4/27/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Pretty coppery salmon color with a fine mousse. Not as aromatic as I would have liked, but there are lovely smells of strawberry, red cherry, lemon custard, and baking bread. Much less fruit on the palate than on the nose. Plenty of flavors of chalk, violets and lavender, fresh bread that dominated the delicate fresh red fruit. The acidity is pleasantly high. And that is the perfect word for this wine- pleasant. Though perhaps not know your socks off. I'm agnostic about aging this further.

4/23/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Smells rich and lemony with a light touch of creme fraiche in the background. High acidity, without being shrill. Body is medium with a small amount of viscosity that is nonetheless noticeable. The initial flavors are where this wine shine- fresh and baked lemons, custard, slate rocks, a wonderful subtle caramel that is starting to creep in that is super delicious. Very well made and just starting to move out of its primary phase. Perfect spot to drink for my palate, though it will hold for a while yet.

4/20/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

What a bummer. This is a Grand Cru?! No way. The bottle looked to be in perfect shape, intact cork soaked about half way up. A tiny hint of browning right at the rim, but otherwise the wine looks fine. This is 25 yrs old after old.

Not fragrant at all- some red fruits, a bit of leather, you really have to go hunting around for aromas. Good acid in the mouth, some powdery tannins, red cherries, other nondescript red fruits, leather. Finish is decently long. Started to decline after a few hours open.

I really think this was a sound bottle. It wasn't cooked, oxed, corked, anything like that. But jeez, for what this wine should be, the complexity, concentration, and just plain impact is sorely lacking. And it's EXPENSIVE. Somewhat pleasant at best. If you told me this was a Bourgogne rouge from a middling producer I'd believe you. Not worth it at all.

4/18/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

This is a fun one- an everyday wine from a real top shelf producer. Vibrant young purple in the glass. Juicy red and black fruits, concentrated cherry juice, a bit of licorice, and dried violets on the nose. Light to medium in body, medium in acidity with a surprising amount of tannins that are fairly aggressive. The flavors are mostly juicy red fruits, for lack of a better word- this is just tasty. There are some flavors of licorice in the background, just like on the nose. Not particularly complex, but very pleasing, with a medium length finish. Not profound, but very nice, and I'd buy again.

4/14/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

This is the sort of California Chardonnay I like- reasonably rich, warm, full, and fun, without veering into cloying, oaky vanilla bomb territory. The color is nice and youthful on this nearly 10yr old wine under natural cork. On the nose- lemon custard, little bit of yellow peach and pineapple, a touch of cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. The oak is there, is in the back seat relative to the fruit. In the mouth- medium full in body, a surprisingly zesty acidity. The oak on the palate precedes the fruit (opposite of the nose). But there are plenty of juicy fresh yellow fruit flavors. The finish is clean, lingers on the palate, no alcohol heat. This is lovely stuff, and while it will keep for a few years, I'd guess this is as good as it is going to get. Enjoy!

4/14/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

I just had the exact same experience as evannaismith. Decent but with an unpleasant cheesy element indicating that this wine is officially over the hill.

4/12/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Oh my God this is good. Definitely a warmer/richer expression of Sauvignon Blanc, with plenty of rich lemon curd and sweet pineapple a full 15% ABV, but not without a bit of that characteristic green grass, raw bell pepper, and cat pee. That may not sound all that appetizing to the uninitiated, but this is gorgeous nose. Medium to full bodied in the mouth. Wonderful vibrant acidity balances the rich creamy tropical fruits. Long and complex finish. No alcohol heat whatsoever. This will last for years to come. Not cheap, not easy to track down, but truly gorgeous stuff.

4/2/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Seems like my opinion differs a bit from the other lukewarm reviews already here. I've been down on white Burgundy recently for its ridiculous price and highly variable quality. I'm way more often disappointed than impressed. But I thought this was fantastic, better than pretty much any sub-$100 Côte d'Or whites that I've had recently. I loved the balance between yellow lemon and apple flavors with a real core of minimality. The balance was perfect and the wine had real cohesion (can't think of a better word) about it that I really enjoyed. It faded a bit overnight in the fridge so I'd recommend not keeping this for the long term. But for the short term, this is excellent.

