3/18/2024 - WojteG Likes this wine:

Sorry my distinguish and noble members of the CT, but I don't completely understand your very low impression about this wine.
This is my first Chenas.
With only 635 acres located on the single slopes of Mont Rémont, it is the smallest of the Cru. Chénas owe its name to the oak tree - “Chêne” in French- forest that use to cover this hillside before being replaced by vines in the 15th century
Known for their floral, earthy characters and ageability. Chénas, along with Moulin-à-Vent, is one of the most highly-regarded Beaujolais cru wines, and the best examples can be cellared for up to ten years!
And we come here to the point...
...and the point is why this very good wine is rated so low.
From my subjective point of view I will mention a few points 🙂
Too much licorice, anise in taste.
Not enough red fruits
Very dry finish, but...
But besides that this is very well made wine. If you like these kind of aromas - jump for them.
The smell is just wonderful.
Ethereal, delicate, elegant aromas of flowers, minerals, red fruits, smoke.

12.5% ABV!

2019 got 94 points according to the WA Vintage Guide.
Outstanding. Early maturing and accessible.
Wine?
Vinous - 93
WE - 91

1/6/2023 - DevenStephens Likes this wine:

Really enjoyed but I tend to enjoy high abv wines, strong dark fruits and some coniferous notes. Would be interested to try a lower alcohol bottling of this one as it would probably offer more complexity. Also curious on how the chapelle compares.

4/16/2024 - Sebastian80 Likes this wine:

Tasted blind in a flight of six Iberian wines.
Dusty with some red and dark fruit on the nose. Modest. Fresh acidity.
Feels like it’s in between phases. I would wait 5-10 years for this one because right now it’s a bit disappointing. Easy to pick as a Rioja.

4/16/2024 - Big Juicy Red wrote:

My last of 6 bottles. The aromas are still lively and fresh, but the taste… the fruit is starting to fade a bit, leaving a more austere wine. I like these on the fresher side. Tanins are fully integrated, so to my taste I’d recommend drinking sooner rather than later, although that seems to go against popular opinion.

12/5/2023 - David Paris (dbp) wrote:

This vintage comes across a bit underripe and green compared to most of the recent vintages. We have aromas of the inside of a green bell pepper, some minerals, garrigue and perhaps just the very slightest bit of a half green strawberry. Palate entry is light in body, tannins and acid start right away, with some more flavors of underripe red berries, some veggies, and bits of minerality. Acid builds as its held. More spicy acidity on the finish, where the wine is really dominated by its structure. It's even a biodynamic fruit day and this wine is showing incredibly compact at present. A very tight, and slightly underripe wine at present, I suspect this vintage will require at least 5-7 years to really be enjoyable. Hold.

11/12/2023 - BradleyL wrote:

Avoided a rating because I think this needs more bottle age before it can be fairly judged. This is relatively high alcohol (14.8%) and it shows - this is a spicy wine that doesn't feel integrated yet. It was tasted side by side with a '21 RAEN Royal St. Robert which showed much more ready to drink. If you do open this in the near future, give it a very healthy decant.

12/23/2023 - curtr Likes this wine:

Good structure. Drink 2023 to 2025.

10/29/2023 - curtr Likes this wine:

Wow! at a great point in development.

1/2/2024 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Straight ahead simple Albarino. There are many better, but what is the price?

12/18/2023 - Labrador Does not like this wine:

This particular bottle was very different from my previous bottles, which I have enjoyed. This one was off. It was not flawed but was definitely not good.

12/15/2023 - JMellet Does not like this wine:

This wasn’t very good, almost felt a bit ill afterwards.

9/16/2023 - Irish_Wine Likes this wine:

Sultry, intense nose with great definition. Spicy and peppery on the palate. Elegant but powerful. Drinking now or hold.

WSET Notes:

Pale garnet.

