1/6/2024 - khmark7 wrote:

Cork disintegrated, restrained red that feels as if it needs time or space to breath. What stems are people using for this wine?

Not a red wine that needs time in the bottle. Drink sooner than later.

11/19/2023 - glou.sf Does not like this wine:

Similar to an earlier bottle. This seemed to have been stored wrong. Stewed fruit on the nose, palate is mostly acidic with little substance. Weird because all the wine can from the same source and two bottles have been completely off.

5/29/2023 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine:

Absolutely wonderful. A haunting melange of earth, wild red fruit, and floral perfume. The palate follows with weightless depth, plenty of fruit… but it’s this same mixture of elements in perfect harmony. Gorgeous from a magnum, sadly my last.

4/4/2023 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine:

Many Dudes, Much Carignan, some Mourvedre, Side of Brett (George-fucking-town): Purple. Rather closed nose to begin with, but returning after an hour or so yields some rocks and tangy red fruit. The palate follows with red fruit, perhaps tart cherry, with a good bit of grip and moderate length. The fruit here is definitely more tangy on the palate than I recall from the last bottle a year or so ago.

My #3, tied for #4 in the group

2/15/2023 - Outplaying Likes this wine:

Similar impressions as the last bottle two years ago. Not sure if it is the warmer vintage, or the vineyard, but I am really enjoying this wine. I should really save my last bottle for some years and move on to my other Pavelot bottles.

12/10/2022 - Benj wrote:

Oh boy. Asian pear, wet jasmine, lemon oil, quince. So fresh and light on its feet on opening, building richness with air. Mineral and Always taut and beautifully held, fizzing with energy, mineral, fresh, and never intrusive. Annora loved this wine, which in a Chardonnay is a great compliment and indicates a level of verve, freshness, and delicacy that can be difficult to find. 12%, $40.

10/16/2022 - Jmac56 Likes this wine:

Moderate hot nose. Medium to full bodied, a bit acidic, some chalk and a nice finish

9/8/2021 - Winevestor Likes this wine:

I was distracted when drinking this, so it my not be a great TN. I found this wine tight and closed down. At this age it shouldn't have been. But clearly this was not over the hill. The fruits were sharp and muted. The acidity was in full force. I have one more bottle of this and will pay more attention when I have it.

10/23/2021 - Neecies Does not like this wine:

Floral nose with Jolly Rancher Watermelon candy on the palate that segues into charcoal for the finish. Yes, charcoal, not that pleasant tarry note most syrahs get but a hard, ugly flavor that doesn't integrate with anything that comes before it. I've never met Pax Mahle, but I hate him for making this wine (I bought a case).

5/7/2022 - prasm Likes this wine:

Consumed over 3 days (vacuvined and refrigerated), note from day 3. Two glasses consumed over 3 hours on day one found wine off, lacking fruit and astringent. Having had a similar experience with my previous bottle in late 2019, I decided to wait to write note - so from day 3. Appearance: Clear, medium ruby with just the slightest hint of edge bricking. Nose: Clean, medium intensity with fully developed aromas of dried cherry, rose petal, forest floor, cinnamon, and black olive. Palate: Dry, medium tannin, medium+ acid, medium body, 13.3% abv, medium intensity with developed flavors of dried cherry, dark earth, and spice with a medium+ finish. Overall a very good wine with great balance, very good length and complexity, and good intensity. Kind of an odd wine in that, while I believe it is at it's peak, still needs a fair amount of air to show it's goods. Drink now or over the next 2 years.

3/23/2022 - VeniceCalif wrote:

Crunchy, fresh, bright. A bit closed. Needs a couple three.

3/21/2022 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine:

Notes are after a good long oxygenation that added a lot of weight and depth compared to first opening.

Pale garnet and clear. A: spice, black tea, lots of floral notes, a bit of red fruit. P: delicate and ethereal side of Pinot with lighter brighter red fruit and a minerally persistent finish. Very good!