3/28/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

The wine is in great shape- pours vibrant purple/red, with just a tiny hint of bricking. There's a very strong dark cherry note on the nose along with some distinct leather and earthy elements. Full in body, very fine tannins, medium acid. It's very suave in the mouth, feels great just swirling it around the palate. Most prominent flavor is of juicy black cherries, but there's also a note of umeboshi that seems to come and go, and a bitter medicinal type taste that reminds me of Robitussin. Leather on the finish.

The wine is enjoyable, I like drinking it, though the price is a bit steep for what it is, I think. Also, this is my first experience with Quintarelli and I had very high hopes. Not sure I understand what makes this wine capital-G Great. Perhaps I'm lacking the proper context as I don't drink much Valpolicella.

3/25/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

My God...unlike anything I've ever had. Smells like dark cherries a hundred miles deep. Aromas are so complex and nuanced- Dr Pepper soda, watermelon, cocoa powder, raspberry preserves, fresh figs, canned cranberry sauce, potpourri, honey, a touch of leather. Surprisingly, this is not a super viscous glycerol monster. Medium bodied, medium in acid, tannins and fine grained but still clearly present. I read the description on the winery website, so I knew this would be dry, but the lack of sweetness is a shock nonetheless. Like the nose, there is so much going on that it's kind of bonkers trying to list it all. Cherries, cherries, raspberries, red plums, dried cranberries, dark earth, bitter herbs, more cherries. The finish is very long, refreshingly bitter, a touch of alcohol heat. No idea how a wine like this will age, but I'm curious. I just bought more. This wine is absolutely bonkers and I love it.

3/24/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Pours medium gold. On the nose: creamy citrus, lemon candy, banana, white flowers, toffee, a little bit of caramel. The acidity is medium and balances nicely with a body that has some weight to it. Cooked citrus fruits and lemon preserves are prominent in the mouth along with a nice saline minerality. There are some toasty notes of age as well. The finish is surprisingly long and emphasizes this wine's complexity.

The past 11 years have treated this wine well. I've had this exact same bottling at release and I haven't been very impressed. It tasted ok, but rather anonymous. But this has really become something interesting. It's definitely not a young 'un anymore, but is in no danger of heading downhill soon.

3/19/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Bottle Number 2- mostly consistent with my first tasting. Subtle lovely red fruits on the nose with a touch of spice. Aromas light but also manages to be simultaneously assertive, like a lovely perfume. Light and lively in the mouth, with a vibrant acidity, and velvety smooth tannins. In my first note, I wondered about the ageability, but this bottle held wonderfully over 3 days in the fridge. I'm not concerned anymore- I bet this will develop and improve. Fantastic stuff!!!

3/17/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Dusty raspberry, red cherries, forrest floor. Acidity is medium low. Tertiary leather starting to develop. This is good, but definitely time to drink. Enjoyable though wouldn't hold much longer.

3/8/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

This is a 21 yr old wine. Most recent CellarTracker notes are over 10 years old. Not sure what to expect, but the pale color of the wine through the clear glass was promising. Removing the capsule shows that the wine has barely started to penetrate the cork.

The wine give an overall sense of freshness and at the same time has some notes of development on the nose if you're looking for them. Really lovely aromas. Very floral, dried pineapple, golden apple, jackfruit, lemon meringue, candle wax, honeycomb, a little spiciness (cinnamon?). It's a fascinating nose. In the mouth, the wine is dry, medium in body, a good amount of lively acidity, but with a gravitas that conveys seriousness. Flavors lean more textural, surprisingly full of minerality- limestone and chalk. The waxiness is apparent as well, with lemons and yellow apples hovering the background. The finish has a cleansing, almost digestif-like bitterness, though it is a bit on the short side (the only real criticism I have here).

