6/2/2023 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

The 2012 SHL Rouge is a blend of 55% CS, 40% M, 4% CF and 1% PV. The wine has been aged for 18 months in 60% new french oak barrels from yields of 32hl/ha. It took about 3 hours in the carafe for it to loosen up. On the nose, the bouquet is impressive in breed, sophistication and depth: black fruits (mainly blackcurrant and blackberry I guess), noble spices, a little graphite, a few wisps of tobacco, an harmonious touch of oak aging (roasted hazelnut perhaps) and even some flowery shades probably due to the non-negligible part of Merlot. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a full and fragrant mid-palate as well as an enveloping flesh which brings a sexy roundness to the matter. Long, long fresh finish with notes of violets, graphite, coffee and a few tannins still a bit tight and firm. This SHL represents everything we love about high-lineage Bordeaux wines. A real treat! It sings so well right now that you can uncork.
[Photo on Instagram]

1/8/2023 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

This is a blend of 56% Merlot, 40% Cab Sauv, 2% Cab Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. I aerated it for 2 hours in a carafe to leverage its full potential. It has a gorgeous nose with luscious and moderately expressive scents of blackberries, raspberries, cigar box, cedar and dried herbs. It's not easy to remove the nose from the glass, it's so mesmerizing. The medium-bodied palate presents a savory and pure black juice, with a great freshness and built on coated tannins. Flavors of crème de cassis, blueberry and flowers I find hard to identify are subtly entwined with notes of a skillfully dosed oak aging. It finishes quite long on a smoky/minty aftertaste and a pleasant caramelized touch. The 2014 vintage was a success in St-Estèphe and this bottle is the perfect example. It's currently totally open for business.
[Photo on Instagram]

10/16/2022 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

This “Baby Beaucastel” is a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah & 10% Cinsault, with 14.5% alcohol. It comes from 30 hectares located on the border of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, to the east of the Grand Vin vineyard. It was aged in oak casks for 6 months. Aerated for an hour in a carafe before lunch, it then continued to blossom beautifully in the glass. The nose is full of red fruits (strawberry jam), black olives, violets, a bit of blood orange and a not disturbing hint of heat. The palate follows with a voluptuous substance and a rich and dense core of very ripe and juicy fruit. The aromatic is not crazy complex but the masterful balance, the richness and the concentration of small fine tannins make this wine terribly delicious. The acidity brings freshness and energy to leave a floral and spicy finish. I had never drunk a CdR of such a high level, I absolutely loved it! It's ready for business but I think holding on for another 2 or 3 years can be the right thing to do.
[Photo on Instagram]

8/11/2022 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine:

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

On the nose black plums, currants, oak, light vanilla, spices, dark chocolates, black pepper, herbs, tobacco leaf, earth and light forest floor.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with currants, black plums, cherries, tobacco, oak, green vegetables, chocolates, earth, herbs and black pepper.

Medium on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a tasty Merlot blend from Bordeaux. Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel.

I had this vintage a couple of years ago, and it is drinking much better now.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

A good food wine that I paired with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 16 months in (60% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$30.

7/30/2022 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

As a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo & Graciano native of the vineyard called “El Bosque” and raised for 5 years in American oak barrels, this wine processes a classic (some will say “rustic”) Rioja bouquet of black cherries, strawberries, cinnamon, cedar, patina leather and mild tobacco. A tiny hint of heat tickles the nose. The palate, generous and deep, is medium-bodied with fine acidity. Dusty tannins still display few sharp edges. The aromatic persistence keeps going for long seconds, balancing cherries, orange peel, liquorice and spicy oak maybe a bit too present for my taste. This is a Bosconia with an happy future. It's already delicious at the moment but I think that with extra time it will display what amazing things Rioja area can deliver. So for me it's a little “Hold”. Wonderful wine & unbeatable QPR!
[Photo on Instagram]

5/24/2022 - maxima wrote:

Pas donné pour du St-Joseph mais
celui est hors de l'ordinaire.
Superbe matière.
Des mures et des minéraux avec du bacon et de la fumée.
Les tannins sont souples et la finale bien longue
est toute en douceur.
Bel équilibre et souplesse, on adore!
SENSAS!

4/1/2022 - Carlo Sarto Likes this wine:

What a wonderful treat! This was pure Côte-Rôtie, textbook Côte-Rôtie. There is unique pleasure in tasting just that. I have no interest in deciding if it is the best Côte-Rôtie I have had, or the best Jasmin, or the best 2007 Côte-Rôtie, or the best Jasmin 2007 Côte-Rôtie. Nor do I care if it is less good than other's of those categories.
What matters is that is is a real Côte-Rôtie. I have had recently a 2004 Barbaresco from a good producer from a good MGA and it did not taste like a Bararesco. I have had a 2006 Brunello di Montalcino from an average producer that did not taste like a Brunello.
It appears that the recent people reporting on this wine feel similarly. They express themselves in their own ways.
We do not get to taste a Côte-Rôtie very often. If you want the real thing here is an example. It is mature enough to be able to taste that it is.

