3/10/2024 - TheEngineer wrote:

Punching above is weight and from a great vintage. Good backbone to accompany a focused wine, stone fruit, juicy and everything you could want from a kabinett.

3/8/2024 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Really rather impressed. Fresh and vibrant on the nose, floral almost but really fresh red fruits, raspberry, cherry, totally enjoyable in balance with the structure of the wine. deeper than I thought it would be. looking forward to seeing this with more time in the bottle.

2/25/2024 - TheEngineer wrote:

Elegant can I use the world thoughtful? shows a balance that is hard to describe as it is amongst the nose, palate, texture, length, acidity, etc. dark fruits but rides on a great backbone and minerality to spare. This is going to age really well and I'm looking forward to the outcome. Persistence lingers on and on. Lovely bottle and what a great QPR.

2/24/2024 - TheEngineer wrote:

Surprising little prosecco for me, certainly a Sui lieviti as it got cloudy just by moving it around, (Or sur lie), light and fresh but interested texture, citrus nose and palate, good delineation of flavors, perhaps a bit short on the finish but it is very pleasant.

1/7/2024 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

First time tasting anything from this producer and was impressed. More deeply colored than other contemporaries of this 1er Cru, Nose is ripe per the vintage, moving towards darker fruits and berries, still very fresh with some spices and forest. the palate confirms the nose, but the freshness from the acidity provides a great backbone for everything to hang off of, good density of fruit, nice lush and juiciness, good persistence in the finish, perhaps lacking in some elegance and balance today but it is quite approachable and the bottle did not last long.

10/20/2023 - TheEngineer wrote:

Rather impressed with this village level wines, There is a good focus, good primary fruit of darker berries and pomegranate. solid structure suggests that this could be one of those villages you want to age for another say decade and find it well on the other side. Looking forward to seeing this evolution from this new wine making team!

5/23/2022 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

On opening, there was a bit of concern, like with many older yquems's the initial nose is questionable but it blew off quickly. The color of the '80 was of a slightly aged sauternes, a bit darker and honeyed in color but not yet moving towards a dark honey. nose of honey, floral initially a bit of chamomile tea, on the palate, the same but preceded by an intense orange marmalade, orange peel, orange rind, quite viscous, absolutely delicious, only let own by its length, which was long, but not indefinite as with the 2001's. Some of the baby fat has clearly been lost but his wine is highly structured and will last for a long time yet. Not rush but a perfect time to drink.

3/7/2022 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Amongst a table full of rich or rustic or hearty or fantastically aged and generally all wonderful Italians from all corners of Italy, this one stuck out for its pure elegance, almost Burgundian nature. cherries, smoke, a hint of tar, good acidity were noted but it was that silky texture that was entirely beguiling. It's was hard to not like this wine. If you had to judge, this bottle was completely empty before the end of the evening.

8/22/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Really like this rather open knit and easy drinking NSG. Drinks above its Village level designation, good complexity, nice put together, juice, good elegant red and black fruits and berries, a bit of earth, tea and is got a good backbone. For this price point, this is a case buy and hard to beat.

7/27/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

For a village level wine, this thing has great density, interest and length. black and red fruit, some sense of tea, well put together.

7/27/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Brilliant Sancerre, got a great sense of crispness and tension, graceful, yet not a shy wine at all, there is some good density but all in great balance. From mag. No rush on these.

7/9/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

This is going to be an immortal wine. I completely agree that it's a bit early to open one of these but had to check in on it. If you have mags, you are lucky. Having said that, what it does show you gives you goosebumps as the prospect of opening this in its proper time. The balance here is impeccable, it's BROODING and large scaled but yet light on its feet and so elegant. The focus of this wine is insane. Lively, that fine bead of acidity that makes this better IMHO than the slightly more hedonistic 09. The reserved fruit allows one to see a bit of the iron, coffee and forest undertones. Obviously a beautiful wine now but so much more will come. Need to hides way back into the cellar.

7/9/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Been unfortunately abusing my small stash of these but they are just so attractive now. The nose is just spot on for Lafon's Meursaults, and at 9 years old, still showing very young, nose and palate or stone fruit and a waxiness and slight hint of pueh er tea, and a great minerality. The density that others have talked about was unexpected and yet it remained light on its feet and very elegant. This is a well made wine with miles to go. Gotta find more..

