2/24/2023 - Alexander Smith wrote:

Premiere Napa Valley; 2/22/2023-3/25/2023 (Napa, California): A very simple straight forward Cabernet, nothing right, nothing wrong neither. This showed notes of dark ripe fruit, blackcurrant, cassis, drying tannins, very little in the way of mouth feel, quite savoury on the mid palate finishing short. Lacking personality.

This is the second recent vintage of Dominus I have tasted and left felted puzzled. Will this improve in 20+ years? Possibly, but I can't help but feel confused by the high scores and what I have recently tasted. It is possible the wine was not properly prepared, however I can only judge the wine on its presentation.

8/30/2023 - drwine2001 wrote:

Paso Robles Winery Visits; 8/30/2023-9/1/2023: Ruby. Floral and herbal aromas. Medium weight. Lively black fruit. Round and supple but it has a funny cigar smoke component that makes me wonder if it is smoke tainted.

5/14/2021 - Shrewsram Likes this wine:

Near opaque
Charming nose – has a plumpness, super lift and elegance. Very pure and fresh black raspberry, dark cherry, a clean-cut mineral vein.

More cherry on the palate, plenty of structure, a chalky grip, ripe tannins. Good density, super dark cherry intensity, spicy and floral, long and mineral.

1/13/2023 - bradhens1 Likes this wine:

PNP. Starting out, oak and barrel characteristics upfront with a mineral-forward, crisp finish. Over the ensuing hours, the barrel subsides and integrates into lemon and citrus fruit. This is a gem and killer QPR for $43

Next bottle in 3-5yrs - it will only get better.

4/14/2024 - tward Likes this wine:

Excellent
Wow, this last bottle of four purchased seven years ago was the best even though it's a couple years past the consensus drinking window. Still vibrant and with some tart cherry and a restrained funk and some tertiary decaying leaf and forest floor, subtle spice, maybe some rosemary. It is fairly deep and full bodied, yet far from feeling warm or heavy.

Went great with grilled flour tortillas stuffed with Rancho Gordo pinto beans, grilled butternut squash, corn, and shitake mushrooms. Drank so well on its own too, from PnP forward.

Outstanding QPR for the $17 paid back in 2017. (Sadly, K&L stopped carrying this producer after the 2018 vintage.)

Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines

12.5% abv

Empty bottle weight: 634

1/11/2024 - hippoonroofeatingcake Likes this wine:

This must be cheating. Like this is two years old, and in some ways yeah it is, like lots of fresh fruity minerality and general spunk, but ALSO so many complex oxidative malty cheesy farty secondary flavours. And it's CHEAP.

If this was a ten year old savennieres from a famous vineyard i would just be like, "yes this is pretty good" but as it is I feel like surely it is pulling a fast one and deceiving me in some subtle way. Surely it cannot *actually* be this delicious.

CONFESS WINE WHAT ARE YOUR TRICKS

69

12/26/2022 - Ticker tape guy Likes this wine:

nice Bordeaux blend rather big bodied with tannins that mellowed as oil sat open very good wine

5/14/2020 - happy712 Does not like this wine:

Horrible brunello from a good vintage. 2 days didn’t improve it.

2/3/2024 - redz wrote:

These Arnot your typical zins. Really fruity in a Beaujois kinda way. Might mellow a little with age, not my taste.

7/27/2021 - alexlb06 Likes this wine:

Really nice white burgundy. A bit of oak, but not too much. Buttery and smooth. Well balanced

3/7/2024 - chablis28 wrote:

Brad's Winner Winner Zuni chicken dinner night. BB,KB,ML & I. Thanks Brad! My btl. First thing I smelled was dill pickles & it never dissipated in my glass. Others didn't seem to notice. No, I didn't have a Burger for lunch. Palate was more appealing than the nose! Red fruit, earth & spice on the palate. 13% alc 85pts Nose / 91pts palate. Average...89pts. My least fav wine of the night.

2/18/2024 - jvphoto Likes this wine:

w/ take home lasagna from Eataly

7/15/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine:

2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.

Vieux Chateau Certan is not a Trophy wine that Americans buy to throw their junk on a table and show off (crude I know but reality), it’s a wine that really only knowledgeable wine drinkers are aware of and not well known to Americans. Further they do not advertise or market or do any publicly at all, they are farmers/winemakers and that’s what they know (FYI going forward same winemaker as Le Pin GT). If there was an ounce of marketing they would be priced 2x++ what it is today. First we tasted the 2020 second wine, La Gravette de Certan, then 2020 VCC, then 2010 and then the 2019 (requested a comparison after the fact). The suite of wines were outstanding, period- and they know it with a shy smile and a nod.

While the 2020 had the large price increase (like others) it made other much more expensive wines look like they were playing in little league baseball while VCC just won the championship. While I am not familiar with Petrus or Screaming Eagle (only familiar with the second wine) nor truly understand Burgundy, I can say without a doubt VCC was the wine of the trip and the best wine at the price- and one of the best wines we have ever had.

