4/21/2024 - xyc wrote:

I argued with Ah So, who aged better me or Mr. Cork? Cork dropped in defeat drowned Portside.
Cellar stored for 30+ years. My first Madeirized OFF vintage Port. Were it not for the foul medicinal odor, it would be tolerable as a too old Sherry, Madeira, perhaps I will discover a desiccated creature upon emptying?

4/18/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Barnyard - credentials verified - upon airing subdued nose. Rose petal light rose color. Light bodied, not lacking essence of Pinot Noir. Satiny smooth entry, luxurious mouthfeel, balanced just there acid, a zest of spice, Pinot perfection for the connoisseur graceful, elegant simple Burgundy.

4/7/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Subdued nose, dark Pinot purple. Medium bodied grounded with loamy, dried herb, dried leaf layer. So stylistically different from his vibrant aromatic Beaune typical Chassagne. How can the same grape produce such different wines within the same vineyards?

4/5/2024 - xyc Does not like this wine:

Alcohol and oak, sweet rich layer beneath the fire and wood. A touch of caramel mixed with moonshine. Not for sipping, a Cognac in label only. Now I understand why cognac & coke is listed in drink sites, the devil take you.

4/5/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Pinot color, complex aroma perfumed Burgundy, sandalwood gingerbread cookie notes. Fresh juicy entry with serious lilac tones, young Burgundy complemented by grape skin tannins, luxurious Gamay mouthfeel. My take, a wow blend, very well made, appealing, food friendly and priced fairly. One could taste many Burgundies at twice the price flawed by acid, oak, unripe grapes.

3/31/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Reticent perfume with cherry wood kiln note. Entry is medium bodied, extra juicy medium ripe fruit, marasca with airing, with hints of dry powdery sawdust. Nice natural acid balance, no harsh notes, lovely Burgundy. As Robert Parker noted in his book Burgundy, vineyard locals seek out the values in "lesser" Burgundies, and as a few Burgundy experts have written over decades, Burgundy is not about concentration but elegance, grace, feminine charms.

3/29/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Pleasant fruity nose. Purple color.young purrple. Medium weight, juicy, fleshy Burgundy, more wide than deep showing dribbles of skin and oak,
Side by side with Jadot Savigny, note posted, Bardot vs. Deneuve. Softer riper in French gras, compared to classic cleaner pure lines. Many tasters would reverse my scores, understood, accepted, chacun a son gout.

3/28/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Richly perfumed aromas crossing the spectrum. Juicy tart ripe entry, a lighter Burgundy, enticingly elegant, nuanced as Savigny should be, not lacking in depth, flavor nor Harmony. Not to suggest lightweight for it it not. Mulberry, oak more pronounced on the nose than the tongue, all in balance, I have alerted my Ange at St. Peter's Cave to reserve a sufficient quantity for my heavenly respite.
Robert Parker's comments on Savigny in his book Burgundy are as astute as any.
Catherine Deneuve is my Jadot Savigny comparable.

3/23/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Spirited complex nose, far above ordinary. Multi toned impressions, all inviting, do not recall a more complex Armagnac, far preferred to All XOs, to be informative, too old to drink lesser bottles, found my death mask.

3/23/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Correct Pinot shade of grape. Nose is subdued, hiding hint of wine. Entry is light, quite youthful, vibrant, strawberry balanced with grape acid, fresh, smooth though edged by complements needed to add interest, challenge tasters. After some minutes, adds silky and sweeter tones. Very well made.
A comparative tasting of this Burgundy and the Ponzi Laurelwood would teach the differences between Oregon Pinot and Burgundy which no words can encapsulate. I have yet to taste the elegance of Burgundy in Oregon or one could say, the richness of Willamette in Beaune. Blessed are the 2024 Pinot lovers, forced to ponder Pinot with every bottle.

3/23/2024 - xyc wrote:

Color is dark, brooding. Nose is pine, mild funk, sweat. Taste is big, masculine concentration marred by iron, iodine, stems. Remains young but not tannic. Have not had many Volnays however this is far heavier than all I have had, may appeal more to others, I prefer grace.

