7/11/2023 - jviz wrote:

A truly great bottle. This 2015 was excellent, and came off as especially elegant and approachable in light of the vintage. At 12.5% alcohol, transparent ruby in the glass this has notes of red plum and capsicum. Its softened, polished tannins with minimal wood influence are just silky. This is a delight to drink now and should be great throughout its lifetime.

10/20/2022 - vintage_whine wrote:

was expecting something more natural, but the small amount of sulfur in play here was wisely chosen, along with the wise pick date that keeps the fruit in a perfectly succulent state without any sense of being overripe despite 14% on the bottle (7C). 15 minutes later the ethyl acetate pokes out, and we get wallpaper glue and green guava and pineapple, you know the stuff that drives hipsters wild. what also builds is the sense of power, at first opening, i was underwhelmed, and thankful I paid 85€ instead of the normal retail price, bc this wine seemed unremarkable in terms of concentration or intensity, but it is a very big wine and needs some air to make that statement. it's also is completely in line with other wines at the 85€ mark from savennieres, and id be hard pressed to justify the hype that pushes the price to $300-$400. The finish has caramelized and smoky notes which is the only place where the oak shows its presence, its brown-toned and savory. but again, the EA and VA are jarring and ruin what would be an otherwise lovely experience. for all the othr folks that adore this wine simply because of its fame, well , it doesnt take much brains to do that, but lets call this what it is, natural wine, with fantastic terroir that is barely managed by an idealist winemaker. there is even a slight tinge of residual gas but the VA squeezes the throat on every swallow and you have to wince just a bit (more if you've paid full price). at 30 min, the red fruit component to the nose comes out, and you notice the red raspberry component and the pine resin, just like in a great jurancon sec from souch (1/10th the price). At the end of the day we're left to conclude that there are great terroir in Anjou for dry Chenin that have traditionally been used for sweet, but in this bottle youre paying for the vigneron but enjoying the terroir. this is not a unique phenomenon. 1 hr in, still VA and EA, with brown caramelized apple tones, and interestingly the hollow thinness of the wine that was apparent at openeing returns. meh. emperor.new.clothes

6/13/2020 - pepmi wrote:

As we remain in Galicia, another wine from the talented non-interventionist wine maker, Laura Lorenzo. This time a blend of Malvasia and Verdejo. With community holdings of only six bottles, a rare find indeed.

In the glass, the color is a pale, hydrated yellow. A lemon sharpness hits the roof of the mouth and draws the tongue up. I find myself squeezing my cheeks in search of more fruit in vain. The finish is more of wood and herbs -- fennel comes to mind. I have the slightest hint of cork on the finish, which distracts my attention, unfortunately.

This wine has a certain New World weight and viscosity. It's not a picnic wine nor a wine to serve with delicacies. With utmost concentration, I place this wine among my memories of an Australian Semillon from say Brokenwood.

4/18/2017 - Eric Guido wrote:

The ‘71 Ovello was completely resolved and on the decline, yet I still found something to like with its bouquet of dried roses, cinnamon, orange peel, and amaro. On the palate, I found light textures with hints of strawberry and a zing of acidity, which added much-needed liveliness. It finished short on dried fruit and flowers.

6/16/2018 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine:

Same score and similar notes from my last bottle two years ago, with perhaps a bit more forest aromas and a longer finish than I remember - although the finish is still powerfully infused with bittersweet cherry and minerals. Even if the wine is showing a bit more age than before, it clearly has many fine years ahead of it. Subtle, silky, complex, great structure - Outstanding.

5/1/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote:

MNB: High Terpene Whites (Home (Noe st)): Medium Yellow in the glass
- Slight peach, but also butter, oak, yellow apples, VA (ethyl acetate)
Dry (maybe slight RS, but probably not), full-bodied, high alcohol (15%), medium acid, medium bitterness.
Ripe peach with butterscotch and vanilla.

Whole cluster pressed, stainless steel ferment, 1/3 no malo, 1/3 used oak with delestage/racking, 1/3 in used oak sur lie.

This is a pretty good example, but needs more peach.

6/1/2017 - bjwca Likes this wine:

Lots of earth on this wine, with a very nice finish. Perhaps there was fruit early on, but if so, it is mostly gone now. I had a 1982 bottle of this same wine in 2014 that was incredible, but I have doubts that this vintage will be as incredible when it reaches 32 years old. Surprising, because I thought the 2005 vintage was supposed to be the next 1982 vintage.

12/20/2016 - Neecies Likes this wine:

I know how spectacular this wine can be, and this bottle was sadly missing those bright and special elements. Instead it was merely a good, mature tasting bottle of vintage bubble. Note: cork seemed compromised--it was very stuck at first then came out with barely a whimper. Disgorged 10-1-2013.

10/30/2015 - vintage_whine wrote:

Riper style at 12% and with m+ acidity at best. dissolved CO2 and vegetal notes (fennel, arugula, cress) muddles the border between muscadet and Gruner. slight hints of honeyed tones to the fruit belies a difficult vintage where rot and botrytis were prevalent. interesting, if not typical.

9/27/2012 - vintage_whine wrote:

Subdued fruit, mineral driven, with fine powdery talk, dried floral and toasted black pepper notes. Balanced acidity and rounded tannins. More intriguing on the nose than the palate, with no discernable new oak, and at the same time one of the most typical examples of northern Rhone syrah, despite the vintage. Poised. Lack fruit comes out when paired with triple cream brie

9/1/2013 - Androurse wrote:

The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Polished texture. The wine finishes Medium.