4/3/2022 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha and 10% of Graciano/Mazuelo. 13.5% abv. 3 hours in carafe before tasting. High-toned and complex nose dominated by oak aging flavors and offering aromas of tobacco, leather, cinnamon, vanilla, mushrooms, red berries and cherry cola. Really loved this rustic bouquet. Velvety mouthfeel with a medium body and a dangerously refreshing, drinkable side. I feared a high level of acidity but not at all: everything is harmoniously balanced. The aromatic palette is wide and displays red currants, tart cherries, captivating smoky flavors and a generous pinch of oriental spices. Impressive length on salivating bitterness and delivering a gentle dusty (chalky?) tannic grip. Old wood and walnut in the aftertaste. Superb pairing with a hind fillet. I will definitely buy again! Drink or hold so that its wood character fades further.
[Photo on Instagram]

8/30/2021 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

Blend of Carignan, Syrah, Grenache noir & Mourvèdre. The vines are 20 to 125 years old. 24 months of aging in barrels. 13% abv advertised on the label. When uncorked, the nose was really funky. Nothing surprising since the Gauby are big fans of the biodynamics principles. After a few hours of aeration, everything falls into place. On the nose: very ripe black fruit, almost jammed, beautiful sweet spices, a floral tip of the most charming effect and even an iron sensation. On the palate, the wine is distinguished by its depth and fresh/digestible character. The body is medium+ and the tannins, soft & fine, make it sensually suave. Concentration is important but no heaviness: the tension, which seems characteristic of this 2013 vintage, is beneficial. It's fruity, spicy and slightly wild. This wine offers more texture than the “Les Calcinaires” cuvée. I really like it!
[Photo on Instagram]

3/11/2022 - FamousWine Does not like this wine:

100% Nebbiolo. 14% abv. Tasting the 2016 vintage was a disappointment (flawed bottle I guess) and today's experience, in front of this 2018, is not much more pleasant. Despite one hour of aeration, the wine is completely mute and unreadable: no aroma, or very few, neither on the nose nor on the palate. After a longer time in the carafe, it gets a little more appealing but I put the bottle aside preferring to see it again the next day. On day 2, it's hardly better. The slightly warm nose presents herbaceous aromas of cherries, strawberries, potpourri of dried rose petals, orange juice and a hint of slate minerality. In the mouth, the attack finally looks more interesting than the day before but the following is not at the expected level. The aromatic intensity is so so weak: rose water, some strawberries, a few bitter red berries and a bit of herbal notes. Everything seems diluted and nothing seems really coherent. The body is light to medium with powerful and dusty tannins. Not easy to enjoy this bottle as seen. Another defective one or just in an awful spot right now? I'm afraid Sottimano is over for me.
[Photo on Instagram]

8/20/2021 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

PnP that needs 2 more years. Fresh, crisp, but also coiled. Great value at just $20. HOLD. 2022-2026

https://www.ItalianWine.blog

12/16/2021 - FamousWine Likes this wine:

This Riesling Trocken from Germany enjoys a tremendous aromatic purity of white fruits (Granny Smith apples and peaches), lime and spring flowers & herbs. The attack is frank, slightly fizzy and very stimulating. The mid-palate is of crystalline elegance with little alcoholic power (12% abv) and a body that builds up muscle over aeration. The wine shows a lot of freshness and minerality. The acidity is sharp but not aggressive. The persistence is carried by a saline bitterness with mineral and smoky accents. Served chilled, lively and full of energy, this is highly drinkable!
[Photo on Instagram]

10/22/2020 - sleepyhaus wrote:

Very good Coudoulet. Very much a "baby Chateauneuf" and, for me, this is more to my liking than most of what comes from CdP these days, avoiding the excesses too often seen there. Extremely well balanced with a nice, pure beam of fruit, and a good depth to the palate.

8/6/2020 - DrZett wrote:

Blackcurrant, dark cherries and plum on the palate. Amazing structure and a great balance. Long finish. Beautiful right now.

1/26/2020 - TB2 wrote:

Pretty darn good right now.
Tastes better than the price.

10/19/2019 - vgoransson Likes this wine:

Amazing fruit and driven by that. A bit of cedar and mushrooms in the secondary aromas but no more than that. Medium bodied, medium tannin structure. Still, very balanced and looking forward to following this wine which is the most bang for the buck that I’ve ever come across. Side note: Tannin structure makes me wonder if this can go further than 10 yrs. Either way, buy it.

Song to play (2019 tasting): Must get out (live) - Maroon 5