soon with an update.
Search