Pronounced on the nose with violet, raspberry, vanilla, incense, cranberry, blackberry, blackcurrant leaf, cloves, cinammon, cedar, dark chocholate, smoke, tobacco, leather, caramel, cola. Developing

Pronounced and dry on the palate with pepper notes coming through. High acidity, medium tannins, medium body. high alcohol, long finish.

Can drink now but has potential for ageing.

3/25/2023 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine:

Decanted an hour. Drank after a 2018 Williams Selyem Weir Vineyard and a 2017 St Aubin PN. This wine is really extracted & full but it was more ripe like the Williams Selyem and less like the St Aubin. Acidity was higher than the WS but not by a large margin. The St Aubin had the classic dusty, Old World nose. I prefer the more feminine, ethereal & less ripe OR PN’s. That’s just my palate. That being said, Russian River CA PN lovers will love this too. Massive flavor.

9/20/2023 - Big Juicy Red wrote:

Still rather young with chalky tannins. High ABV (14%) is very noticeable. Needs an hour plus to open up, then decent Chianti — some earth or iron notes, medium body, moderate finish. Perfectly ok for $17 from Garagiste, but there are plenty of more interesting Chianti Classicos under $20.

5/9/2023 - Wineson Likes this wine:

Very nice easy drinker. Classic chard!

8/22/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

– the grapes that they have are capable of aging. Because they have been making the wine that long, own the vineyards, are all enginers and built their own winery, and work as consultant for many other wineries in the 1980 – 2001, and because they sell off half their fruit, they can punch through to the nitch market of long aged wines. And his dad worked aas the director of the enological / techninncal regional authority.

This wine is a little bit longer… 15 months in oak, and then it went back to the tank, and then its spent the entire time in tank. This started because of the UK market wanting something between Crianza and Reserva. And its much easier to store the wine in large stainless steel tanks, which allows large volumes and keeping it fresh longer. And they discovered that because its not filtered or clarified it gets more stable and yet also doesn’t have sediments. And the Asian market doesn’t want any sediments. Apparently the Asian market really hates sediments. And they want very old things, don’t care if its expensive but don’t want sediments. So this they just bottle when the market demands it. At this point it could be labeled reserva but they don’t do that with this label. They start marketing the wines very slow.

Flowery and pretty on the nose, just a touch of the walnut but more flowery to it. Soft and flowery and perfumed on the palate. Strong streak of acidity running through it. Lively and fresh.

7/11/2023 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine:

I Guessed a Lot on This One - Kinda

Today’s wine was bought sight (and taste) unseen. That was my first guess – that I would like it. The 96 Point review sort of made the guess just a bit easier. As I started to review the wine and then do my usual research, I ended up making another guess; but let’s wait a skosh to talk about that.

My second wine from this winery, this time being a single vineyard wine (I’m actually guessing there as well):

Sandhi "La Rinconada Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2020

Unofficially (that means I guessed), the Rinconada Vineyard at Sandhi started as a Pinot Noir only vineyard in 2012. Since then, I’m guessing (see I told you there were more), they have planted Chardonnay. This could also likely be their inaugural wine (another guess), as I couldn’t find any reference to any previous vintages.

What is not a guess nor a surprise was just how great this wine was. Starting off with rustic stone fruit giving the wine a great mouthfeel that's voluptuous with acidity that is present but not overpowering, the wine continues its presence with citrus notes throughout alongside a certain creaminess to the finish of the wine. Definitely Burgundian in nature.

What little I have tried from Sandhi impresses me more and more each time I partake. Consistent reviews show they mean business and can create impressive wines from year to year. While I have always been more of a Chardonnay drinker than Pinot Noir, I can’t help but think they excel in that arena as well. So no need for guessing on your part, give em a try.

Cheers

7/13/2023 - ken@ampy.com wrote:

Based on the other tasting notes this has to be a flawed bottle. The initial taste isn't awful but the aftertaste is horrid. I'd call it medicinal at best and it won't dissipate. 5 minutes later and it's still at the back of my mouth, even water won't get rid of it. Poured down the drain. Ugh, even 70 points is a stretch.

