3/19/2024 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant. Any earlier and you’ll be premature- I tasted every 30 minutes.

This is a really beautiful Chianti.

Has that mild, balsamic-mint nose that quality Sangiovese acquires. Earthy, not floral.

Medium bodied with moderate tannins offset by some syrupy balsamic glazey flavor.

Wish I bought more than 2 bottles. Will drink my final bottle on a special occasion.

3/1/2024 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

3 hour decant.

Nose is slate and mineral and pencil shavings with the ether of the alcohol making itself known as well.

This is phenomenal wine. Reminds me of the 2005 Clos du Marquis Saint Julien that we had in Paris in 2014 in our friends’ apartment on Ile Saint Louis. At 9 years old that wine was so delicious, it imprinted on me.

This one is now only ~7.5 years old, and it is definitely in the beginnings of its drinking window.

Plum jam… if I had to name one dominant flavor. But it is essentially a very sexy cabernet that is drawing me in every sip, testing my mediocre ability to describe in detail that which I simply want to declare as “delicious.”

Worthy of a special occasion, if you patiently decant.

2/10/2024 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

4 hour decant

This is delicious right now. After a fairly patient decant, this wine is starting to open and show itself. I would go 6 hours on the next bottle if trying in the next 12 months.

Nose is balsamic and herbaceous, not floral.

Texture is very silky. Feels lighter in body than most other Brunellos of this exceptional vintage. This has more translucence around the edges than other ‘16 Brunellos and even as you look to the center of the glass there is less dark brooding red than I expected.

Fruit is super premium, you can tell. The tannins are chewy at this stage, but they make for a delightful sip.

Making homemade pasta with the Torchio extruder this evening and looking forward to sipping this wine as the night unfolds.

1/6/2024 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant

Phenomenal wine.

Doesn’t need a lot of coaxing or massaging. Tasted very good at the 1 hour decant mark… tasted even better at 2 hours.

As good or better than some of the best ‘16 Brunellos I have tried.

Beautiful fruit ball, moderate acidity, moderate tannins.

Flavor does a gymnastic floor exercise as you swirl, sip, wash over your tongue, and then swallow. So much going on here. The finish is sublime.

Sangiovese flexing hard. Love it.

12/27/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Pop and pour; no decant.

Nose is developing in a very short time in the glass.

Wine is delicate and very approachable.

Medium bodied with tawny brown edges.

While definitely mellow and integrated, it still has an underlying freshness and zip.

Perfect pairing with broiled salmon.

I’m not a big pinot noir guy but I could get used to this. :)

12/25/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

5 hour decant. Needs all that air for sure.

Once the rough edges got sanded off with the air this settled into a delicious, very mellow Barolo.

Medium bodied, with translucent edges. Dry on the front end, juicy and interesting on the back end of the taste. A lot going on with this wine. Every part of the taste is different, revealing genuine complexity that is packed with pleasure.

Go for it now on a special night, but go longer than you think on the decant. I would go 8 hours next time.

12/25/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant. Tastes a little green any time before 2 hours.

Nose is gushing with fresh grape skin elements. Smells like your favorite aged Bordeaux.

Fruit is phenomenal. So plush and round. Just the right amount of oak to round out the overall mouthfeel.

This wine is a real crowd-pleaser. Anyone with a baseline affinity for California cabernet will appreciate this wine.

12/25/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant, and glad I used a filter… lots of sediment.

Nose is faint rose petal.

Mouth feel is very silky through and through. This is a lighter body than the typical Calcareous Cabernet. There is a sweetness to this that reminds me of their Reserve Grenache… very delicious to drink, with tannins and acid that take a back seat, but are still very much pleasantly present.

Can tell much care and attention went into the making of this wine.

12/25/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant.

Nose is decadent and foretells the ripe fruit you are about to savor.

This is a very good Napa Cab, but does not come close to the 2010 Araujo Eisele Vineyard… that was very close to perfection for me.

Nothing really special here, but also nothing to turn you off. Drink now and you won’t regret it, but this could probably use a bit more time in the cellar.