3/7/2022 - Benj wrote:

My first bottle of these 2002s was too Bretty to get past. My experience so far has been that all of these mature Qupés have some Brett in them. Fine, I think, in an older Syrah, but not if it overwhelms everything else. Fortunately, this bottle was right on target. Tannins have completely resolved, most of the fruit is long gone, and there's plenty of spicy, savory, gamey, briny, slightly metallic, complex deliciousness to enjoy. Good acid still, and not yet tasting like thin juice. Blind, I might call this older than 20 years. Past its peak but still with plenty to offer, and a true bargain for $13 at auction.

2/14/2022 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine:

Very rich but drinking well after an hour decant. Concentrated dark fruit, cocoa, ripe tannin, and a bit of tobacco. Quite pleasant on its own.

1/31/2022 - Deux Chevaux wrote:

Eight weeks after the prior: Dark, slightly brooding, and again with not unpleasant suggestions of green/stems. Nice enough over three nights, but on reflection, maybe not our favorite bottling / vineyard from this fine house.

2/2/2022 - RichardsEric1 wrote:

I bought this based on rarity and providence. I am familiar enough with the Turley line to respect any of their efforts.

Color. Yellow with a tinge of tan.

Nose. Straw, sweet rolls, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon, orange zest.

Palate. Round, rich, voluptuous, lacking rich acidity, a little tannin.

I think this wine peaked a year ago.

9/21/2021 - guribh wrote:

Somewhat of an annual TN: quite disappointed. Not fleshing any, rather "green" still. While I appreciate the integrity of this style, this showing did not resonate with me.

1/4/2022 - domco wrote:

Dark fruit, some spice. Not sure if it’s oak or alcohol peaking thru but not loving it. These may be a bit too hit or miss for me to keep buying.

12/27/2021 - jviz wrote:

Lots of vanilla, coconut, toasted chocolate on nose, rich, dense and extracted, even a little mint. Reminded me a little bit of Phelps insignia but has a much longer way to go

12/24/2021 - MikeWolek Likes this wine:

My first muscadet. Aromas are largely citrus forward with lime, lime zest, and bright green apple. Secondary notes include wet stone, honey, limestone. On the palate I get a mouthful of crisp green apple balanced elegantly with bright acidity. The finish is nice with some lingering minerality. Excellent with lobster Mac&cheese. Underrated. Excited to explore this varietal more.

10/10/2021 - decaturwinedude wrote:

Guess I should read my own notes. Be patient. So much in reserve here. The warmth and power on the finish just sails on. It's Terrasenmosel in that it is a big wine. Big bones. 13.5%. Yet it's dry, dry with hints of white fruit wrapped in slate and chalk and tart/salty nut. Probably fantastic in 10 years.

9/6/2021 - Kansas Rock Chalk wrote:

From Butterfield’s

7/3/2021 - rocknroller wrote:

Summer Patio Dining over the 4th (Shari's, Mpls, MN): Light gold color. Drank a glass over 30 minutes. Yeast and light toast, apple, quince, baking spices; a little tart lemon on the palate with bread dough and apple. Holding up well.

6/29/2021 - Deux Chevaux wrote:

Medium bright ruby. Beautifully savory, with suggestions of dark tea, and signature house style pine needles. Hints of earthy mushrooms. Elegant, with refreshing acidity. A very worthy successor to prior iterations from this lovely high and cool vineyard. Extremely enjoyable over three nights.

6/17/2021 - DesMarteau wrote:

Ok…More like a classic Oregon pinot than than Southern CA….not an over extracted / concentrated pinot trying to be cloud pleasing. IMO this needs 10 years . Very clear and clean. Austere sour cherry, strawberry, kiwi, Tart acid …long finish . Probably could age and gain complexity over 20….in another country this is Called burgundy lol

8/9/2020 - OnWisconsin Likes this wine:

Bready/yeasty & nutty with some bruised apple & baking spice.

Acidity has mellowed out a bit with age, but the finish is impressive.

Great example of what is possible with California sparkling. Drink now, can’t imagine this getting much better with age.