6/13/2023 - Sagan99 Likes this wine:

Heard much about this wine. Bought it in sunny Mexico.
Finished a bottle of Mayacamas, popped the cork on this.... It had a tough time comparing, though both were pure of fruit. Little wood. Classic Chardonnay character.
Mayacamas was 3 years older.

On its own this morning, this wine was better.
Pale lemon colour
Pronounced Citrus, grapefruit green apple
Banana, lychee, hint of pineapple
Honey
Little of any vanilla or oak etc.

Dry
High acid
High alcohol
Medium body
Long finish 60+

Likely a very good wine if tasted totally on it's own. However, last night, it was against Mayacamas, and these two bottles were very similar in character, and thus the comparables were against this Flowers sample.
It was just slightly underwhelming. A little hohum.

That said, maybe it needs a little time in the bottle... As I've experienced many wines with this identity, which after 3-5, even 10 years, becomes the amazing liquids we all aspire to drink.
If I can find this in Calgary, I'll buy this again... If only to put it to that longevity test.

But, if I had one bottle to buy this afternoon... Mayacamas, in a romp! And a bigger hole in my pocket!

Addendum
After a night in the fridge, with the cork in, and with a little air, this improved in that it opened a bit, to become more fragrant and forward. Much better 2nd day.

Chardonnay 100%
13.5 % abv

PS - Drink the Rainbow.

3/31/2023 - Sagan99 Likes this wine:

This is the 3rd bottle of this wine within 6 months of purchase.

And the rapidity of it's aging seems remarkable.
That is, the wine has aged (@13°-15°C, in the dark) to be more elegant, with silkier tannins and still with the longer finish and previously mentioned typical characteristics.
All within 6 months or so.

This is one of the reasons CellarTracker has helped me resolve - that is, to assess the waves of aging of known inventory, wherein previously, I would find the easiest accessible bottle... And inevitably, many would be on the downside of maturation.
No longer.

I will now look at this wine in early 2024.
If it stays with these maturation mileposts, it will still be gone in a couple of years.

Which is strange, since I thought it would be a bottle per year, and a decade of enjoyment.

Who knows... Maybe that will still be the case.

(With lightly cheesed Pizza tonight.)

Really showing nicely now, even with only an hour decant.
Buy more... But be aware the drinking window here.

PS- Drink The Rainbow!

7/2/2023 - Sagan99 Likes this wine:

Interestingly, a year ago, quaffed the 2020 vintage of this wine, and came up with the same 87 score.

I gave it the benefit of my doubt then, and I'll give it 86 this year. Maybe it's my bias for Moulin-a-vent...

This wine is enjoyable for what it is, but to me, it's not spectacular.

I'll wait until the 2nd or 3rd day in the decanter to sip the remainder of this magnum.
* Addendum -
This gets 85 from me. It's definitely not better after 2 days!

Typical Gamay sparkling Ruby red color
Pale Ruby
Nose pronounced fresh cut violets, raspberries and cassis( black currants)
Orange zest
Earthiness, ever so slight

Body light
Acid? Med low
Alcohol med
Tannins light

Good wine, well made, and there's nothing wrong with it....
Except, I shan't spend anything on this again.

I could try the Tardive Cuvee`, just to see if it's better.
But, it likely takes a little time in the cellar, but will a slightly more tannic recipe of this wine, actually get better?
For me, not measurably...

And then it's, opportunity cost!
There's just too many better wines out there, including Cru de Beaujolais', so... can you say, Moulin-a-vent?

On to the next!
(Maybe Drouhin IS the winery of choice in Beaujolais?)

PS- Drink The Rainbow!

