4/22/2024 - americanstorm Likes this wine:

3 hour decant. Pretty nose of bright red fruits with the pallet following the nose. Slight fine tannins with a certain minerality, good mouthfeel and long finish. This was my first dunn and I am truly impressed. Definitely old school cab. Paid around 100 several years ago and, at that price I definitely would buy more. Unfortunately, the price seems to have shot up to almost 200, which I'm not willing to pay. Really nice wine. 94-'95

3/24/2024 - John Dunlap Likes this wine:

Limited table side notes. Pretty much a complete Zin. Dark, rich, and well balanced. Simply outstanding. Will age beautifully.

(Served at Underwood Bar and Grill, in Graton, CA. The duck leg confit worked perfectly with this Zinfandel.)

9/2/2023 - forceberry wrote:

My fifteenth note on this wine - and I'm still not bored! Anyways, as always: 8,5% alcohol, 128 g/l residual sugar, 13,6 g/l acidity. Bottled under a natural cork. Carefully decanted due to the ample amount of tartrate crystals in the bottle.

Somewhat evolved golden yellow color - the wine seems to have lost its vibrant neon-green Mountain Dew hue! The nose feels intense and quite concentrated with rich aromas of acacia honey and lemon marmalade, some apple jam, light cantaloupe notes, a little bit of apple jam, light mineral nuances of wet rocks, a hint of almost overripe apricot and a touch of dried pineapple. The wine feels crisp, fresh and incredibly intense on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and concentrated, moderately sweet flavors of lemon marmalade and very ripe apricot, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light saline mineral notes, sweet hints of dried pineapple and candied ginger and a tart, slightly bitter touch of key lime. The level of acidity feels almost ridiculous, offsetting the sweetness so much that the wine feels just somewhat medium-sweet, despite actually being deep into the lusciously sweet category. The finish is crisp, lively and really intense with a very long, acid-driven aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and fresh pineapple, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of candied ginger, light tart notes of key lime and Granny Smith apple, a developed hint of cooked cream and a touch of tangy salinity.

The wine slowly evolved. I'm not sure if it has actually turned that much better compared to the first Caldo Infernale I tasted some seven years ago - only different. It has started to lose its vibrant youthful tones, but developed some wonderfully nuanced, slightly darker-toned evolved nuances that emphasize those tropical flavors, honeyed nuances and creamy characteristics. This still remains one of the best Auslesen I know. I had heard some worrisome news that 2010 Caldo Infernale would starting to be in a decline now, but even if the color is a tad darker than before, I feel the wine is as exceptional as ever. Outrageous value at 24€.

11/20/2023 - Jack Cranley Likes this wine:

This is a top tier and very special Oregon Pinot Noir. Top effort from a top producer who has been consistently putting out peak experiences from the region for close to 40 years.

The 2021 Abbey Ridge Pinot Noir might just be the best wine I've ever tasted from them. It has this incredible ethereal balance and the perfect blend of red fruit, earth tones, foresty mushroomy goodness, framed with spice and nuance.

As is the case with all Cameron Pinot Noir, absolutely worth holding for many years in the cellar, But among the 2021 pinos the Abbey Ridge showed the most friendly and accessible in its youth. So there's just really no wrong answer here on how and when to drink this. Treat yourself to a case and watch it evolve over the years!

1/4/2024 - Mugpie01 wrote:

Just bought a 2009 Jeroboam (3L) from this year, can’t wait to open it !

12/31/2023 - Cailles wrote:

No notes taken. This youthful gem is a revelation, dazzling with its layered complexity. It’s an artful blend of earthy minerality and pure, candy-like fruit, creating a delightful contrast. The precision here is exceptional, each element in harmonious balance. The acidity is the star, keeping everything light and fresh. This bottle confirms it for me: Williams Selyem stands at the pinnacle of Californian Pinot. It’s a superb expression of the varietal. Too bad, it’s hardly available in Europe.

Decanting: Not decanted, followed over three hours. No extensive decanting necessary.

12/2/2023 - gregg g wrote:

Pnp. Electric crimson. Singing from the get go. A perfect place. Nice tart cherries, clove and other baking spices. A bit of sous bois, foresty underbrush. So glad to have enjoyed this wine’s evolution. I have one bottle left.