3/22/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Perfect Pinot translucent rose color. A short story could be written failing to descrbe the depth, sensuous range of the nose, a whiff calls out serious wine, you can actually smell the Pinot soul. A taste description wnould be inept, silky, vibrant, fresh, deep, tinges of natural acid, backbone. Immediately reminded me of the Domaine Drouhin Laurene botting which I have not tasted for years (never available). Hope to taste side by side.

3/17/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Forward nose, no aggressive floral, wine skins, minerals, inhale. Both broad and focused, wide spectrum fruit layer, soft to spritzlike. Mineral component hits the tongue and palate with a fresh sparkz. Not a typical glycerin driven Pinot Grigio nor an airy fairy flavored water. I am impressed. May never go back to catpee SB.
Enjoyed with evoo sautéed sweet onion heated lemon tuna loin.

3/17/2024 - xyc wrote:

Dark purple, odor of a mooing cow, persistently funky. Smooth entry, light acid, artificial vanilla taste permeates, yuck, chalky tannins intrude. Not well made.

3/16/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

NV Brut, not Riesling, no grapes specified, site flaw.
Clean, clear, barely perceptible notes of slate, almond, dough. Much more body than comparably priced cavas, NZ, CA sparklers.
Amazing value.

3/16/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Las Lagunas label designation. Dark regal purple. Barnyard Bordeaux lasts until the next day. Healthy dose of lemony acid over solid core of ripe fruit, in balance. Not the same wine as the last bottle reviewed. Silky tannins, nicely concentrated.

3/12/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Garnet colored, unfragrant. Light, winy acidic impression, lacking depth. Could be termed elegant, I say no hint of Chianti. Generic table wine, will not offend, not likely to please Chianti drinkers.
Seeking absolution in advance from all who may be incensed, this may be the perfect red wine for Italian seafood and pasta dishes red or white sauce, the elegance may prove itself. Per favore, Chianti fans, do not place me on a hit list.

3/12/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Fragrant strawberry nose. Entry is not unpleasant mid length strawberry jelly overtoned with fruit acid and a sprig of stem. Over three days, retained its solidly moderate appeal.

3/7/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

There are likely many bottlings of this NV so I discount previous noters. The most solid entry level Port compared to top 5. Character of a Vintage or LBV vs Croft, Dow, Sandeman, Graham, Fonseca, taste, viscosity, mouthfeel. Not a complex Port but has the essentials, particularly in display of correct not sweet but ripe. The others can be undrinkable to a Port taster, you could hide this in a Vintage tasting, "light year".

3/5/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Friendly suggestion, when you hand list to St. Peter, add this, the Angels will Bless you, not a small gift, forever. Will they appreciate Mose Allison?

3/5/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Not easy to describe, today a free a week + open, soft luxurious velvety textured simple wine, I would have offered different notes each day, tight young Pinot to today. Remarkable evolution, no deterioration, worth testing.

3/5/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

I appreciate this more after tasting a couple of Champagnes in name only. Subtle pastry nose with shades of apricot, almond paste. Lively as a red squirming worm, deep core essence, intense, complex, iron, dried fruit. Pinot Noir still escapes my buds.

2/27/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Nose is blackberry liquor. Blackberry juice with high alcohol nice juicy fruit spicy intense, tannins are drying and lasting. Previous reviewer captures the wine quite well. Not a shy Margaux, tattooed with tannins and alcohol and purple hair.

2/27/2024 - xyc wrote:

Unusual nose, almond paste plus no words available Chenin Blanc Semillon type botrytis. Round, honied, glycerin thick sparkler. If a sparkling Loire maybe worth trying, as Champagne, pardon my French, Sacre ******

2/22/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Old style Rhone from old vines from Winemaker with too much talent for one man. A mouth coating well balanced blend exuding the range of Rhone, warmth that only a Rhone can offer, generosity of varietal blend, yes concentration, talc tannin to age for 20 years, completely enjoyable now, Bless the Winemaker, he deserves a statue honoring old vines and tradition, hope for the future.

2/22/2024 - xyc Does not like this wine:

Strawberry nose, light acidic fruit with medium bodied middle layer vibrant, then dried cherry, unripe grape skin adding a bitter taste. Neither integrated nor enjoyable.