3/30/2021 - Mike Dildine wrote:

12.5% abv. Very pale straw color, very aromatic. I'm not sure what varieties are here, but it tastes of Chenin. Pear, green apple, baking spice and white flowers highlight the deep, long palate impression. Wonderful complexity and balance with a savory note on the back end. This is terrific stuff.

8/31/2017 - western Likes this wine:

Just starting to hit its straps. Has all the ingredients for a good 1er cru but still needs 5 years. Full of ripe fruit but balancing tannins and minerality.
2011 is turning out to be a lot better than the pundits predicted. Similar to 1997 and 2000 both underrated vintages but what delightful drinking. Unfortunately all consumed!!! 1996,1999,2002 and 2005 still not ready. We need the lighter vintages from ? lesser years to keep us imbibing Burg and the vignerons in business. End of minor rant.

3/2/2021 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:

Retail $42. 100% Zinfandel. Here is a quick tip for you: if you see "Russian River Valley" and "Zinfandel" on a label? BUY IT. Sadly, Zinfandel is a bit of a dying breed in the Russian River, but there are a few hold-outs and they are more than worth it. I now add Limerick Lane to that list. Yowza. Big (but not over-powering) fruit (cassis, plum, loveliness), black pepper, hints of anise, and black pepper. Close to a whoa. The palate? Certainly fruity but that fruit is not dominant--there is a ton of tart acidity, more than a modicum of earth, and a mineral-flinty aspect on the finish. Whoa. Yeah, this is a big, kinda brawny, bodacious Zin. Fantastic.
http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com

2/19/2021 - hankj wrote:

Mildly out of balance acetic acid slightly blunting other aspect. Not bad enough to call a flaw, but took away from complexity.

2/15/2021 - Benj wrote:

Our experience tonight was different from the other notes on here. Served cold and followed over 2 hours as it warmed to somewhere in the low 60s. The first thing to note, as others have, is that this doesn't smell or taste very much like any other wine I have had. There is a phenolic grip and structure to it that I've had in skin contact whites. There is a floral-yet-creamy character that I've observed in some very savory rosés from Provence. But the orange character (Annora calls it Aperol, referencing the bitterness in the mid-palate) is quite distinctive, and the ebb and flow through the palate is unusual and unpredictable. There is a lot to like here in terms of aromatics and structure. It finishes clean and mineral. However, I find the mid-palate to be completely unmanageable, with a bitterness that most reminds me of chewing on painkillers. Others seem not to have commented on this, so perhaps I am overly sensitive, though Annora also remarked on the bitterness here. I cannot get past it and the overall drinking experience is not an enjoyable one. Nevermind - I have thoroughly enjoyed everything else from the still-young and hopefully blossoming Sabelli-Frisch enterprise: this one can be a lesson learned.

2/12/2021 - jhkey Likes this wine:

Fresh raspberries, some graphite and forest floor and a touch of mint. Nice structure and acid..medium long finish. Delicious

2/9/2021 - der Schmecker wrote:

Not even a talented winemaker like Tegan Passalacqua can elevate the Carignane varietal beyond its historical role as a grape blended with Grenache. Non-existent nose, purple color, flat and slightly sour. Why bother drinking 100% Carignane? Meh.

1/9/2021 - Benj wrote:

I'm going to have to disagree with most of the other notes on here, including some people with whom I have fairly similar tastes. First, the sensory notes. Color: ruby with just the faintest hint of garnet at the edge; on the lighter side for a Zinfandel. Nose: this does smell like Zinfandel but it is on the very low-ripeness end of the spectrum - quite green, fresh rather than confected berries, very little of what I would consider the "Zin flavor" that is common in ripe (but not raisined) Zinfandel grapes, becomes magnified during fermentation, and stays in the wine many years into bottle aging. In some ways this smells more like a big Middle Reach Russian River Pinot Noir with its redcurrant skin, grape skin, high tone, and herbaceousness. Palate: this has medium tannin, relatively light body, and is bracingly acidic, even for a Zinfandel. Zinfandel is a tricky grape and ripens unevenly - without very careful treatment in the vineyard, you can get both green grapes and raisins in the same cluster, leading to overripe, horribly acidic wines. I want to be very clear that this is *not* what is happening here - there is no overripe character at all, and the flavor-texture (including acid) profile is consistent with good vineyard management and relatively even ripening, but also a choice to pick early/at low potential alcohol. In general, I like that kind of thinking, but in my opinion the flavor development is not quite there in this wine. It is quite green and bitter, especially on the finish. Combined with searing acidity and relatively inexpressive aromatics and light body, this is tangy as all get-out. Please, please, do not drink this wine without also eating something for all this acid to cut through. There is a defensible position to take on this wine, which is that it is a nice, savory food wine that shouldn't be consumed on its own. I think that's true. But I also think that the better food wines can handle a few sips without taking a bite of something to clear out their acidity or bitterness. This wine cannot. And for the price, I'd hope for something more complete. Good, but not great. 12.8%, $39.

1/2/2021 - Benj wrote:

One of the best domestic Rieslings I’ve had. Tons of varietal character in the mountain stream - lime - rubber vein, very pure and fresh on the nose, slightly floral in a mild, pretty way. On the palate it’s elegant, mineral, focused. Just a hint of excess bitterness on the finish but otherwise this is fantastic. Very very slightly off-dry. My records tell me I picked this up for $16, which is stupid really. The retail ($30-35) strikes me as reasonable. Very nice now, juuuust starting to develop the first hints of its bottle age. Holds promise for extended aging but why wait, it’s lovely now. 12.8%

10/8/2020 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine:

Informal notes over two days. Very alive and feral, drinking a lot younger than 2016 or even 2018. The fruit has a hard time pushing through the iron, smoky meat, and pepper right now. The acid is up there and the tannins are still very chewy. Probably going to wait on the rest of the 2017 for a while!

8/15/2020 - Château de Farmer wrote:

Felt as if this was a little off. Nail polish remover notes on the nose and palate early. These blew off, but the resulting wine was a bit muddled and generic plush red. There were some moments where this showed nice blue fruit, smokiness, and purity of flavor which is why I can't really say this is fully flawed, but I think this was a bad luck bottle variation scenario.

8/1/2020 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine:

Double decanted and served a few hours later.

Woah, this wine is delicious. Totally took me by surprise. Such fragrant, elegant, and seductive floral notes on the nose. Quickly reminded me of the 2016 Xavier Gerard Cote Rotie. The Alturas is quite drinkable, too. Clearly on the young side, but without the rough, hard edges I'd expected. I'm a fan of Halcon. Totally underestimated this wine. Won't make that mistake again!

4/25/2020 - tcufletch Likes this wine:

Pop and pour and consumed over two nights; better when served chilled but not cold; no change over the two days; the nose pops on this; white flowers, white peach and subtle lemon; rounded mouthfeel with a nice grip on the palate; gravelly, lemon curd, peach, some savory qualities; excellent acid; well structured.

I think my palate and my mind had gotten a little tired of the multiple Chenins that Tegan makes under the Sandlands label but this brings me back to the first several vintages (2011-2013) that were so great. (Note to self...buy more of this)

4/18/2020 - McMalbec wrote:

Fortunate to have a few more bottles left.

12/9/2019 - mwrock Likes this wine:

It is at the end of life, but after 30 minutes of air it came to life, floral, light fruit nose, taste was light tart fruit and a light sweetness, with tart short finish. Have with food, it really helps bring out the taste. Holding up for 9 years old, but drink them now.

3/29/2020 - Redfish wrote:

Lemon guava and floral notes on the nose. Similar on palate. Just the right amount of oak, balanced with good acidity. Very clean finish. Superb chard. Was enjoying while preparing a spicy thai style scallop dish and once we got to dinner it lost a bit. Not sure if the sriracha muted something or what happened but ended not the best pairing. Will have to experiment with other pairings. Super happy to have a case in the cellar so lots of experiments to come.