3/1/2023 - John Dunlap wrote:

Haven't purchased a wine this bad in a long time. I liked the 2019 a lot, but this is terrible and an insult for $63. Lots of band-aid bret and immediate volatility. Tossed down the drain.

11/20/2023 - Jack Cranley Likes this wine:

Superb. An incredible achievement of New world Pinot Noir. A dead ringer for Burgundy. With both richness and decadence balanced with restraint and elegance. And just the right amount of cellar funk.
Smooth and ripe yet still structured and firm. Approachable and easy yet still worthy of the long-term cellar. Really quite perfect in almost every way.
Compared to the other Pinots from the same house and vintage, this one had the most darkness and spice.
Easily good for 20 years if you have the patience

9/7/2023 - Border Boss Likes this wine:

From magnum. Medium gold. Light sweetness, somewhat off-dry. There's light acidity. Very easy to drink. Lots of life in this wine.

8/27/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

What an awesome wine opened by the DQ for tonight. 45 minute slow ox then enjoyed over about 6 more hours. Mid garnet with an orange rim but as it got more air more orange played out. Nose initially old leather, plum and mushroom. But here's the rub. The nose kept getting better and better all through the time it was open. Later some caramel and brown sugar showed up, then later some florals. The palate displayed the expected age with lighter weight in the mouth, a sense of older fruit, but balanced acidity and fully integrated tannins. At 2+ hours graphite showed up on the nose and palate and to me the wine became very 'precise'. While light on its feet, it was very focused then and really delivered. The remaining few hours saw the nose strengthen further and maybe even overtake the palate? This one fluctuated between 93-94-95 for me all-night long. It was such a pleasure to follow this beautiful old Bdx on its journey. My copious handwritten notes from tonight say it so I think I'll settle on a 94. Thanks, Jen! It was a beauty.

7/23/2023 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

My umpteenth time with this, and another win. Wines at this age can be something of a crap shoot given all the variables that a bottle can be subject to over the years. Thankfully this one was in great shape, rendering it consistent with my note of a couple of years ago: "this is a classic wine, with a medium/medium+ body, it’s red-fruited, with good complexity now, and the potential to develop even more in the coming years. It’s still showing plenty of juicy fruit at its core, and shows enough of it to continue to age without fear of drying out any time soon. The alcohol is 13,5%, and the overall structure is in balance, offering good reserve for the coming decade, plus. This was a highly recommended wine when I first tasted it in 2008, and it remains so today." I still have a 750ml from an original case obtained on release, and two 5.0Ls that I continue to hold out hope for the proper event to present itself.

https://www.ItalianWine.blog

10/19/2022 - Sheldog Likes this wine:

Selected this for dinner with our homemade Margherita Pizza. As we were selecting a Pinot to drink we elected to splurge and select a good one. I have never had any Pinot from this vineyard before so we were excited to try it with a fresh palate. The color was light but the nose was robust with herbs and cherry. The taste was even more outstanding with red cherries on the front then finishing with a woody, leathery taste that is outstanding and makes you go “uuummmmmmmmmmmmmmm”. I wonder if maybe they used some American Oak for barrel aging as it seems that the oak is relatively prominent and has some vanilla notes. It is well balanced and in such a good place right now. I do believe this can cellar for another 2-3 years though. This is a special wine and as stated earlier—I have no more of it. I do not even remember seeing this vineyard as an offering from WS. If they ever offer this again, I will get as many bottles as I can possibly get. We are drinking slowly but it is so good, I am pretty sure the bottle will be finished at the end of the evening.

5/21/2023 - Cailles wrote:

No notes taken. Only the second time I come across this producer and it again showed its class. This is a serious Californian Pinot Noir for Burgundy aficionados. Superb purity, bright red fruit, great balance and high elegance. Without that ripeness level, sugar and too much polish the average Cali Pinot often shows. Unfortunately, this is extremely hard, almost impossible to source in Europe, yet is the one Cali Pinot winery I would be most interested to cellar wines from. 94/95, maybe missing a touch of higher complexity for an even better rating.