2/21/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Flaxen colored. quiet nose. Vivacious, exuberant aggressively bubbly, solid concentrated pits and stones and kernels with an angelic cloud of citrus and fruit, that flamboyant dancer with a sure step wearing a willowy dress. The Belle of the Ball.

2/19/2024 - xyc wrote:

Echo Tomoen, quite average with vibrant acidity, lacks character, I would not guess Amarone. More like Sicilian Nero D'avola. Way way overpriced.
I sampled an Amarone in the Masi library with the winemaker ages ago, when Amarone was like no other wine, Masi was at the top. Had a number of 60s over the years. Sad.

2/13/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Dark as the devil's sash. It is a challenge to move past the nose, each swirl evokes a different sensation, Syrah perfume, mulberry juice, essence of grape skin. The entry is round ripe, rich, concentrated, fresh fruit with its natural lemony acid, depths to be explored when it ages. I understand why others would note some of these, why some prefer rough edges or more age. Not me. I'll accept God's gifts, the vintner's passion in a bottle, pleasure with every swig.

2/10/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Ruby red slippers in color. Nose show mild funk which dissipates immediately, serious emanations follow. Such a perfect balance of ripe fruit, fresh juice notes, round concentration, all the correct Rhone tastes. After three days open (non fridge) more depth and grip. It cannot be an easy task to capture intensity, maintain elegance, and offer pure drinking pleasure. Bless the winemaker!

2/2/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Cologne wisps from alcohol. Solid entry, silky with chocolate, coffee bean, peppercorn bite, eucalyptus and alcohol aftertaste. Suspect it requires airing to calm down, aging to meld but alcohol remains an issue and it lacks the ripe fruit layer to hide its sins.

2/1/2024 - xyc Does not like this wine:

Color darker than Champagne typical. Furious bubbles put on a show. The taste is "heavy" unripe Bosc pear skin, almond, bread crust all detracting unless you prefer a sparkler laden with off tastes. Some do.

1/27/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Distinct if subtle nose of cookie baking sheet (for the Brits, tin). Clean, fresh, vivacious, lemon, Granny Smith, just there iron minerality, inviting at every sip. Not the most complex sparkler; complex partners are not always pleasant company. Side by side the Roederer Anderson Valley Brut: has more heavy mineral, less joy, to my taste clumsy. Others free to disagree.
Compared to trio of Schramsberg Sparklers tasted in last two weeks (reviews posted): these have more varietal character and concentration, they leave mid palate impressions. Choose your style preference. Cherubino or Tosca? "Non so piu" or "Vissi d'arte"?
A few same price range Champagnes fail in comparison, IMHO. So many choices so little time.

1/22/2024 - xyc Does not like this wine:

High alcohol, tastes too too much of sherry and burnt rubber.

1/21/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Ripe juicy sweet tropical fruit over lemony acid with a pleasing mineral edge. Nicely balanced. Mid weight, nice concentration, all is in balance.
Not a Chablis I recall from the past, fruit now ripens.
I suspect that this Fevre would outscore most Cali Chards at any price, and appeal to more less judgmental drinkers.

1/20/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Nose is assertive strawberry and herbs. Taste is juicy sweet fresh strawberry toned over dry sage. Quite juicy, fresh fruit acid, smelling of bottled up age searching for air. Or, preserved strawberry jelly infused with dry sage leaves. The 2009 Pinot Noir grapes were blessed by Bacchus, picked and bottled by his anointed accolade.

1/17/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

J. V. Fleury different label "JVF" details which cellartracker does not want to be bothered with. See my post in Discussions.

Open on the counter all week, raising my score, the Rhone fur more apparent, more concentration and depth, less stemmy. One of the bigger better young Rhones I have tasted.

1/17/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Tender nose. Young and full of character from the glass. Concentrated mix of mineral, fruitable, grapeable and herbable with round glycerin impact. Well balanced if untypically aggressive. For food match, spicy, hot, loud.

1/15/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

From a case of 1/2s purchased (inexpensively) years ago. The most enjoyable Sauternes I have tasted, maturing correctly, perfect balance of aged grace, rich concentrated honied tones without cloying sweetness. Intend to put a few bottles in my post life wine travel bag to share with Botrytis appreciative notables at St. Peter's Place. I wonder, who force feeds the geese up there?