Holy mother of gd this is insane and can’t be for real. Nectar of the gds right here and now. As the thief started to pour the wine into our glasses, the bouquet slaps you playfully with incredible intensity and incomparable never ending perfume of flavor after flavor that never seems to end… we all snap our heads in attention and our mouth waters, as what it must be like for a crack addict, a burning desire to rip the glass from its location and ingest this magical elixir immediately while staying cool calm collected on the outside… Well that was what I intended anyway…

Once in the mouth, there is an explosion of flavors that hit you from all directions with the finesse of a professional ice skater and the artistry of Picasso/Monet/[fill in your artist of choice here] where you stare at the artwork and marvel at its vision and unspoken message. It has an incredible complexity providing a kaleidoscope of flavors that will be hard to be matched anywhere at any price, enhanced by the most incredible mouthfeel, which can only be described as silk velvet wrapped in full structure coating the mouth creating nearly a 90 second finish- yes really. Without an ability to even come close to expressing how fing good this is, I almost didn’t try as anything I wrote would not even come close… do you think I liked the wine? Nope absolutely in love with it.

If you have never heard of VCC, you will soon enough. If you haven’t tasted one, you are missing out on what wine is all about. If you haven’t had one in its peak drinking window, regardless if early or towards the end, I don’t think one truly has experienced all of what wine has to offer (while it may not be affordable, either save up and stop buying other wine or find a friend or pool some friends together and chip in to buy one- and if doing that, buy the 2010 as it’s firing on all cylinders and will only continue to get better every day- IMO (I purposefully left out humble). 98-100 Cheers!

2/12/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Opened yesterday, still working on the bottle a day later. 100% Pinot Meunier, done without dosage. There is some discrepancy here on disgorgement, as the back label says February 2020, and the cork stamp says February 2021. Dunno which is accurate. Farmed biodynamic, no malo. Current release is 2018 so this is a few vintages older. Of note, I had some mixed experience with a few bottles of the 2013, with one advanced and another less so, and then one other that was fine. So, I finished off the 13s and when I saw this 2016 out for sale, figured I would give it a go. Little bit of gold here showing but the wine's energy is spot on. When we first opened this yesterday, it was softer, showing raspberry, tangy peach and orange rind. By the end of dinner last night, it had started to acquire some coil, a firm energy. Today, the wine is pretty consistent with the final glass yesterday. In terms of texture, the chill really shuts the wine down but when the chill is relieved, then some saline infused lime comes through with some of the fruit signature. The wine just needs the right temp to relax, and I just wonder how often people misjudge brut nature because they hit it with too cold a serving temp, then wonder why it's lean and coiled--an act of begging the very thing that is unwanted. Let this warm up so that you get the ground from the Noyers plot to talk, then the fruit from Meunier to join in. Finishes with some light seasoning of wood, adding an allpsice note. This is worth reloading as it's drinking really beautifully--tangy, a bit salty and I love the fruit.

2/9/2024 - ricard Likes this wine:

Wildly enjoyable top-notch Fleurie. Gloriously expressive nose of blueberries, plums, wet slate and smoked bacon. Real bite and crunch to the texture. Firm and serious. Impressive structure and body but also light and playful. Deeply pleasurable. Whoever thinks Cru Beaujolais isn't fine wine is a fool. And at the price, it's criminally underappreciated.

2/7/2023 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine:

Sourced from two north-facing parcels that are in close proximity to the Premier Cru Montmains vineyard, Piuze's 2020 Terroir de Chablis is a light-to-medium golden Chardonnay that offers an attractive aromatic profile of pit fruits, quince, jasmine, wet stones and chamomile. Medium-bodied, crisply acidic and without noticeable wood or alcohol (12%), it delivers flavors in line with the aromas and stays solid on the mid-palate. Long and vibrant on the back end, this is an excellent young Chablis that performs well above its pedigree. It will last longer than most would predict. Drink now-2035.

7/22/2022 - Thegreen1985 wrote:

French white wine from Chablis: Chardonnay. 13 % alcohol. Aged for 12 months on fine lees in tanks and barrels.

Pale golden/grayish color.

Powerful, crisp and delicate aromas of brioche, lemon, exotic fruit, green apple, limestone and minerals. Ripe flavors of yellow apples, exotic fruit, honey, yogurt, exotic spices, white flowers and minerals.

Dry. Medium body. Medium acidity. Good balance. Very good structure. Some complexity. Powerful. Good intensity.

Medium finish with honey and minerals.

A good and ripe Chablis that need some air before it start to deliver. I would prefer more acidity and less exotic fruit. It performs best when it’s fridge cold. I see little room for improvement, but it should be able to last a few years in the cellar. 90/100

7/14/2023 - sirpat00 wrote:

Double-decanted. Paired against Bosquet La Colline 2016. Both displayed decent typicity. While both had an earthy base, Le Lieu Dit was lighter and sweeter with red cherry and raspberry fruit, vanilla, but also occasional hints of soy which made me question how much life was really left here. Despite the concentration and sweet, spicy features, the palate managed to come across fresh thank to nice acidity, but with some heat and a grainy texture.