12/12/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

No decant… pop n pour.

Approachable right away. Can tell this is a special wine after the first sip. This is plush on the front end, and silky on the finish. The pleasure center of your brain will be activated and you will involuntarily raise the glass to your lips to confirm the initial assessment.

If I was blind tasting this I would guess 90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc (delightfully detectable on the finish) from an expert Merlot house.

Label shows 50% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc , 20% Cab Sauv, and 10% Petit Verdot.

After an hour, this is developing nicely.

QPR is off the charts.

12/9/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2.5 hour decant… next time, I will aim to open and decant 3.5 hours before guests arrive.

For a Bordeaux, this is a fairly jammy wine with low acidity and complex tannins that are well integrated through and through. Very easy to drink. No off notes.

Open now without any regret, but don’t drink before 3 hours of patient decanting.

9/9/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

7 hour decant.

Nose is slightly spicy, and balsamic.

This is very well integrated. There is a big ball of syrupy fruit that forms the main flavor profile. This is very welcome. It isn’t overwhelming. But you also won’t wish it had more fruit. Very pleasing to the California red drinker.

Silky endless finish notches this from a 93 to a 95. Go for it, but give it a long decant.

9/1/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

1 hour decant… acids still a little sharp, nose is overly floral.

Should have done a 2 hour decant.

At the 2 hour mark the wine settles into a well integrated form. Nose is multi note at this point… you get rose petal and red fruit.

On the palate, this is light and silky. That silkiness that separates good wine from great wine. You can tell this is not the winemaker’s first rodeo. There was clearly skill and care put into the grape selection and whole process.

The finish is a bit more grippy than the typical high end Pinot… just be zen with that and enjoy!

8/18/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

So much pleasure and elegance.

Nose is ripe -but not overwhelming- pineapple, with a subtle granny smith apple underneath.

The front end of the taste is extremely subdued and silky smooth… no bite whatsoever. Probably could be called saline. Mellow, mellow, mellow is the name of the game. Not a wine that shouts. This is a wine that whispers.

As you complete your sip, the tannins and juicy fruit emerge together, without force, and your brain involuntarily goes “wow” and your mouth involuntarily utters “this is soooo good”

7/20/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

What Champagne is supposed to taste like.

So smooth and mellow and full of pleasure.

Grateful for the special occasion to open and share with family.

7/15/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

1.5L bottle with a 5 hour decant

Bouquet is generous. Berries and currants with mineral notes that make the nose really enjoyable.

Color is very dark plum skin

Very well integrated acidity and tannins. Would say that the deliciously chewy tannins are the main part of the tasting experience. Lots of classic Bordeaux cabernet fruit showing nicely.

Will wait another year for the next try.

6/29/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Pop n pour- excellent right away. Silky length is apparent, and is the defining characteristic.

After 1.5 hours of breathing, this wine moves into the another category of excellence.

Campania for the win.

6/24/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

4 hour decant.

Delicious.

Mild and delicate. Not too acidic or grippy. Fruit is there, but is old-world mellow and long.

Drink now with 4-6 hour decant and no regrets…or stay patient.

5/7/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Sweet, smooth, and moderately crisp. Very easy drinking, once you acclimate to the honeycrisp apple sweetness. The very low alcohol level (8.5% abv) makes this a refreshing wine to enjoy on a warm afternoon.

5/1/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

1 hour decant.

Burgundy is way outside my area of familiarity, so I got this based on the recommendation of the nice guy at K&L Hollywood. He was right… a delicious wine for the price ($25).

Typical pinot nose of rose petals… very pleasant.

Light bodied, with beautiful fruit and not too much tartness. Tannins are very gentle.

Wish I bought more than a single bottle.

4/27/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Opened, then put away for 24 hours.

This wine tastes like an afternoon in San Sebastián.

Bright and crisp, with well integrated tannins that seem to zip up my tongue like a grippy zipper. This is wine that pairs well with the grilled chicken thighs and pesto that I’m enjoying for dinner.

4/13/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

6 hour decant.