2/4/2023 - gouldcampbell77 Likes this wine:

Decanted 72hrs

Rich mid amber, the colour of an old sherry cask Scotch. On the nose, dried fruits, fresh apple peel and a hint of furniture polish. Rich and powerful on the palate and again, that hint of apple which reminds me of toffee apples on bonfire night. Subtle and understated, like so many of Ricardo's wines, this creeps up on you and builds in the mouth as the flavours develop but then finishes clean and fresh with gentle beguiling acidity and a lingering aftertaste of toffee fudge. A beautiful, subtle and reflective wine which like a great Scotch, is best just sipped and savoured for what it is rather than being pulled apart. I can see why Jancis gave this 20/20. Malvaisia isn't my favourite incarnation of Madeira but there's no denying this is epic.

Note: This became better and better over the course of a week or so in the decanter. A stunning wine.

Bottled in 2021. Just 531 75cl bottles

4/3/2023 - oenanthe Likes this wine:

Frasqueira, bottled 2012. Very dark, like Madeira sugar or dark rum. Excellent level of sweetness, superbly smooth and seems less alcoholic than the younger wines tasted at Barbeito today. If this were not so expensive I would buy some!

9/9/2022 - rdf58 Likes this wine:

Wow, this is good. Showing some richness and viscosity in an easy drinking style. Lots of up front red fruit balances out some juicy acidity. Not much in the way of tannins. Clearly on the young side but it's a lot of fun at this stage. Nice to see Saitone back in the Carlisle portfolio.

4/6/2023 - Danger dynamix Likes this wine:

A very serious bottle of Riesling. Starts out with a huge amount of petroleum and gunflint - buckle up. Three hours later and we were no where near finding the ceiling. Just kept getting more delineated and fresher as we went along. Very good!

4/1/2023 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine:

I'm the outlier here. I was hoping to be unimpressed so I didn't have to hunt any more down, but unfortunately this blew me away. Such a perfect example of Pauillac. Stern and powerful, yet with enough fruit to balance it out. Dark blue fruit, gravel, with a nice minerality to it. Tannins were not nearly as obtrusive as I expected nor was it shut down...who would have guessed. I loved this.

3/19/2023 - z_willus_d wrote:

John's note below very well describes the experience over two nights with this mature, very solid bottle of Barbera. This particular bottle was rejected as part of a larger sale of a portion of my cellar to make room for new arrivals (due to stained/worn out label). The cork pull showed a perfect cork with no signs of age or dryness. I'm glad I had a chance to try this wine, as I haven't had many (if any) 15+ year aged Barbera before. The wine was complex, had loads of depth and carried its components with still loads of verve and bright energy. That Teriyaki and umami note that John included in his TN stands out. I'm not sure when I'll come by another one of these with my current wine purchasing patterns, but the memory of this wine will stick for at least another 15-years.

1/6/2020 - John Dunlap Likes this wine:

Trying to clear-out the cellar a little bit in advance of our move Sonoma. Have become too comfortable "saving" wines for another day.

Ullage was good but cork was problematic.

As mentioned previously in my CT notes, the color is quite nice with a medium-yellow hue and showing no signs of advanced age. Noes needs time to open. At about the one hour mark, the honey, brown sugar, and raisins components become nicely integrated. Some apricot too. Anise seed anyone? Tough not on the scale of a Sauternes, there must be some botrytis in this wine, adding a dollop of complexity on the nose and palate. The profile turns slightly apple skin astringent at the end. Not the end of the world, but holds back the overall experience.

Better than the previous bottle, but drink up.

Serve with light desserts that are mildly sweet.

1/28/2023 - PVJC Likes this wine:

Drank side by side with a 2019 Rafanelli, both very good, divided vote in the end on the winner. I preferred the Carlisle. The Raf by comparison came across jammier and more extracted, and I would have guessed 1-2% higher in alcohol although only a 0.2% difference. This had great classic zin character, just a little more restrained.