Man, I'm starting to really dig these aged Sauvignon Blanc-based wines. I don't have them often, but whenever I do, I wonder why that's the case. (Cost probably...) Though fresh on the nose, the palate is a more aged, and therefore might not appeal widely. But I loved it. Of the few super high quality Sauv Blanc based wines I've had in the past 5 or so yrs, I'd rate this just a small step behind Petit Cheval Blanc, Ygrec, and Mondavi To Kalon I-Block. But highly recommended if you can find it.

3/8/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Harvest base 2015, disgorged May 2021. Coppery salmon in hue. Toasty, bready notes on the nose along with lemon, strawberries, and fresh raspberries. Medium plus acid in the mouth, more citrus than red fruited in flavor profile. Medium complexity and finish. It's nice, very pleasant, though I wouldn't pay the full $70-80 price.

3/5/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Solid, though pretty straightforward. This is a solid Bourgogne blanc that has little to distinguish it other than being faultless. A bit on the lighter restrained side, with just a touch of oak that comes out more after a day in the fridge. Does not have the insane reduction that I've experienced with other PYCM wines, which is fine by me. Overall, this is good, but not nearly worth the price. You're definitely paying for the name here.

2/26/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Whoa- don't buy this expecting a typical California Zin full of black fruits and jam. The 13.5%ABV led me to expect a lighter experience than usual, but I was still surprised pouring this pale translucent ruby wine into the glass. This is Zinfandel?! The aromas are wonderful, though wholly atypical of California Zin: juicy raspberry and cherry, blood orange, Concord grapes, cinnamon and nutmeg. In the mouth: medium acidity, fine tannins, a lushness of body that is just downright suave. Red fruits complimented by a brambly spiciness that works so well together. A decently long finish with some complexity- impressive for such a young wine. What a nice wine; I want more.

There is a lightness, liveliness, and easy pleasure in this wine that is atypical among its peers. There are a few there other wines distinguish themselves similarly: Comando G ($30-500+/btl) makes similarly light delicious wines among other ponderous anonymous Spanish Garnacha. Chapelle St Theodoric makes spritely lightly extracted wines among many heavy Chateauneuf du Papes (I hear Rayas has a similar character though I've never tried that). Lopez de Heredia Gran Reserva wines are light and surprisingly subtle among its loud heavily-extracted peers. There are others. This stands among them. Lovely.

2/26/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

As mentioned in many of the tasting notes, the nose of this wine has a very rich lemon smell- lemon curd, lemon meringue pie, preserved lemons. There's some riper pineapple notes lurking in the background as well. The nose is really nice overall, though I'm not a fan of the vanilla oak aromas that are bit much for me. The wine is medium to medium plus in body, with a nice amount of refreshing acidity. Like the nose, the flavors are rich lemon and oak. This is really high quality stuff, but the oak is a little clumsy, and unfortunately, gets worse with a couple nights in the fridge. Don't get me wrong, this wine is very nice, and will appeal to many, it's just not quite the style I usually gravitate towards. Recommend you pair it with something a bit on the rich side.

2/24/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Bottle 1491/1801, 7g/L dosage, 12.5%ABV. The simple crown cap belies the quality of the contents. This is no funky Pet-Nat; it's a full-fledged methode Champagnoise Pinot/Chardonnay sparkler. Nice toasty citrus on the nose, along with a sunny California character. In the mouth, some nice autolytic bready notes, as well as baked apple, lemon curd, toasted meringue, held together with a high acidity. This tastes like a nice fleshy style of Champagne to me. The complexity is medium, and while not particularly profound, it's very pleasant and fun to drink. I mean, it's bottled under a crown cap- I wasn't exactly expecting Krug. Well done.

2/20/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

I think this is quite nice and completely disagree with a prior note that this is "plonk". This is now 8 years old and holding up wonderfully. Sweet cherry fruit at the fore, but also interesting barnyard-y and earthy notes are starting to emerge. Smooth tannins, medium acid, pleasant mouthfeel with a medium finish. It's not a loud wine, but subtle, and one that I'm glad to have had.