A bit too spicy for my taste. First half of the sip is alluring and enjoyable, but the spice takes over halfway and dominates the palate.

4/6/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Phenomenal wine. Share with close family or friends. You won’t be disappointed.

4/6/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Try to find a better Sonoma Zinfandel. I’ll wait.

3/26/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Do not taste this prior to the 6th hour of decanting

Then, you will experience an other-worldly Sangiovese.

So much complexity and mystery that eludes narrow description.

Lives up to the hype and reputation..

3/25/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Solid weeknight pizza or pasta wine.

Pop and pour.

Even right out of the bottle, there’s fruit to enjoy.

After 30 minutes of breathing, the wine earns its 90+ score.

Feels like a classic table wine that you can get for 25 euro at a restaurant in the old country. Nothing spectacular, but nothing wrong either.

Excellent value for the money.

3/20/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

No decant; pop and pour.

A smooth linear wine.

Not a lot of complexity, unfortunately.

Not much fruit to speak of; mostly modest grip and acidity.

Those two elements are in harmony and make this a nice wine to drink with dinner, but not a wine you crave more of.

3/2/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

2 hour decant

Light ruby colored body, with carnation-pink edges.

Body is medium.

Has a subtle bouquet that is appealing but hard for me to describe.

On the palate, there are no off notes, at any point. It is incredible through and through.

There is definitely fruit to enjoy and savor. Like a thin layer of the best homemade jam you can imagine. Not jammy… but there is a core of jamminess that the sweet flavors eminate from.

This transitions to a brief intermission with light, crisp acidity. This couples perfectly with the alpine swiss cheese I’m nibbling on. If I could get my hands on a proper 36 month Vieux Comte, this would be a delightful pairing. But I digress.

Then comes the highlight- a silky, long-lingering finish that has just the right level tannins.

This wine is ready now with a 2-3 hour decant. Go go go.

2/19/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Decanted for 4 hours.

This is definitely in its prime. Fully integrated tannins in utterly perfect balance. Mellow, but not subdued. St Emillion merlot as good as it gets for the price. Punches way above its weight class. This will not disappoint.

1/4/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Mind-blowing.

Sets the bar for me.

Mellow, but not subdued or boring. Had plenty of energy, from start to finish.

The fruit is just the right amount of juicy, after running its marathon in the cellar. The tannins are woven perfectly into the finish which seems to go on forever.

Thanks dad for approving this pull from the cellar!

1/27/2023 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Pop and pour, no decant required.

Classic, well-balanced California Cabernet: bright, juicy fruit, and light to medium tannins. Subtly integrated acidity.

Definitely a crowd pleaser. Snobs may gripe about this or that… but if you mainly care about enjoyable flavor from the first sip to the last, open this bottle any time and you’ll be glad you did.

Coupled really nicely with the croccatini crackers and d’affinois cheese we had out to snack on while cooking dinner.

9/29/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

5 hour decant.

Bouquet is dreamy.

Profile is mellow and subdued. The fruit is there, and oh, is it delicious. The tannins gently wrap around the complex fruit ball.

This wine requires no accompaniment. No coaxing.

Just excellent Bordeaux that rewards the patient home cellar manager.

9/20/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

The low level of alcohol, the light to medium body, and the mellow tannins make this extremely drinkable right out of the bottle, no decanting needed. Everything in balance. No defects. Nothing significantly special, other than easy enjoyment and pairing with food. Any meal you were thinking of pouring a chardonnay… pour this instead.

8/25/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Very good after 30 minute decant…Utterly delicious after 5 hour decant.

Pale ruby translucent color.

Enticing nose.

Perfect level of grip mid-taste, with a silky and semi-syrupy finish. The Sweet and Tannic grip and Bright acid… all in wonderful blissful harmony.

Easily approachable now, with a solid 95 score.

Keeps ticking higher in the coming years.

7/21/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

4 hour decant… silky smooth, seamless transition from start to middle to long finish. Just the right amount of sweet fruit and acid then the already mellow tannins come in. Excellent Brunello.