1/7/2023 - ploher wrote:

Jesus christ what a terrific nose; beautiful fruit reminding me of sweet, ripe apricots and tangerines, incredible freshness that comes out of the glass along high quality oak. Aromas of something like hay and popcorn here as well. Just stunning. The palate is full bodied and has a beautiful satiny texture, it's generous and powerful with sweet corn yet so finely balanced and breathtakingly fresh, also very transparent. The finish lasts for minutes and is surprisingly racy and spicy. Absolutely incredible Chardonnay once again from Ridge. 19/20.

12/22/2022 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine:

Wanted to check in with this 2015, and even though it has not shut down it certainly takes some work to open it up, but wow when it opens up it is as every bit as good as I was hoping when I tasted it a few years back during En Primeur. Profound aromas of dark plum, cherry, bitter chocolate, bay leaves, black peppercorn and cedar notes. The palate is medium-full bodied, velvety and plush with notes of restrained dark red berries, crushed stones and polished tannins. The mid-palates is layered with waves of dark fruit and chocolate, leading to textured, long and slightly spicy finish. 96 points today, however this will be an easy 98 in a few years down the road. 98 points in 10 years time, if I can wait that long.....

10/27/2022 - dino_mike Likes this wine:

My magnum drank over 2 days: Delicious nose of ripe cherry, some briar raspberry, a touch of licorice and root beer. Mouthfilling and smooth, the baked red fruit and sassafras flavors mix well to a great long finish that's perfect. Every sip over 2 days was delicious and compelling. Should be this great for another 2 years I think but perfect now.

11/26/2022 - 87tellub Likes this wine:

PnP notes: Medium garnet color. Nose is quite earthy and savory with a mineral backbone; with some more air getting more red berry notes and some meaty notes. Palate is incredibly lively with vibrant juicy darker cherry, black raspberry, plum skin, cured meats, finishing with more mineral and iron (latter notes were more in the early glass). Quite pleasing to drink.

Update: Stored in the fridge and didn't have any on night 2, but this really pops on night 3. Just seamlessly integrated and beautiful on the palate. Incredible depth of fruit purity for 12.2%. Had it at a 92 on night 1 but probably a conservative 94 night 3. Bottles like this are why I enjoy wine.

11/18/2021 - Aravind Asok wrote:

Arrived today, so likely a bit bottle shocked. Decanted. Notes from 1 hr open.

Well s*!*. Another fantastic vintage. Certainly not as easily accessible as the 17, and not nearly as forward as 14, 16 or 18. Not quite as balanced up front as the 15...maybe like a riper 11 (a vintage I adore). This is another stunning young bottle of OR PN. There should be no pretense of objectivity here: I adore this wine. On the nose: this screams with wild strawberry and black cherry fruit, then some soft vanilla and blackberry compote with a lovely savory undercurrent. On the palate: stunning acidity as always, with clear whole cluster notes and perhaps a bit of stem inclusion. Fantastic density, which is perhaps where this really separates from the 11 and moves toward the 12 or the 15. Silky, lithe, elegant and downright sexy tannin on the finish. How is it possible to get this much fruit and texture at 12.2% ABV? Wow.

11/4/2022 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine:

2004 Piedmont Theme dinner at Solo Ristorante. Drank in Conterno Sensory. Bordeaux decant done back into bottle beforehand. Very fine sediment eliminated.
Appearance pale intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of initial blast of fresh rose flowers, fresh fine tar, earth, fresh red cherries. Progressed to dark violets, dark red cherries, and persistent tar at the dinner. Developing.
On the palate, dry, vibrant high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), very refined structured high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet red plums, lovely dancing sour red cherries, sweet tar and earth, background minerals. At the dinner, violets tar dark red cherries + sweet plums. VA emerging with more air also only to recede on day 2/3. Very very long finish.
Excellent quality. My favourite of the 2004 line-up on account of its vibrancy and freshness and complexity. Has a long runway.