2/19/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Out of a 375mL with suspect storage: apparently found in a dusty corner of the basement of my local wine shop. It wasn't cheap, but given the prices that this wine fetches at retail (at least $1000/bootle), I got a screaming bargain. This is the first 1st growth I've ever bought! Saved for a few years for a special occasion- That's tonight!

Cork is mostly saturated, comes out in one piece. Wine pours a healthy looking crimson with just the smallest amount of bricking at the rim. Amazingly healthy looking.

One smell and I can tell that, while good, this wine is not at its best. The whole package is a little muted and lacks some intensity. The aromas that I do smell are nice though- the fruits are at the dark end of the spectrum, blackberries and black plums, black cherries, along with some cinnamon, and classic Pauillac unburnt cigar and cedar.

Gentle and suave in the mouth with a very pleasant surprisingly fruit-forward entry. Dark fruits take the lead, then some lovely leathery tertiary notes. Cassis, tobacco, wood, graphite, all those nice Bordeaux descriptors are there, though you have to hunt for them a bit. The finish is nice and pleasant, medium in length, medium in complexity. I'm left with the impression of a nice, though not profound, Bordeaux. I enjoy it, but it's not the 100pt epic wine that I was hoping for. I'm not into scoring wines, but I'll give it a B+. Not bad given the deal I got.

I've never had this wine before (never had Mouton before in fact), and there are no over-the-hill off notes, but the giveaway that this wine is not at its best are the almost absent tannins. The '86 vintage, and the '86 Mouton in particular, has the reputation of being a bit of a tannin monster, but not this bottle. I imagine the small format and so-so storage accelerated the aging of this wine. My guess is that I'm tasting the 1986 Mouton as it will be at age 50 or 60, instead of the 38 years that it is today. I'd love to try a well stored full sized bottle, and while this wasn't profound, it was certainly fun and worth it for the experience of having tried Mouton.

2/19/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Medium gold. Not the most aromatically intense, but what is there is lovely- cream, Meyer lemon, lemon meringue pie, cantaloupe, brioche brioche and more brioche. Sweeter than I would have expected on the entry, though not too much; the sweetness compliments the soft creamy mouthfeel, super fine mousse, baked lemon flavors, and toasty flavors perfectly. So much bread, Champagne goodness. This is 24 years old and age has treated it very well- so much lovely yeasty complexity without an ounce of tiredness. This is lively, spritz, energetic. Manages to be straight up delicious and complex at the same time. Well done!

2/18/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Even though this is from a 375mL, my bottle seems to be drinking younger than other descriptions here. Color is pale, but not browning. Nose is surprisingly fresh Christmas cake, red prunes, cranberry sauce, cherry syrup, loganberry preserves, cinnamon, cloves. Very nice. The body is quite in the mouth and tannins are pretty much gone (this speaks to age perhaps). But the flavors are quite fruity, almost like a fruit punch, with some baking spices thrown in. The whole thing finishes quite sweet with some alcohol hotness that I could do without. The wine is very pleasant, but not quite the complexity that I would have hoped for with 40 yrs of age.

2/16/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Deep rose color. Indistinct red berries and Red Delicious apple on the nose. Overall, the nose is rather shy. Nice texture in the mouth with a fine mousse, medium plus acid. Again, there are the nondescript red fruits along with minerality and a touch of bitterness. Finish is short. It's nice, pleasant, good not great.

2/13/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

90%Xinomavro and 10% Assyrtiko. The slightest blush of pink. Very pleasant nose, if not a little reserved. Smells of golden apples, preserved lemons, orange zest, a touch of autolytic breadiness, and lifted saline acidity. Very high toned and lively. In the mouth, the mousse is a touch coarse. Acidity is high, Meyer lemon, fresh lemon zest, fresh Granny Smith apples, and a touch red fruit (maybe raspberries). I don't get any toastiness in the mouth. This is not super complex, but it is a very pleasant, high acid, high toned, lively, Champagne-esque sparkler. The unusual grapes and geography add interest as well. All for under $40. Well worth it to me.