6/7/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

With that yeasty, bread-dough sense of Gruner Veltliner on the nose. And then a nice "secret" sweetness on the mid palate. Fun drinking with its bolder mid-palate. Maybe its the '21 vintage but its really darn fun to drink. Would wish it was $24 or so.

3/23/2022 - Big Juicy Red wrote:

It’s been about a year since my last bottle. There are several glowing reviews since then, so I had high hopes that the wine had evolved and bloomed into something delightful. Alas, I was again disappointed. It’s definitely softened and the flavors have mellowed, but I’m still not getting much beyond some vague violet and dark fruit notes. What really hampers is the big-ass bite of alcohol, especially on the finish. It lacks the flavor depth and complexity to be interesting, and nothing is overcoming the unusually high octane. I’ll probably give away my two remaining bottles.

12/21/2022 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:

Retail $45. 90% Sangiovese,10% Cabernet Sauvignon. While a Chianti through and through, this wine is both fruitier and richer than most wines that I have tried from the appellation. Great fruit, even over a half a dozen of years out with black cherry and plum taking front stage. Add in some sage and even basil with a healthy dose of earth? Yowza. The palate is also rich, but in an Old World kind of way, with plenty of fruit and a whole lot of verve. Yeah. This is up there with the best Classicos I have tried.

www.thedrunkencyclist.com

5/4/2023 - Snowey Likes this wine:

Really really enjoyed this one. Substantial mouth feel and the nose showed more evolution than typical west coast and while not quite Burgundian (acidity was lower) it trended into that direction. Will look for more.

1/25/2023 - tanduybui Likes this wine:

This bottle was a gift so a one-off but it is an excellent wine with significant potential upside given time.

Upon opening, quite fruity but after an hour in the decanter, it was a wonderfully balanced and savoury wine. Cherry, plum, raspberry combined with earthy notes such as black tea, mushroom etc. Very delicious and not at all bright. Nice finish with dusty fine tannin. Loved it.

Drink in two years to 5+ years.

2/4/2023 - Jarndyce wrote:

Neighborhood wine night:

Anthill Farms Harmony 2014 - groups #6, my #6
Clos de la Roilette 2021 - served chilled - Groups #5, my #5
Felsina CCR 2017 - Groups #1 my #2(tie)
Bedrock OVZ 2021- Groups #3, my #4
Faury St Joe 2017 - Groups #4, my #1
Rivers Marie Cab 2016 - Groups #2, my #2(tie)

Chianti, Syrah, zin - decanted and poured back into bottle 60-90 minutes before tasting
Cab - decanted and placed in cellar until 30 minutes before we got to it

11/2/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Again another massive rip off on the Rossoblu wine list that fortunately delivered to an extent. Paid also 300% markup here over retail. Ripe dark fruit and cassis with moderate acidity. Not a ton of Barolo character but more. More pleasing than expected.

3/20/2022 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine:

Normally wouldn't open this so early, but wanted to asses as the 2020s are coming out and the only prior vintage from this site was the 2013. Red cherry, strawberry and raspberry along with spices and earth notes. Medium bodied (13.5% ABV) with red raspberry and red cherry that gains depth the longer it's open. Mid-body is more balanced the 2013 was with some black cherry, dark red raspberry and some high toned red cherry and strawberry behind. There's a real richness through the middle with excellent density and very good complexity, all the while, neatly integrated with the backside and structural qualities. Spices notes on the backside are also more in balance than the 2013. Finished with tannins and acidity that match well with the fruit and then spices, earth and minerals that provide good length. With four hours open, already showing well and should continue along that trajectory. Next bottle for me, late Q1 2023.

10/6/2022 - Big Juicy Red Does not like this wine:

Really nasty for the first 20 minutes, then improves to almost mediocre. Muddled flavors, an alcohol burn that seems greater than it’s actual 13.5%, low complexity and finish. Glad I only paid $14 for it from Garagiste. Disappointed that I have 5 more left.