10/14/2022 - OenoEd Likes this wine:

My favorite of an 11 vintage vertical tasting, followed by the '98, '00, and '82. I had no idea I'd be seated next to brilliant wine writer, John Gilman, and across from Mark Golodetz, a host, benefactor, and long time advocate of these intriguing wines, when I agreed to attend this tasting, a noble and important fundraiser for Ukraine Aid International. I did not read notes or reviews of vintages before the tasting, and made my own notes before hearing others. We are too often influenced by others' opinions, if we don't keep those blinders on! Magdelaine has too often been underappreciated in its youth, too lean and tight and old school. But John called this right early on; it has evolved into a glorious and iconic Saint- Emilion 30 years down the road. Steely, black granite, open, almost lush but with a firm tannic backbone and lifting acidity. Ripe red berries mingle with red cherry pits, cough drops, and Spring flowers. Subtly sweet briary red fruit carries through the long finish. At peak, with at least 15 years of great drinking ahead. An elegant lightness of being, Princess Leia brandishing a mean lightsaber. I rarely fail to find a suitable pairing; this is best appreciated as a solo date.

2/5/2018 - forceberry wrote:

Bottle #1188 out of total 1906 bottles. Aged for close to 50 years in old American oak casks. Bottled in 2017. Supposedly 65-75 g/l residual sugar, 10,1 g/l acidity.

Medium-deep luminous bronze color. The nose feels ridiculously complex and nuanced with powerful, savory aromas of salted nuts, burnt sugar and molasses, some antique furniture, a little bit of dried figs and raisins and a hint of mushroomy sous-bois. The intensity and complexity here is just beyond words. The wine at first feels medium-sweet, but it immediately turns very savory and almost bone-dry, thanks to the bracing acidity that gives the wine incredible, almost electric intensity. There are more savory than sweet flavors that include salted lemon wedges, meaty umami tones and soy sauce, stony minerality, some molasses and caramel, a little bit of tart green apples, light Tawny Port nuttiness, a hint of Sun Maid raisins, a touch of developed smoky character and nuances of slivered almonds and sorrel. Trying to capture everything you taste and write it down seems impossible. The bright finish is very lively with bracing acidity, incredible precision and ridiculously intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits, chopped nuts, some molasses, light Fino Sherry notes of green apple wedges and sorrel, a hint of smoke and a salty-umami touch of soy sauce. The aftertaste is almost mouth-puckering with its lemony acidity and it goes on for minutes.

Although I suspected this wine to be at least medium-dry - perhaps even medium-sweet - because of its somewhat sweet impact, I was astonished to hear the wine is actually practically sweet at way more than 50 g/l of residual sugar. No way it does taste like it, all because of the piercing, electric streak of acidity that gives the wine ridiculous focus and freshness that is impossible to describe - you just have to taste it for yourself. This residual sugar gives the wine incredible richness and lots of caramelized tones in addition to the more typical lemony and smoky flavors of Sercial Madeira, that is usually made into dry-to-off-dry style. This wine is a proof that this racy variety can be made into astoundingly beautiful sweet Madeira as well with a character that hides the sweetness of the residual sugar almost completely. Although still a mere baby (at 50 years of age, sheesh!), the wine is a remarkable experience already. However, I'd not rush with the wine, as it will only get better during the next century or three.

1/19/2000 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:

The labelling is rather puzzling: Oloroso Añada 1918 1/39. Añada indicates single vintage sherry but surely that will not be the case when I paid GBP 6.95 / half at BBR? And 1/39 is a clear reference to a solera. Excellent wine anyway; almonds, flowers, fruit; immensely concentrated and structured, velvety texture seems to hint at sweetness but make no mistake: this wine is bone-dry; excellent length.

4/26/1991 - MicklethePickle Does not like this wine:

At Singer & Foy survey of '83 Bordeaux. Dark ruby, but lightening up at the edge. Distinct clove and cinnamon stand out in the forward, fruity (though lightish) aromas. Seems ready to go round the bend. Probably fully mature. "Glue" smell. In the mouth, it behaves better. Certainly round and elegant, but even here there is a disturbing "off" component. Oaky. A tremendous disappointment. 4-8-12-3: 77/100.