7/18/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Crisp and easy drinking. Not boring. Lovely. Pour this for the champagne skeptic who thinks it is just one note and destined to cause a headache… you will convert them.

7/9/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This is in a very, very good place… the whole experience is smooth and integrated throughout. The fruit is alive and well, and the tannins are right where they need to be. Goldilocks zone right now. If you love Sangiovese, this one is worth every penny.

2/20/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Very high QPR. 90 minute decant. A very delicate nose; not overly floral, but not fully muted either. Not a sweet or jammy wine. Lives mostly in the middle of the tongue… really nice balance of moderate acidity and mellow tannins. Fantastic with roast chicken, potatoes, and veggies.

2/1/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This delicious wine is ready to GO right NOW. Pop and pour and be happy. Great quality for the price. This wine is smooth and balanced and does NOT need to pair with food. Get thee to K&L asap and acquire.

1/30/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

After a 1 hour decant this wine has dropped the intial tartness and saline finish and has mellowed into a delicious cab franc. It is a joy to drink, after just a little breathing.

An excellent wine to pair with roast chicken and potatoes. There is brightness and acidity, without being overwhelming, and the grippy finish just keeps getting better with each sip.

The nose on this is quite distinctive and beautiful.

1/10/2022 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Delicious wine. After 2 hour decant, this really came into balance, sanding off the tart notes that were coming through on the intial taste. Despite 2017’s reputation as a weaker left bank year on the whole, this wine really shines. Last Clos du Marquis I had was the 2005, which I had in Paris in 2013… it was excellent. In this 2017, there is bright non-overbearing acidity to start, then some jammy fruit briefly, then really balanced tannins on the long finish.

11/22/2021 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Elegant in every way. That light ruby color from bottle to decanter. Like that old, aged Gaja magic in a bottle. Decanted for 4 hours. Tannins in perfect harmony. Long silky finish. Sets the bar for sangiovese in my book. Will age well, of course, but this is utterly beautiful right now.

8/22/2021 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This is the most immediately approachable 2016 Brunello I have tried. (Have tried: San Filippo, Talenti, Donatella Colombini, Argiano, Altesino, Casanova di Neri, Banfi, and Castello Romitorio all from 2016).

The others required a 4 hour decant to even start to show… this was a 1 hour, and already developed an appealing profile. What do I mean by this? Mainly… not too much acidity. The other Brunellos have all sorts of fruit and earth to love, but the early acidity on those means we have to be super patient.

This wine, on the other hand, feels ready to roll right now with minimal massaging (decanting, day 2 drinking etc)

Get some

2/28/2021 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Guys, this is DELICIOUS!!!! So good!!!! I wish they would openthe flood gates and let us buy it unconstrained, by the case!!!!

1/10/2021 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This is so good. It is a “wow!!” wine, for sure. Decanted for 2 hours. The nose is gorgeous. There is just the right amount of jammy fruit to put the palate at ease, which quickly hands over to balanced grippy acid and perfect tannins. This is a very challenging wine to drink slowly... you just keep reaching for more, effortlessly.

11/18/2020 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This wine is an extremely attractive QPR aka taste for price. Really easy drinking. Buy a case for what... $72?! and protect those more expensive bottles in your cellar for special occasions. This does the trick. No off notes.

11/10/2020 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

Decanted for 4.5 hours... oh my. This is so delicious. Very grippy / tannic on the front end of the taste, when i first tasted upon pouring into the decanter. After a leisurely decanting, the grip moves to the middle of the overall experience, and settled down a bit. This wine is special. And hope to string my case out over the next 20 years...11 bottles left! Better than the 2010 Figeac I had back in 2015, if memory serves me right.

11/9/2020 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

A delicious, understated Brunello, that was smooth and silky. No rough edges at all.

5/16/2020 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

This is a crowd pleaser. A warm, inviting, syrupy flavor is the main headline. Not particularly tannic or grippy... this wine goes down very easy. Alcohol content is well masked. I got this wine as a gift and now I am trying to figure out how to get more!!

4/22/2020 - jon.siracusa Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this wine. Not overly sweet, nice nose and finish.