10/18/2022 - Big Juicy Red Does not like this wine:

Meh. It’s red wine. Not sure what all the fuss is about.

Full disclosure: this shipment arrived about 12 days ago, so maybe there’s still some bottle shock happening, but I was completely underwhelmed. I’ll give my remaining bottles a month or so before opening.

5/16/2022 - Big Juicy Red wrote:

Color is mostly medium ruby, with hints of garnet at the rim. Big aromatics that were primarily vegetable garden -- green bell pepper, lettuce, with a bit of something sticky & funky in the background. Very atypical flavors for pinot, and this carried through the taste as well.

There's an initial bite of black pepper or spice (I thought it might be alcohol, but at 13.5% it's right in the middle), followed by garden vegetable flavors and a little black cherry or other fruit on top. Initial nose and taste are moderate plus intensity, but it's rather thin in the mid palette and finish. Moderate to moderate plus complexity, and no noticeable tannins.

If I didn't know this was pinot, there's no way I would have guessed. Maybe Merlot or Merlot / Cab blend. For $25 it's not a bad wine, but it's an odd bird and certainly not what I'd expect from a pinot. I will note that this shipment just arrived 3 days ago, so there could be some bottle shock involved. I have 3 more bottles and I'll sit on those for at least a month, but I don't have high hopes for them.

9/3/2022 - strawbo Does not like this wine:

Cooked and way too warm in its style for my taste. Flawed?

1/18/2021 - kostaslonis Likes this wine:

Drank at home.
The wine is a blend of 36% Roussanne, 25% Semillon, 22% Chenin Blanc, 11% Chardonnay and 6% Clairette Blanche. The grapes were harvested from different vineyards, they were whole bunch pressed, fermented with natural yeast and matued in old oak barrels.
The wine shows a nice bright yellow color.
In the nose the wine reminds me of Hemelrand by Alheit Vineyards with its nice rich earthy ripe fruit core. The oak element is fine and elegant, ripe stone fruit, mandarin, orange peel grapefruit, a few nutty notes with an airy lemon tart fresh lift.
In the palate, the wine seems more "serious". It feels tighter and more austere than the nose. You get a nice biscuit layer with ripe citrus, quince fruit, medium to high acidity, a beautiful mineral (in)tensity and a medium to long finish.
I like this better than the Cat's Cradle. The wine seems fuller, with bolder flavors amd more potential. Where can I find older vintages of this ?

7/10/2022 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:

This is my third vintage of Reverdon, and I love it. Bright, fresh, and easy drinking. This is the epitome of summer to me. Works great with Margherita pizza plus corn on cob, or salad, or almost anything else. It’s one of my favorite Beaujolais.

Personally, I like it bright and fresh. I just got a few bottles of the 2017 vintage, and they’re nice but much more Burgundian—a little darker, a little heavier, and not as fresh. I’d recommend drinking these within a year or two.

4/7/2022 - Twowinechicks Likes this wine:

Dark red fruit, slightly earthy nose, supple and a hint of funkiness—yet the entire package is fabulous. A producer to pay attention to.

4/3/2022 - Twowinechicks Likes this wine:

Slightly cloudy, a hint of volatile acidity - not unpleasant, although it didn’t seem to dissipate - funky forest floor notes, with accompanying blackberry and cherry fruit, almost chewy texture. We have fewer Chenas holdings in our cellar than other cru Beaujolais, so is it this particular bottle/producer or the Chenas?

12/1/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine:

A delicious wine. Fruit is nice and concentrated. Nice acidity. Alcohol is a hair high at 14%. Really enjoyable wine with lots of life ahead of it.

2/13/2022 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:

By the glass. Beautiful combination between a complex nose with floral and fruity notes and another freshness tempered by a light but always present structure on the palate. Recommended.

Por copas. Bonita combinación entre una nariz compleja con notas florales y frutales y de otra un frescura atemperada por una estructura ligera pero siempre presente. Recomendada.