7/9/2022 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine:

Prior bottle was three and a quarter years ago and this wine has held up well. Apricot, orange, pineapple and lemon notes on a nose that remains quite aromatic. Still between medium and full bodied (has kept its depth, not thinned out) with white peach upfront, moving to orange, pineapple and other tropical notes on the backside. Moderately tart acidity as well as citrus notes of orange and lemon on the backside still provide quite good structure and contrast. Overall, the wine remains in a great drinking window with excellent overall balance between fruit/acidity. The only reason I marked it down slightly was the complexity seemed a bit less than the stellar nature of my first four bottle and the acidity (not surprisingly) not quite as vibrant. That said, this wine clearly has the fruit and structure to remain rewarding for at least another couple of years, if not longer. I'll plan to open my next bottle in June/July 2023.

6/29/2022 - ricard Likes this wine:

Low expectations = high returns. You can see the restraint. It's subtle. But when you pour this down the hatch F**K ME this is crazy s**t. Oily thick unctuous immense cascading rivulets of sheer power and aggression. Unforgettable. Treacle, molasses, fudge. An assault on the senses and the mind. No drink dates - this is a forever wine. Totally ace.

7/1/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote:

This was a great year for Pomerol, but somehow, even for me the Client lover, this came a little short. Clay notes, tobacco, cedar, soft fruit and persistence in pull. But the finish seemed a tad watery, disjointed, and slightly hot. A bit of 2012 going on here for me. Though that vintage was dogged and then it exceeded expectations after aging in bottle (especially in Pomerol), this one came out with much rave and now has big shoes to fill. Time will tell...HOLD for 7 years. Has promise for sure.

5/30/2022 - gouldcampbell77 wrote:

Last of my case of 6 and the best yet. This wine is now fully mature and drinking superbly. The colour is still very dark but there is now a distinct tawny/foxy hue that wasn't there a couple of years ago.

The nose is all dark smashed fruit, fresh tobacco and underbrush. There's just the slightest hint of decay (in a good way), like leaf mold. On the palate, that perfect point between fruit and maturity. There's good grip and tannin still alongside the mature fruit. Absolutely 'a point' right now and absolutely no regrets about drinking this, my last bottle.

5/20/2022 - rdf58 Likes this wine:

The 2016 Papera Ranch continues its winning streak. Aging nicely with juicy acidity and bright red fruit notes. Probably approaching its peak now.

4/24/2022 - Cailles wrote:

48x 1990 (37x Bdx, 6x Napa, 5x others): I’ve never had a Magdelaine before but I can see why people rave about this producer. It is so classic, fresh with tons of minerality and structure which sets this wine apart from so many other right banks. It’s not very complex but still fun to drink - although I liked it more than the rest of the group. 91 pts.

TN: Very particular nose with quite cool and fresh fruit, herbs, minerality. On the palate this show quite nice with, superb freshness, classic, minerality-driven. Lots of fun to drink. Classic. It doesn’t have depth of the big names, it doesn’t have the sexiness, but that classicism and coolness sets this wine apart.

Decanting: Quick double decant roughly 3 hours before the tasting which seemed enough to open the wine up.

1/21/2022 - Comte Flaneur wrote:

Drank alongside the 1970, these two were evenly matched and just brilliant, mature, complex examples of unadulterated old school St- Emilion. Both were light on their feet with a dazzling array of complex tertiary nuances on the palate. This 1982 probably just edged it in the end because it had a bit more drive, energy and follow through.

2/26/2022 - Cailles wrote:

The depth, density, structural frame and textural composition of this wine are impressive. But I didn’t like the aromatic profile of the wine: too much licorice, dried fruit and some broth notes for my taste (vs pure fresh fruit). I’m not sure if that profile is supposed to be like this (never had a Granbussia before) or if the bottle aged at a much faster pace than it should have (broth notes are usually not a good sign). 90 pts for me, for the intellectual pleasure with the high complexity and good frame.

TN: The nose is dominated by very intense licorice aromas along black tea, hints of broth and crushed rocks. Very intense and precise but not my cup of tea. On the palate this has a wonderful creaminess, combined with a lightness, melted tannins but still good tension, high but well integrated and round acidity. Good length. Lots of liquorice and sweet bread, spices, rather dried dark and red fruits, minerality, some hints of leather. Lots of aromatic pressure from the attack towards the finish, all with a good balance and harmony.

Decanting: A short decant should be sufficient.