3/17/2020 - thalver wrote:

This bottle was purchased in December 2008, and properly cellared since purchase. I had feared maybe this had been too long for the wine, but it was quite a pleasant surprise. Doughy/yeasty as one would expect, only the slightest oxidative notes....delicious and served blind, I would have assumed it was Champagne, not California 92-93 pts

3/15/2020 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:

12.3 abv from 134yr old vines...open in bottle for an hour, slightly chilled. LOVED the 18 Turley version...went through those too quick! The Sandlands Cinsault seems slightly darker, and has a deeper floral and earth spice to it. Still...Cru Bojo brightness...vibrant fresh crushed red fruits...raspberry, cranberry, cherry, wild strawberry...racy and tarted up nicely with cherry skin and blood orange acidity...has a sheen polish and silkiness...yet crunchy saline minerality and vine struggle. BUT what makes this wine is the pretty perfumed florals...dried roses, fresh cherry tart, and sandalwood spice! Intoxicating...more complex than the Turley...and a true joy to drink!

2/27/2020 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:

Bright ruby color. Gorgeous nose of raspberries, strawberries and cherries, lovely freshness but a lot of deeper tones too, dusty earth, violets, warm mulling spices. On the palate, the acidity is super fresh, the tannins are fine and frame the wine well, lovely balance. Raspberry, strawberry and red apple fruit, mixing with delightful tones of clove rose petals, sage. So bright, elegant and precise, very easy to drink now but I’d love to see this in five or six years. From a vineyard planted in 1944, own-rooted, head-tread vines, this is a very special Zinfandel.

1/27/2020 - Arch57 wrote:

Coravin taste 3oz. This was sampled with the PS-Pesenti bottling and was “greener” tasting and not as enjoyable. Will let both rest in the cellar before retasting and scoring.

12/23/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:

First of two. Opened this yesterday, we had a few glasses and then stopped it back up and returned to the fridge. Drinking more of it today, it continues to impress me. Disgorged 12/2018, with a base of 2015 and I believe around 40% of resave wines in this bottling, hence the NV designation. 3 g/l dosage. What this bottle delivers for me is pleasure. Pear, apple and lemon all work to give this a lovely, filling texture, and then a cool note of lemon peel is woven through all of it, giving it contrast. While this doesn't show a lot of structure, it's just fine for me as at $45 US, and with the biodynamic approach to make this, it ticks all my boxes. Just delicious stuff and going off how to find a few more bottles locally while it is available here in the OC....finishing the small balance of this from 2 nights ago. Kept it stoppered up and the CO2 is still lively. This is a beauty, the mix of fruits I mentioned above, all vivid and delicious with a fresh cut green apple flavor today.

11/30/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Opened this a few days ago, still a glass or two in the bottle as it's been sitting on the kitchen counter since Thanksgiving. Petite is usually indestructible and this true to form, as it's still powerful. Iron, chocolate, a tangy kind of creosote thing, too. Finishes with bitter chocolate note and a boysen/blackberry quality. Works great on a cold Fall afternoon.

11/26/2019 - Benj wrote:

Nose is a little closed on opening but after an hour reveals some subtle rose Turkish delight, lychee and spiced pear, and a pleasant citric tang. Palate follows the nose with some good weight and viscosity, medium-plus acidity, and medium-high alcohol just about kept in check. Sure it lacks the refinement and aromatic power of really high-quality Gewurz, but this is a really pleasurable sip, well made with nothing out of sorts (not excessively perfumey, not flabby or too oily, not overpowering), and it stood up well to Sichuan food tonight. This is an excellent QPR. 13.6%, $10.50. 88+

11/17/2019 - Benj wrote:

A standout at an Italian tasting. Tons of bright red fruit, high acidity, extremely fresh and vivacious but with a beautiful savory backbone. Nicely put together. Needs food, but not in a bad way. Must try more Frappato. 12%, $25.