2/9/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Good God this is an amazing bottle of wine- my first time with the legendary To Katon I-Block. Pale gold, very young looking. The nose is complex, full of golden apples, juicy pears, pineapples, preserved lemons, limestone, white florals, beeswax. A beautiful lively medium bodied texture in the mouth that is, like the nose, full of yellow fruits, minerality, acidity, chalk. The finish is long and complex, satisfying. Went wonderfully with stone crab claws and then later with swordfish. Half the bottle was absolutely fire 5 hours later.

What else to say? Very unique. The lively acidity and chalkiness reminds me of Chablis, some of the fruit resembles lush Cote de Beaune, the lovely and slightly oxidative waxy character recalls the great white wines of Lopez de Heredia. It somehow manages to be both unique and friendly; as a wine geek I went nuts from this, my non-wine enthusiast drinking partner (who normal detests Sauv Blanc) loved it as well.

No idea how representative this is- I've read these older To Kalon I-Blocks have significant bottle variability, and I've never had one before. But this is the best wine I've had in a quite a while. Too bad these are nearly impossible to track down.

2/7/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

I mean....it's good. That's about the best thing to say about this wine. I know it's supposed to be the "forgotten second growth", so I'm not expecting a Pichon or a Leoville or a Palmer (a 3rd growth, I know...), but this is drinking at the level of a middling Cru Bourgeois.

2/3/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Many CellarTracker notes mention how dark the wine is; even so, I'm surprised. Looks almost like tawny port, but don't take that to mean that this wine is dead. It's not! What a fabulous nose- savory, spiced oranges, smoky, mineral, saline, toffee, mixed nuts. Someone at dinner mentioned paprika and aleppo peppers on the nose; she's not wrong. So much going on here. So fresh and alive in the mouth. There is a little oxidation, sure, but to my palate this is nowhere near getting tired or over the hill. There is refreshing acidity and a bit of tannins to keep it lively and enjoyable. This is not a wine about fruit, this is a wine of texture and complexity; wax, nuttiness, mushroom, mineral, some leather, dried oranges, a bit of saltiness. It's a wild ride, but does not veer into funky or dirty. There were a few casual wine drinkers at dinner tonight that I was worried would be turned off, but they loved this. The wine-nerds loved this. An all around hit. Beautiful, complex, alive.

2/2/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Deep gold in color. Not showing its age on the nose, which is towards the tropical end of the spectrum, at least for Chablis. Pineapple, passionfruit, and limes. High acid and lean the mouth, much less fruity than the nose; there is salinity, stoniness, a bit of waxy character. Oxidation is just starting to creep in a bit, but still enjoyable. Very nice, and serves as a good reminder that most Chablis can take moderate age quite well.

1/30/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Perfectly adequate and enjoyable. Lemon and biscuits, a touch savory. Short on the finish. Given skyrocketing prices for Champagne, this was a decent quality grower for around $45. Would be nice to have again, but won't be running to the store to get more.

1/22/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

A bit of a monster- only 14%ABV, but tastes bigger. This is concentrated, brawny, and powerful. Nose is bursting with red and dark fruits, along with big big leather aromas. The leather might turn some people off, but I like it. There is garrigue, fresh and dried herbs, some wild barnyard smells, and what I can only describe as depth. What a nose!

Powerful in the mouth as well. Lots of leather as well as a huge core of sour cherry and black cherry fruit. The herbals, earthiness, barnyard, it's all there on the palate. Tannins are medium, a little rough, but not overpowering in and of themselves. Maybe a little Brett, but it's minimal.

There's a wildness to the whole package that is very appealing. But as fun as it is out of the bottle, I do prefer it as it takes on air and tames down a little bit. It's like it becomes a strong race horse rather than a wild stallion! The whole thing is a bit more manageable on Day 2.