7/3/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Had in a lineup with a magical '89 d'Yquem, and a 1990 Baumards Quarts de Chaume though very very good was not quite in the same ballpark as the other two. The viscosity of the Cuvee Contance is just remarkable. It complete coats the mouth and dominates the nose, the texture, and the taste. Moving at a glacial rate, this thing is still as the first time I tasted this well over a decade ago. On the nose and palate orange marmalade, apricot, honey, chrysanthemum and Pu Erh Tea. Still and surprisingly very fresh and super long finish. Where the the Yquem has a greater elegance and persistence on the finish, this Cuvee Constance has more staying power if not the ultimate length of the Yquem.

3/23/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

This was just a lovely example of both the vintage and Sylvain's skills. Purchased this on tasting and thought that it would have some legs so put it in some dark corner of the cellar and waited until friends that were curious about older Burgs from lesser known regions would have performed. This was a lovely bottle, well judged, medium body but extremely fresh and well balanced, just starting to move into maturity, Still crispy red fruit, lovely texture, nice acidity backbone, and was still quite refreshing. More than a few friends took note.

3/22/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Lush fruit, so pure even at 10 years old, silky entry, floral and fresh. The fruit flavors are lifted and points to a great backbone that all of this is supported off so it is not flabby at all. graceful even, Very interesting Chilean wine and one you will want to follow.

3/22/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Very surprised by this bottle (but then again it is CvC...) given the vintage and the level, this wine has a density and presence that well pushes past the village moniker. cherries, raspberries and given time an undertone of black tea. Well constructed.

2/13/2021 - TheEngineer wrote:

Same notes as before. bought a case hoping to see it through 10 years plus of evelutions....not sure if this case will even last the year. Great QPR and worth multiple case buys. Performs so well at this price point. More balanced than most 2013, with the requisite stuffing for the long haul but drinking so well already. Definitely worth a try.

2/10/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

The second magnum opened of this wine and it remains a large scale crowd pleasing pour, much like what Burgundy Al wrote about 15 years ago. The tannins have receded but the dense dark and deep fruit remains. The first bottle opened a couple of years ago was much the same so it has remained in this state for a bit. This wine impresses with its density and it has not given much of that baby fat up it appears.

2/10/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Wow. 5 year check in and this is just as many would have known, infanticide (but from a purpose bought bottle just for this reason). I gave it a violent decant (yes shaking in the bottle for those that are in the trade who do the same thing and taught me how) given some notes that this thing is asleep below and glad I did. The first thing you notice is the dichotomies. Rich but not heavy, lots going on but great precision, structured but not overtly tannic. This is a very interesting wine, great levels of fruit but it never feels flabby. In fact, all thought the long finish, in your mind, you are thinking about the precision and structure of the wine and what else is no showing at this point in time. This thing should not be touched for years….

1/23/2021 - TheEngineer wrote:

rich and Honeyed yet aromatic and floral, stone fruits but tropical also, guava, apricot, insane nose Definitely on the lush rich palate side but the mind is telling you that this would not be possible without a massive backbone behind there somewhere. Lush but elegant mouthfeel. This wine is complex, so amazing now but you know it's only hinting at what is behind this impressive cover. I hope you bought enough to following this one through the progression. One is definitely not going to do it.

1/2/2021 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Not quite Baker's 13 which was very good but this one more more Jim Beam, more peanuts, peanut brittle, cinnamon, syrup, hints of citrus. Decent length and texture. One of the older bottles that I've seen. Date Barreled 12-2011 8 years, 8 months.

12/28/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

very nutty, apples, cherry, maple syrup, wood, quite nice, not as much woos as the 13 which is great. Lots of maple syrup, molasses, hint of pepper, spices, vanilla, then after a bit, like a great apple cinnamon bun. Nice wood finish. Personally I think I like this more than the 13 year old that won the best whiskey of 2019 in whiskey advocate. The 13 has much more of an oak profile, The 11, is more toasted oak, walnuts, syrup and it is much sweeter Great value. actually for today, insane value at $39.99.

12/23/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

This is something different in 2013, a classically styled Napa Cab, Red and berries, some dark fruit, medium bodied, but rather tannic and very structured, very nicely done, elegant and not a large scale brash Napa cab, definitely some menthol /mint coolness juicy, with a medium length finish. This is a great value and deserves a case or two to watch over the next decade.