1/9/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Just ripe fruit entry, recently picked grapes, young balanced with delicate spices, fresh fruit acid, whisper of herbs. A sheer negligee of age on the nose and on the palate, ghostly shade of 1994?.
How can this be a1994 Pinot Noir? I checked the label thrice the bottle never left my cellar since Winery shipment 30+ years ago. It may be that I have passed in my sleep and am dreaming the dream of an oenophile, which wine lover does not dream of Pinot Noir? If so, don't wake me.

1/9/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Recently reviewed the 2019, the 2020 is richer, more complex, more seductive. The charm - and challenge - of many wines is the taste which cannot be identified; hazelnut, Meyer lemon, dusty biscuit, like challenge of an appealing stranger's stare from across the room.

1/6/2024 - xyc Does not like this wine:

Sweet burned brown sugar overwhelms, simple sweet, sweet, sugar, why bottle such sugar and label it Port?

1/5/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

From a magnum, winery mailing list purchase when I was younger but no less foolish. Nose is eccentric on opening fruit toned by exotic spice - more likely old age. Dark color, very dark, too dark to be browning. Retains fairy's kiss of CO2 used in bottling (in place of sulphur). Textured fruit, spice impregnated, well balanced with correct acid and memory of tannin. Much less sweet than the 2000 tasted a few days ago.
Observation or Opinion. Most tasters would guess a young Oregon Pinot although no young Oregon Pinot tastes like this. Yes, young Oregon Pinot fruit character; No, texture and depth of taste perceptions, a patina which I cannot recall in any other Pinot Noir and pure enjoyment.
Purchasing and cold storing new releases of OR Pinot for 20+ years and awaiting the Right occasion is admittedly an admission of lack of foresight. It is only the corkage fees at St. Peter's Gate which requires action.

Has Michael Etzel ever been properly praised for earthly miracles?

1/3/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

It's a Port. It's rich, sweet, deep, smooth, not overly challenging, has sufficient intensity to last a couple of lifetimes. Not one I would tote to the Heavenly Gates nor even cellar despite the giveaway price.

1/3/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

A clean, dry, light sparkler loaded with iron edged bubbles. Nicely balanced with yeast notes and a dry lemony tinge. Sleeker more brisk character than the common Cali Sparklers with their sugar fruit.

1/2/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

From a Magnum. Cork intact with a bit of sediment attached. No 24 year old Pinot Noir should be so dark in color; Mr. Etzel what have you bottled? The nose is sun warmed fruit and aged strawberry preserves plus elderly fumes.

A complete taste, sweet fruit, gentle acid, afterthought of tannin. Not comparable to a Burgundy, too textured, fruity and strawberry rich. Nor comparable to Oregon Pinots, too generous and full of grace.

Sincerely regret I cannot share this Bottle with all readers - fellow passengers on the journey, tasting life's gifts sip by sip, glass by glass.

1/1/2024 - xyc Likes this wine:

Dark red, light vanilla nose. A blend with a complex and well balanced flavor profile, saturated blue / black berry entry taste could be mistaken for a lush, ripe, young cabernet. Soft chocolaty tannins pervasive but without hard edges. A delightful spicy bittersweet piquancy which I take to be the Carignan - who knew how much this grape could add. Has the backbone to age however will complement your meal much better than a young cab.

Revision on second tasting The vanilla overwhelms upon repeated tasting. Much too much.
Would enjoy reading match ups with Cali Cabs in this price range.

12/31/2023 - xyc Likes this wine:

A Bordeaux, fellow passenger, to be included in your Cellar order with St. Peter in the event your drinking window may be in danger of closing prematurely. More saintlier passengers than me will have first dibs; even angels check Parker ratings.

“I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people .... as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave..." Dickens A Christmas Carol

12/29/2023 - xyc Likes this wine:

A winemaker's Sauvignon Blanc, all in balance, as enjoyable as you can expect from an SB.

12/29/2023 - xyc Likes this wine:

Chardonnay captured, with purity and intensity, sparkled with bubbles. Nuanced notes over the concentrated mid palate core. The depth of flavor and purity are outstanding and offer a tasting experience that makes up for a lesser range of complexity however many Champagnes would not compare well. I'm searching my memory for a female comparative - likely a tennis pro with a fast serve who keeps the ball in play.