1/20/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

I was very excited to hear that this producer made a Zinfandel. The gentle hand used in Six Cloves winemaking is just the sort of treatment that produces my favorite Zins. The fact that the fruit came from cool Mendocino intrigued me as well.

For me, of these three wines, this one is the most exciting, but also the least ready to drink right now. It pours the color of a lightly extracted Pinot- extremely light for a Zinfandel. The aromas are pleasant, but feel a bit locked up- it just seems like this wine needs some time in the bottle to blossom. It’s a bit hard to pick out individual aromas but I pull out raspberry, cherry, concord grape jelly, some cocoa powder. The entrance in the mouth is just lovely, so fresh and so alive, but a second later come a rush of tannins. They aren’t unmanageable, but I do feel like at this stage this wine needs food to show well. Like the nose, the flavors are a bit of a mélange of fruits, but along with the raspberry and cherry, there are intriguing deeper darker fruits as well (mulberry, Italian plums?). A wonderfully long finish, especially for a wine so young.

This is some very high-quality wine that I just don’t think is 100% ready quite yet. A semi-relevant tangent: I took a drawing class in college, and one day, the professor projected a painting that was very out of focus at the front of the room. She had us copy it, and over the course the class, slowly slowly slowly adjusted the focus. We revised our drawings as the focus sharpened. I can’t even remember what we were supposed to learn from all this, but I do remember that at first, you couldn’t even tell what the drawing was of, but over time, details emerged, and eventually there was a perfectly crisp photograph projected in the front of the room. This wine is like that; it’s half-way between the blurry image, and the final photo. The details haven’t resolved yet, but I think they are going to. Ultimately, this will be a beautiful wine, it just needs a little time.

1/20/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Light translucent ruby with a pink watery rim. A surprisingly dark fruit character on the nose given how light the wine appears. Black cherry, deep raspberry, a bit of herbaceousness (spearmint?) that compliments the fruits nicely. There are also damp dark earth and forest floor aromas that are welcome in a wine so young. A touch of cinnamon spice to tie it all up. So light and lively in the mouth, medium acidity, with flavors that mirror the nose- dark cherries lead the way with complimentary earth, herbals, and spice. There are tannins here for sure, but they are smooth and polished. There is so much going on, lots of complexity, especially for a wine so young, but nothing is aggressive—it’s restrained and subtle, the word that comes to mind is “suave”. I’d love to taste this in 5-10 years, but also so enjoyable right now.

1/20/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Pale yellow in the glass. A little tight at first but it opens nicely after a few mins in the glass. On the nose: Lemon drops, white flowers, a little pineapple in the background, and a fun chalky character that reminds me of clapping out blackboard erasers in elementary school. What an association! The lemon drop character continues in the mouth, as does the fresh pineapple. There is a perception of fruit sweetness here without any actual residual sugar*. It’s very nice. The acidity is high enough, and the body lean enough, that it creates an unexpected juxtaposition with the tropical flavors that I usually associate with much bigger/riper wines. And while the acid is high, it isn’t ripping my enamel off; there is just enough roundness so that holding the wine in the mouth is just lovely. This is very restrained for a Chardonnay from Napa, but it still manages to retain the sunny character that can make these wines so enjoyable. What a balancing act!

*- I read the winemaker notes after writing the above tasting note, and it mentions that this vintage has 5g/L RS. I thought I tasted some sweetness!

1/19/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Super good bottle- I had trouble removing the cork with the Durand, not because it was so soft, but because the top 2/3 was so tight! My first impression popping the cork was the exact same as VINUMMING & AHHIN- very floral and perfumed, but that dissipates rather quickly.

Clear, garnet, remarkably little bricking. Wonderful balance of red fruits and tertiary character: red cherry, blackberry, damp leather, turned earth, cedar wood, menthol, shade (does that have a smell?). Acidity is medium, the body is definitely lightening up. What lovely classic Bordeaux flavors of red and black fruits (same as nose), leather, graphite, cedar box. The finish is long, complex, relaxing, pleasant.