11/11/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

The 2001 Pavie is now in a great place, early in its maturity, it's showing still some of the lush, ripe rather hedonistic (but structured) side but also showing the complexity hidden behind all of the primary fruit, the cigar, herb, earth, etc with an added touch of mellowness that has developed over time, smooth, soft hinting at the powerhouse that it once was. Lovely. start drinking but now rush.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer wrote:

Wow... Tasted AFTER a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. It provided not only immediate refreshment and immediate counterpoint to the big Napa Cabs, but the wine itself is so vivid. The flinty minerality, the lemon peel, slight honey and ripe density of this wine was impressive enough to stand above all of the admitted excellent Napa Cabs. In fact voted wine of the night by those still left there when i popped n poured this.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. The 2012 continuum in this group tasted the most polished and finished of all of the wines here. Not so much about pour power or presence or density, this wine was just smooth, lush and focused. Great precision in the wine amongst this group. very good mouthfeel, herbiness, great complexity, could drink this all night without any palate fatigue. Just lovely.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

This wine seems to be shutting down a bit. Had it opened for five hours but it did not really reveal anything until about 8 hours in. By then, it was showing not only the density and rather monothic power of this wine. but also a nice level of complexity, balance, hinting at so much more. Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni and it was abou mid tier in this group.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

I was worried about it being closed from some of the other reivew. Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. Opened it 5 hours before consuming. Wow, what a wine, stopped me dead in my tracks after pouring a sample taste and walking back to my chair. This wine is very seriously built. All the power and density that one looks for in a Cali cab, wood is somewhat hidden by the density of the fruit. Power and goops of fruit, but a great backbone so that it never gets a head of itself and provides a good focus. this thing felt so well put together.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. In this lineup, it felt the most most graceful of all of these bigger wines. The wines hides its age well, no signs nor development that an 11 year old wine might have. smooth lush texture, Cabernet from on site, focused and balanced effort. Amazing that it was their first vintage of this wine. Nicely done.

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer wrote:

Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. This bottle was very much a surprise, after reading all of the reviews below. this must have been an off-bottle and frankly very disappointing. I hope to try again and see what others have seen. Opened 5 hours prior to consumption, the wines was actually light in comparison to all of the others and also rather simple. The wines was refreshing but lack any qualities that one would look for with mountain fruit, especially Howell. It lacked all of the verviness and power regardless of the density of the wine. As such the flaws in this wine really are not faults but the qualitative aspects of this wine just don't match anything I've read about it. It's like reading about a big purple car only to find a midsized sedan that is ligtt read when you arrive at the lot. Will have to open another bottle ro confirm

10/13/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Tasted in a lineup with 2009 Maybach Amoenus, 2012 Memento Mori, 2012 Brand, 2012 Continuum, 2014 Alpha Omega Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and 2014 Alejandro Bulgheroni. This wine stood right up there with the best (WTN was the 2012 MM), definitely showing the great density of a high end Napa Cab but also a good amount of complexity, focus and balanced with a very good structure behind this wine. Opened for 5 hours prior to drinking, this was a very good showing for this wine.

9/29/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

It is a demi-sec for sure, but there is a lot of density of things going with this wine. Also an interesting almost oxidative note in a krugish way. interesting. Worked very well with dessert.

7/15/2020 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

For context, I had this after one of my all time favs, the 2001 Leroy Richebbourg and it was a stunning example at that. Having come down from that rarefied air, this thing stood right with it. Every bit as ethereal as the Leroy but without the mellowing effect of age, very attractive nose, another wine you don't need to drink to enjoy, there is a lot going on, the depth that you can only get a glimpse of today is positively astounding. This feels like it will be better than the 2001 Leroy Richebourg when it comes of age. On the palate, you immediately sense the silkiness of the tannins before even the taste, the way it coats your tongue. Insane! loads going on behind the dark berries, spices, but only hints. this thing is going to need time and I'm looking forward to seeing it through the phases.

12/9/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Rather impressed with this an have to agree with a couple of friends that this is the sleeper release this year. Nice inviting nose of burnt sugar, toffee, on the palate, nicely spicy and lots going on, caramel, honey, a bit peppery, good finish, you know it's aged whiskey but it's not like chewing a church pew or something. Well put toghether

5/8/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Cork disintegrated on opening but the wine was in good shape. We decanted it to remove cord and sediment and are we glad we did. It took some tim to open up, improving over the two hours that we opened dinner with. Initially more mutes, tea, light red fruit ans a ense that it was once a quite ripe vintage, over time it opened up to some soft plum a metallic ting as some others have noted for sure, with the acidity, density and structure coming back over time, turning into quite a nice mature but still lacking in complexity.

4/2/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Lovely mature merlot, while from a "leaner"year, still ripe and can sense the sweetness, dense, fruit, cherries, some dried fruit, licorice. hint of mint in your month, good acidity keeps it from being just dense and chewy, good length and persistence.

3/31/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Performed very well for 12 year old white, still rather tense and vervy with the firm acidic backbone, opened up over the 6 hours we consumed it. Minerally driven, focused and a great value!

