3/26/2024 - jonnyoro wrote:

Ever so slightly corked with a great wine lurking beneath…

3/24/2024 - jonnyoro wrote:

Damn great!

1/6/2024 - jonnyoro wrote:

We’ve had this half a dozen times now and it only gets better and better- it has heady floral (citrus blossoms mainly) and honey fragrance and lots of citrus and minerality- with great acidity- just a beautiful completely balanced wine- absolutely delicious

1/1/2024 - jonnyoro wrote:

Terribly oxidized. Perfect storage.

9/8/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

A good bottle.

9/8/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

CORKED, UGH.

9/4/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Completely and utterly oxidized… stored with all the others that have been just fine. What the heck happened here? Purchased from winery on release.

7/7/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Oxidized… why?

5/24/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Haven’t had this in a few years- the oak is now completely integrated and this is drinking great! Tannins have softened, great fruit- blackberry, mulberry, a hint of earth, tar, and tobacco, viscous mouth feel… a finish that goes on and on and on… yum.

5/23/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

A complete wine drinking brilliantly now… pale straw in color… beautiful stone fruit and lingonberry, floral and honey, with wonderful mineral and saline notes… vibrant mouth watering acidity… a real purity from start to finish and it has a really long finish. Delightful.

5/5/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Premox curse… more and more bottles of young white burgundy seemingly afflicted. Somewhat Drinkable but darker color, maderized overtones… a shame.

4/3/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

An absolutely delicious (young) wine- camphor, tar, licorice, smoke, raspberry and blackberry, all on the first breath and taste… needs decanting… the wine has viscosity and persistence and the sweet tannins and acidity go on forever. Really balanced, and while not exactly subtle as a very large scaled wine, it is light on its feet and pairs particularly well with grilled lamb chops. I really love wines that provoke me to write a tasting note!

1/16/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Ten years on from the last one and just as delicious. Medium garnet, still rustic tannins, savory red and blue fruit, very long finish. Still surprisingly viscous in nature… love it.

1/5/2023 - jonnyoro wrote:

Similar to previous note from 6 years ago… only BETTER.

11/15/2022 - jonnyoro wrote:

Oxidized

10/26/2022 - jonnyoro wrote:

Oxidized
Very unfortunate- purchased on release (shared allocation); stored at 55 degrees; bad chemistry.

7/20/2022 - jonnyoro wrote:

Perfect bottle tonight- much more body, fruit, and tannin all in balance; 13.6% alcohol so somewhat ripe for Dunn. Great nose of black and blue fruit; full bodied, blackberries, tea, a hint of smoke and tar; still mouthwatering after 20+ years, and the tannins are sweet and go on forever… a grand slam.

5/2/2022 - jonnyoro wrote:

Uh oh… Fizzy and flawed …. First bottle from a case…

2/19/2022 - jonnyoro wrote:

Best bottle yet. Out of 30.

11/29/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

Purchased on release from winery… and found in the cellar… glad I found it as it is just past its peak but still absolutely rich and delicious. The color was just getting a bit like light amber but only slight signs of oxidation - both rich with lovely tropical and citrus fruit while maintaining an element of savory minerality with some integrated oak and butter lurking in the background now. Good acidity which tingles the tongue. With sole a la meunière, mash and sautéed spinach. Absolutely wonderful but drink now.

11/13/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

We last had this wine in 2016… and honestly, it’s just starting to enter a real drinking window. Still primordial in color, the fruit, tannins, and acid are integrating nicely. Yes there is a slight eucalyptus note on the nose but with air, not really detectable in the flavors- if anything a very slight menthol note on the finish. This is a bold wine with great notes of cherry, blueberry, some floral characteristics, nectarine and tar- not monolithic, it’s very complex… concentrated with real texture, this will go on forever (like the finish).

8/10/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

The bottle wasn’t right.

7/14/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

Strength to strength… a complete, integrated wine at this stage with real upside for the next 7-10 years. Spice, blueberry, nectarine, herbs and a thick texture, juicy sweet and savory tannins, and super long finish ( over a minute and probably the best part)- mouthwatering Oy delicious. Wish I had more.

5/17/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

Previous bottle was certainly over the hill- both purchased at the same time, identically stored. Both corks crumbled when opened… but this bottle was magical. Fantastic black and blue fruit, great viscosity on the mid palate, and very integrated sweet tannins with a super long finish… more reminiscent of a primary bottle we drank in 2005 rather than the disappointing bottle from last year. Wowza.

4/23/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

Outstanding pinot noir- at its peak. Raspberry, black cherry, a little cola, minerality, but more importantly real balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. The finish goes on and on... This is outstanding.

1/11/2021 - jonnyoro wrote:

Drinking very very young... also, a lot of distracting VA - a recent bottle of 2008 was MUCH better- could also be the Sangiovese is too dominant in this version (that’s how it tastes to me) but I’m uncertain about the percentages here. Will let the rest for a long time and see what happens.

12/17/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Corked- waste of time and cellar

11/24/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Ever so slightly corked, but corked nonetheless. Disappointment.