10/14/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Now the right wine. With some faint pineapple hints to it. Palate is flush with just a touch of hazelnut, but not too much. Crisp palate as well. Goodly amount of acid to it. Fleshy and bright. Still probably one of the best times i've had it.

1/4/2022 - grizzlywine Likes this wine:

Medium-light purple. Quite a funky nose on PnP, which remarkably comes off entirely with an hour's air. Resolves to bright red fruit, sour cherry, and light white pepper background. Medium+ acidity, negligible tannins, and super chuggable. Red cherry leads the palate, but there's beautiful sauvage complexity behind it. Killer natural ferment and obvious expert hand here, this most reminds me of great Guy Breton bottles. First bottle from this producer, and it's excitingly auspicious.

7/30/2021 - JimHow Likes this wine:

Wow, the 2019 Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly Cuvee Zaccharie is a real eye-opener! The wine has everything going for it, great on the nose, beautiful ripe red fruit fruitiness that is beautifully balanced. We got a case of this for $19.99 at Zachy's, what a great deal, wish I had bought another case before they were gone at that price! They say these wines will age but as far as I'm concerned I love the way it tastes now! 93 points.

12/9/2021 - Thebigbaby wrote:

I may have opened too soon. Very light in color and texture. Super tart, which I did not find appealing. Tasted over three days.

12/3/2021 - dagij wrote:

This wine really started reflections on tasting wine, describing it, and scoring it. I bought this wine non-tasted on the quality of being number 12 on the Wine Spectator's list of wine of the year (score 97), and being available. The color is rather light, reminiscent of a (serious) pinot noir, with a hint of brown at the rim. The nose is rather muted, even after several hours in a carafe, but exudes tones of cherry and red berries with hints of dry earth. Medium bodied, nice balance, but doesn't have any punch as I expect from a Brunello. Fine balance, but the main impression is just of a modest wine in the mouth. The aftertaste does not fix the mouth impression; it's easy, light, and quite short. There is nothing wrong with this wine, it's just unimpressive, ordinary, and - well - quite boring. How anyone can rate this at 97 is beyond my grasp. If this is 97, how do you score a 1990 Latour or a 1988 Sassicaia? This is the last time I buy wines on recommendation from WS. Whatever; I now got some bottles for grilled sausages.

11/28/2021 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:

Good flavor intensity and complexity. Not at all grippy or tannic. However, flavor faded after a couple of hours, which has me a bit concerned. I’m still planning to buy a few more bottles and set them aside for a bit.

10/13/2021 - Amerique wrote:

Delcious, dark raspberry fruit with earthy flavors, ample acidity and finish, very enjoyable but lacking depth and complexity

9/26/2021 - jayw wrote:

Overpowering fumes of nail polish remover make this wine undrinkable. Volatile acidity the likely cause.

8/5/2021 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:

As others have noted, it’s rather light with really high acid on first open. Let it breathe for an hour or so, then it becomes much more drinkable. A soft, wide wave of dark cherry, tart cherry, and strawberry flavors flow gently across my tongue. There’s good flavor intensity, but I would say only moderate complexity and finish. Additional time in bottle will probably help.

It’s very fruit focused. There’s a bit of the traditional pinot funk on the nose, but it doesn’t come across when tasting. Overall it’s enjoyable, but not my type of pinot.

9/20/2021 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:

Nose: toast, and something woodsy

Taste: toasted oak, dry mushroom and earth. Very little fruit, low (but still firm) tannins, moderate plus alcohol. Nice, but still very young. It needs to soften and relax some, and hopefully show a little more fruit before I’d call it excellent, but the potential is there.

6/19/2021 - Kerosene Does not like this wine:

I found this to be a bit acidic at first taste. It seemed to calm down a bit after half an hour, but it wasn't nearly as good as anticipated. My guess is that it is past its prime or wasn't stored appropriately at some point since bottling.