1/7/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Great fill level, good cork.low neck, this wine is gorgeous, elegant, everything you'd want from an aged Bordeaux. The wine is still vibrant, showing dried fruit, earthy, tobacco, minerals and graphite. Completely integrated now and just showing so well. It was better than a similar condition Chateau Lafite also served tonight thought both showed very well. The LB persistence lingered on like a great burgundy.

1/7/2019 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Fontondi always over delivers for the price point and this one certainly did not disappoint, still as many noted, very fresh, vibrant wine with a vervey nose, lovely smooth and elegant texture with notes of cherry, some dried berries, wine is soft and feels slightly silky and slightly sweet, lush. Excellent with a bit of time out of the bottle, just starting to enter its drinking window with no rush. Would love to see it again in a few years.

12/17/2018 - TheEngineer wrote:

the wine needed some time to wake up, it was very muted in the beginning, but opened up to a leafy, tobbaco, graphite, earthy nose, quite an elegant palate, but lacking some density. Pleasant enough a drink and quite in line with the vintage being somewhat cooler.

11/5/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Well structured village level wine, good attractive nose, Ripe but structured, focused, lemon peel,smooth texture. Performed well for the price point!

11/5/2018 - TheEngineer wrote:

For a wine from a location which I've not had any products from before, I'm very impressed. Overall, the wine is well made, nicely structure, reasonably aromatic, smooth and well balanced. This is wine well exceeds the price point that this is selling for.

11/2/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

I've had some Napa Cabs from '70, '74 and '78 lately so it is from this perspective that this note is being written. This is a great bottle that has reached the ripe old age of 50 years. This must have been a helluva wine when it was young because it has aged so gracefully. The wine on opening needed a bit of time to wake up but once it did, it was a wonderful wine, tertiary notes for sure, tobacco, forest, dried fruits, tea, very balanced, the texture was smooth and still quite lush and the acidity kept it amazingly fresh for such an old wine. Compared to others of this age from the 70's I think that it was this balance and this liveliness that was the hallmark of this wine. Wonderful, drank well over the three hours that it was opened. While a bit short, the persistence was very long.

9/14/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

It's been a while where a wine has moved me to want to write a review. Perhaps it was because it was Friday, or perhaps it was because it was a really good wine. I really like this vintage. Visually, this wine is the ultimate fighter, chiselled, lithe and powerful, but with graceful, minimalistic moves from those taunt but bulging muscles. sheathed somewhat by understated and refined Kenzo black threads.

This wine does it for me, first completely elegant, floral and focused nose that builds on you, the backbone balanced and support the cool fruit, apples. The finish lingers and brings you back. Two bottles deep now and hopefully will need to hide the remaining mags so that I can see what remains hidden behind this still austere package.

3/30/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Thought we'd check into this bottle again. The viscosity having seemed to have calmed down a bit, but the wine is every bit as massive as I remember it to be, great balanced though with the acidity giving it a refrehness and a lift hat must be difficult with a wine of this size. Aging slowng and gracefgully. absolutely no rush...maybe a gift to the grandkids...

3/30/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

I certainly don't believe that this one one of the better bottles though the fill was into the next. Certainly the graceful profile of an aging Napa Cab, the acidity though stood out more so than the rest of the other components so not entirely in balance. So while enjoyable, it lacked the composure which I had expected.

3/13/2018 - TheEngineer Likes this wine:

Last of a six pack and all the bottles, regardless of fill level, which ranged from neck level to mid shoulder, performed very well. In fact the notes are all very consistent. My notes are exactly the same as that I had on 12/2/2017 but I will add a bit of detail. This should not be thought of as a great wine in the same vein as a 1961 Chateau Latour but it is a good wine that has survived the test of time and landed as a happy example of how wines were made back then in California. It still has all of its components, backbone, fruit, acidity, good length, etc, and its just amazing for a wine of this age that frankly has more to go. I will be looking for more for sure.

3/12/2018 - TheEngineer wrote:

Pnp for a few glasses and then decanted rest. What a beautiful wine, ripe and dense for sure but with a great backbone, the texture is just lush and smooth, though there are still tannins well hidden behind this, super long finish and lingers forever. Great balance too despite the overall ripe profile of the wine.

12/22/2017 - TheEngineer wrote:

Wow, one of the top wines that I've ever drank. Period. Mature and arriving in such style and grace. Fruit is dried but still ripe and more than that, the balance with the structure, nice complexity, along with the lingering elegant finish that stays on the breath as well as the memory.