10/20/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Last one. Very unfortunate... bad batch.

9/7/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Damn another premox pos doa- not a good batting average for this- waste.

8/29/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

I last had this 12 years ago- it has developed into an interesting wine- still sort of tastes like biting into a raspberry donut or coulis but it has more acidity and tannins than I remember so that it is no longer cloying with saccharine- it is full bodied and seems like it can age for longer... no heat so that was a big positive... interesting nectarine and citrus notes in the middle and a superlong finish. I really enjoyed it.

8/25/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

This wine is drinking beautifully right now- and goes great with a grilled veal chop and pasta primavera (all the veggies and herbs from the garden)- purchased a few years ago from Sotheby’s retail at $107 per bottle (a steal)... ruby in color, lots of raspberries, herbs and a touch of tarragon and tar... the tannins are integrating well but a tiny bit chalky at this point - leading to savory, mouthwatering long finish. A lovely wine that should improve over the next 8-10 years...

8/24/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Premox- bullshit man.

8/16/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Premox

7/21/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Corked

4/21/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Cellared since release and at an expensive price point back then ($120)- it tastes like a barrel sample... of American oak, big fruit and a bit of heat. I’m not really sure it’s American oak but it has the sour dill telltale signs for my palate. Has a distinct oak smell in the glass too... I’m going to reserve judgement for a couple of hours or so and see how it goes... p.s. the bottle must weigh 5 pounds...

4/12/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Corked. Ugh.

4/8/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Possibly the most balanced and best Australian Shiraz I’ve ever had... aging at a glacial pace but full of nuance, flavor and finesse... lovely.

3/29/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

A bit raisiny. Purchased on release, stored properly, cork perfect but this seemed advanced beyond expectations... not sure what to think.

2/22/2020 - jonnyoro wrote:

Very good for the vintage but still of the vintage...

5/26/2019 - jonnyoro wrote:

My goodness this was alive. No oxidation, bracing acidity, citrus, almost a saline minerality with limestone. Chablis like and a touch austere. My cellar is pretty cold and this was purchased in 1999- $46; last bottle and a really nice surprise.

4/19/2019 - jonnyoro wrote:

I’ve been drinking some older bottles in the cellar that primarily came from my in-law cellar that were purchased in the 70s and early 80s. This was one of those bottles- the fill did not inspire confidence just above mid shoulder and the cork was soaked and a bit crumbly. But the wine smelled good and has a nice ruby red color lightening at the rim but no brown or anything. This is all about the fruit - the tannins are pretty much resolved and it is smooth. Raspberry, black tea, a little forest and earth with a really long finish. Don’t judge a book by its cover- taste it first! Other recent examples of this were a somewhat decrepit looking 1978 DRC Richebourg (WOW) and a 1977 Mondavi reserve (different zip code but still good in its own right)

11/18/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

What a great wine but still 5-7 years away from entering the window coming out of the cold cellar- probably 12-15 years away from entering the perfect plateau. Chewy tannins and all raspberry, meat, blood and pepper everywhere. Throw in a little soy and a dash of balsamic too. Definitely a bit shutdown at this point.

10/16/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

Unbelievable 45 years old? Perfect fill, great cork, dark burgundy, menthol, cassis, tar, cigar, good viscosity, sweet tannins. How can this be 45 years old?? Delicious and should be great for a long time to come.

10/6/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

A perfect bottle... kirsch, soy, garrigue, sage, dash of tarragon, and full of texture and complexity with an ultra long finish. Still firing on all cylinders and one of the best bottles I’ve had of this wine (almost 3 cases and counting). A damn fine wine.

8/31/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

A big wine that is relatively light on its feet... I haven’t had saxum in quite some time and this was really delicious. Definitely could use a few more years in the bottle as the tannins, though sweet, are somewhat searing. But you can tell this wine is coming together beautifully. Starting with the end, the finish lasts 70-80 seconds; solid mid palate with deft weight... and the flavors range from raspberry coulis, ganache, sage, licorice, beef, etc. This is a very bright Syrah that will get better and better. And it’s already 98 points or so!

8/11/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

Last bottle at age 15... a savory cool climate Syrah... lots of pastrami, pepper, black and boysenberry with lovely tannins and lively acidity providing a mouthwatering, long finish. Absolutely wonderful and would be interesting to taste this 15 years from now.

7/17/2018 - jonnyoro Likes this wine:

Still very young with even more potential- this is a complete napa cabernet - let’s start with the finish- sweet tannins, super long finish that goes on forever; lots of black fruit with tar, coal, and molten rock... absolutely lovely- a wow wine that should age very gracefully; one of the best young Cabernets I’ve had in quite a while- YUM

7/3/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

This wine is over delivering on so many levels... one of my top 2003s and on par with a Pegau and deus ex machina. Certainly full bodied but with good acid and tannins to balance the big fruit. Also, typical garrigue, herbs, white pepper and a hint of pastrami (!)... balanced and at its peak with a super long finish. Really a lovely and somewhat surprising 2003 chateauneuf...

5/22/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:

The same as last year (coincidentally in May almost to the day); great fill, great cork, identical note...