This is my first time having this wine, but I imagine that even in its youth, this wine was on the lighter, red fruited, and classic end of the Bordeaux spectrum. That is certainly how it drinks now. The tannins are smooth and soft, indicating that this bottle is towards the end of its drinking window, though it is by no means over the hill. What an enjoyable end to a long day.

UPDATE- Half the bottle went into a 375mL and into the fridge for two more days. The wine the emerged was even better than before. The fruit has tightened up, there is more presence to the body, the tannins even seem a bit more prominent in this better-aerated version of the wine. Really nice. I gotta remember to give these old school Bordeaux air!

1/12/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

About 1000 times more flavorful and concentrated than your typical watery pinot grigio. Lemon, mandarin oranges, ruby grapefruit, some pith bitterness, and a strong granitic stoniness. An impressive concentration for a <$30 wine with a smooth supple mouthfeel. I'd love to try this in another 5 years, and it really makes me want to seek out this producer's higher level bottlings. This is their entry level!

1/9/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Medium gold with just a slight amount of haze in the glass. Lovely fragrant nose- very high toned and full of minerals, chalkiness, some ocean spray, and fresh lemon oil. I expected a high-acid zing-monster in the mouth, and while high acid for sure, it is a bit fuller, rounder, softer than I expected. That's a good thing! Tart green apple, fresh lemon, a touch of grapefruit pith with a core of stoniness running through the whole experience. Lovely finish with some refreshing bitterness. Very good stuff. Don't believe the drink by 2023 date on CellarTracker. Especially under screw cap, this wine has miles to go. Well done!

1/1/2024 - NoahCap wrote:

Definitely getting on in years. Leathery, musty, a bit dirty, saddle soap, soy sauce that is going a little rancid, dried cherries, candied fruits. In the mouth, the acidity is medium, body is light. Leather and sweet cherry flavors dominate, the rancid soy sauce that is immediately apparent on the finish, does dissipate as the wine remains open. Went decently well with some chicken, but this wine's best days are behind it, I'm afraid. Give it a quick decant and drink soon.

12/29/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Pale ruby, clear, looks very light. Perfumed red fruits on the nose with a touch of spiciness (power of suggestion from the brand name?). Primary in the mouth. Medium in acid, light in body, extremely fine tannin. Subtle but not dilute. Complex and elegant. I could use a touch more weight, and though the balance is there, the lightness does make me wonder about ageability. But for now...What a beauty.

12/29/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Pretty good, especially for the price. You could have fooled me into thinking this is Champagne. Day 2 was even more biscuity. Nice, not complicated, but very pleasant and a good value.

12/25/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Very fresh- on the fuller end of White Burg spectrum; concentrated but still with a high level of acidity that keeps it lively. Classic orchard and citrus along with some lovely white florals and a bit of tropical notes- passionfruit and even a little pineapple. Fell off a bit on night 2. Very good now.

12/22/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

An excellent bottle- high fill, perfect cork.

Translucent garnet with light bricking. Blackberry, licorice, olive, and worn leather. The aroma list reads like classic N Rhone Syrah, and in a way it has those classic smells, but there is a difficult to describe perfume-y quality that feels very much like Burgundy. Many commenters here mention calling this as Burgundy and I completely understand where they are coming from.

The body is light, acidity is medium, still a bit of fine powdery tannins. The flavors are balanced between fruit (red and black), olives, garrigue, salted licorice, and tertiary notes of turned earth, worn leather, and saddle soap. Again, there is a delicacy in the presentation of flavor that I don't really associated with the Rhone or Syrah. It has the esthetic of an aged Gevrey.

Though delicate, this did open nicely over the course of several hours. I poured it very gently into a narrow necked decanter so as not to blast it with oxygen, and I think that was a the right approach. I wouldn't say it put on weight exactly, but it did shed some of the thin acidic characteristics that aged wine can have.