5/5/2012 - KeithAkers wrote:

Celebrating Tooch's move to Chicago (Browntrout, Chicago IL): nose: fresh and succulent nose with tones of green apples, caramel and some butterscotch tones as well. Good balance with nice depth, but not the most complex kracher.

taste: full bodied with a real delicious feel. Good medium acidity and plump tones of green apples, caramel, honey and brown sugar tones. More complex on the palate than the nose with good depth.

Overall: this is a classy kracher. Not the most amazing kracher I've had, but still provides the quality that I want from it.

4/1/2021 - John McCabe wrote:

Always my favorite Brunello of all time, and this didn't disappoint. Hedonistic, has marzipan, cedar and anise components with blue fruit. Rich, decadent and complex. The unique house style is unmistakable, and while consistent across vintages this vintage is the most fully resolved and complete - of my other favored vintages, the '04 has more power, the '01 has too much power, the '99 is likely fading and the '10 is not ready yet. The '06 is utterly fantastic though.

8/2/2021 - mikita77 Likes this wine:

A rather thrilling white from a town that‘s all about its reds. The Vougeot Blanc has an intensely beautiful nose and shows both depth and an almost electric fresh mouthfeel. Some wood, but not overwhelming. A lovely Chardonnay from the Côte de Nuits, rather a rare wine.

1/24/2022 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:

This is a baby; but it is good stuff; the nose is exuberant with ripe red and blue fruits, also quite a lot of mineral/stone notes, very floral, and a hint of orange peel. The palate is initially quite fruit forward and super primary, but with a bit of air, this actually tightens up and becomes livelier and more mineral driven. Remains very floral and mineral throughout. Great development potential here. Hands off for at least 5-8 years.

4/25/2021 - brasstab Likes this wine:

Transcendent. Tar and Roses, sure, but also banana — yes, banana — as noted by Uncle Andre. It continued to develop over the next three hours, over a long Arizona night. Sweet, savory, brambly and elegant. All at once.

1/2/2022 - Hanibal Likes this wine:

An excellent mature sauterne. Served blind everyone was sure this is a sauterne. The acidity is still very much present as well as flavors of marmalade and floral. This could still age for decades, showed no signs of fatigue at all.

11/9/2021 - csimm wrote:

Halloween in the Vice Versa Cave: Deeply pitched apricot, lemon curd, ripe yellow citrus, marmalade, and honey make for a fairly advanced showing here, though it’s not without the requisite frame to hold it all in place. Finishes on the richer side, with an unctuously chewy candied lemon rind that is fortunately lifted by the casual but persistent bead of bubbles deliberately pulsating through the veins of the otherwise developed profile. A succulent Champagne that manages to pull it all off without seeming to too heavy or opulent. 94-95 points. Drink now.

1/3/2022 - Goodwine4ever wrote:

Jaune doré, le nez est sublime sur des notes d'abricot, on reconnait la signature typique d'un Sauternes. En bouche...quel équilibre ! Absolument sublime, acidité a point, belle richesse sans aucune sensation de lourdeur, pas le coté vernis a ongle ou d'amertume en fin de bouche, longueur interminable, un GRAND Sauternes, ne fait pas s'est 38 ans. Magnifique Bravo !

6/8/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Aerated in wide-bottom decanter for ~ 2 hours, served blind. Thrilling nose, and in many ways quite unique - fun, and lovely mixture of red, blue, and black hard candies, white, red, blue, and purple flowers, red, blue, and some black berries, and a lovely, subtle yet poignant foundation of soil underscoring all of it. Cool, fresh acidity. A medium body that has much more presence than its 12,5% abv. might suggest. Given the freshness, etc., here, this should hold at this level for another decade no problem. This bottle was in excellent+ condition, and for this, each of us was very thankful. A lovely, highly memorable experience, and a true standard bearer of world-class Saint-Estephe. very highly recommended

8/10/2021 - mdefreitas wrote:

One of the best Fajã dos Padres wines I've had. Such a palate-piercing, intense and lengthy wine; not for the acid-adverse. This has the classic Barbieto treatment of Malvasia, meaning not to heavy or sweet, but rather lacy and ethereal. Gorgeous.