This is not a powerful burly Hermitage. It is light, subtle, and though probably best 5-8 yrs ago, is beautiful now. Drink this if you have it; it'll hold for a while but I think it's on a long slow decline. Really beatiful now, but treat it delicately and pair it with a roast chicken or mushrooms as opposed to a big beef roast. Enjoy!

12/15/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Young and primary in aromatic and flavor profile. The nose isn't as exuberant as you might expect though. It's sweetly red and black fruited- ripe cherries, blackberries, even some cranberries, as well as lavender, and some dried herbs. The palate is where this wine shines. The fruit profile is ripe cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, sweet in character, though without actually residual sugar. There are some savory olive and herbal notes in there as well, a touch of Provencal herbs; all these will likely emerge with age. Medium chalky tannins, medium plus body, higher acidity to my palate than your average N Rhone Syrah. A very nice wine- pleasurable, not too intellectualy, though it will become increasingly complex and satisfying with age. Ad It's got a good 10, 15, even 20 yrs in the tank I would guess.

12/12/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

My first time with Gravonia. I've had the Tondonia Reserva Blanco before. This crianza is by no means a down grade, though there are differences. Generally, the body here is lighter, concentration a little lower, overall a bit fresher.

This wine still has plenty of the oxidative, nutty, waxy character that make LdH blancos so distinctive. The amazing feat of this wine is its ability to balance these flavors with freshness and lift.

I'd wager that 99%+ of white wines out there are distinguished by fruit, minimality, and acid. This is not. This is driven by texture, flavors of the earth and flowers, characteristics like wax and mushrooms, length and complexity. The finish is long. The wine evolves with air like few others. It is protean over days, each manifestation enjoyable in its own way.

12/11/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Looks like an aged nebbiolo. An interesting nose, kind of nebbiolo-esque but with some high toned red fruits as well. Dusty rose, potpourri, sour cherries. Medium to medium high acidity in the mouth, light in body but with significant sandy tannins. The character is that of a lively young wine but with flavors that are more reminiscent of a wine with age. The complexity is medium and finish is a bit short, but still a very unusual wine. Glad I tried it.

12/10/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

A very nice drink that tastes a lot like a Champagne that has 10+ years on it. Yellow apple, ripe pears, toasty autolytic character. Acid is high and the wine has a lively character in the mouth that is very pleasant. Finish leaves something to be desired. Amazingly, lasted for 4 days in the fridge. Very good, though $65 is a bit steep.

12/5/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

This is my first Cristom experience, and I quite like this wine. It's very pleasant to drink- both on its own and with food. This has the light to medium body, concentration without heaviness, super fine grained tannin, and red fruit profile that I personally look for in Pinot Noir. Not a whole lot of tertiary development, but what do you expect for a Oregon Pinot less than 5 years old? I'm a fan and I'll be looking for more Cristom in the future- excited to try their single vineyard offerings.

12/2/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Perfect cork and fill. Significant bricking in the glass, though nowhere near all brown. Nose is a nice blast of aged sour cherry, tobacco, and earth- it smelled great. But the fruits were faded in the mouth, lots of earth and cigar wrapper flavors, which I don't mind, but an unpleasant rancid soy sauce on the finish that I was not a fan of at all. This bottle was drinkable, nice with some pasta, but was at it's best 10+ yrs ago.

12/2/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

Very youthful at 14 yrs old. Still mostly primary with plenty of juicy black and red cherries, kirsch, some clove and cinnamon spices, some damp earth, faint forest floor. Medium minus in body, very light tannins, medium acidity, flavors mirror the nose with the addition of some digestif-like bitterness. Very good and still going strong, though I wasn't totally blown away.

11/27/2023 - NoahCap wrote:

In the middle of its life- still plenty of sour cherry fruit and tannin, though starting to soften and develop some tertiary leather notes. Tastes like a quintessential Chiatni Classico with a little age. Nice.