1/18/2024 - ESubvaria Likes this wine:

Believe it or not....this still needs two more years. I am drinking it now. Tons of fruit but still too much tannin on the finish.

Pavelot wines are for the long haul......which I might not make.

I find California universally awful. If I want hard liquor I will order a scotch. They are simply awful.....just had to say it.

2/16/2024 - golfwine wrote:

I anticipate a higher score, after more time in the bottle. At this stage, very good, with 1+ hr of breathing. Briary, earthy-herbal aromas, with a hint of black fruit. Flavors are initially masked by tart, textural acidity and chalky tannins but slowly blossom into dark fruits, tar and an herb-dominated savoriness. Closed down a bit in the last glass and so, further support that this will benefit from time. Well balanced and so, excited to revisit.

2/11/2024 - Oh Dae-su wrote:

Classic lush Fekete Hárslevelũ power expression from the grand masters last vintage! Plenty of physalis, cantaloupe, sea buckthorne, liver, white pepper, sage (butter), cold smoke and colder candle. Very complex, very elaborat! A bit too heavy on the alcohol side ... for my tongue. Something for friends of pure unadulterated preassure drinking – really really good… maybe even very good, for my tongue a bit overwhelming and stressing though ...

https://wine-zeit.blogspot.com/2024/02/go-east-or-short-39-glipses-behind-you.html#more

2/27/2024 - ChrisinCowiche wrote:

Seems to be fading a bit. Light in structure, flavor profile took a good while to come around. Will drink another again soon to check in, particularly since I have overlap from previous BD purchase plus just added a few more.

12/28/2023 - tward Likes this wine:

Excellent
Brought this out to a restaurant and had it opened and a glass poured shortly after seating. This gave it some needed time to breathe while we had a glass of white wine with some initial dishes. It was a bit punchy and glossy when first poured, but after only a half hour started to come together and just got better and better. The Mourvedre starts to show a bit of its meaty character.

(~1/3 bottle leftover, stoppered, no suction or gas, was consumed on a following day and drank nicely)

I've only got a couple more of these, so figure the next one in a few years.

13.5% abv

Empty bottle weight: 490g

2/12/2024 - bdhanna Likes this wine:

At peak and drinking well !!
This Rhone blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Counoise is delightful. Near perfect cork, easily removed with my Durand after over a dozen years in the bottle. Medium ruby color with minor oxidation and good clarity. Consumed this baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape over two days. Reminiscent of Famille Perrin Château de Beaucastel version of the classic Rhône blend dependent on the Mourvèdre backbone. Well made in a challenging growing year. I still have one remaining in my cellar and will consume in a year or so to validate my tasting note.

2/22/2024 - dino_mike Likes this wine:

I wanted so much to believe this wine is fine, that was not past its prime but ultimately, yes, it is.
Nose had black berry, almost licorice notes with a bit of leesy-sour cheese notes.
Big, black berry and spicy fruit in the mid-pallet that is tasty but then the finish is only medium in length and has light dark berry fruit but a dry texture and a slight minty flavor in the alcoholic and dry finish.

After 3 hours, the dark mourvèdre berry fruit turned to kirsch.

So it seems disjointed in a way that will not ultimately come together with age, in my opinion. The dry finish and relatively short fruit in the mid pallet will not improve. But still, a good drink with hearty food and some aeration will get you the most from this.

7/16/2023 - happyhyrax wrote:

Opened 12h prior to serving but didn’t decant.

On opening I had a sip and it had searing acidity and wonderful chocolate notes. Re-corked as it seemed in a much more ready state than I had expected.

12h later and the nose is horrible. Actually reminds me of the smell when I used to have to hose down the changing rooms at a swimming baths I worked at - took me back to removing wet hair that had accumulated in the drain after blitzing the place with a Kaercher pressure washer.

Thankfully the palate is much better. Acidity is still pronounced but has mellowed somewhat and there’s heaps of leather, black fruit, dark chocolate. Medium, lip-smacking finish with fine tannins.

Despite the tasting notes saying it was too early to open, I kind of wish we had just opened it and drunk it. Not sure if that would have held back the nose (and the more I think about it, the more I think this was probably a bad bottle) but the delight I briefly encountered this morning just didn’t really show itself when we came around to drink it. One to try again perhaps.

2/6/2024 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Smells like salted bread dough. Big super saltiness on the palate. And on the finish. Super salty character.

2/12/2024 - Portland Seth wrote:

Last of two cases. I had intended to save it for science but I don't always read my tasting notes before pulling a bottle. Three years ago this was a 95 pt wine, but it's just too sweet and hot and the garrigue has receded putting it completely out of balance. The nose still has interesting brambly notes but the palate tastes fortified. Au revoir!

1/18/2024 - tward Likes this wine:

Very Good
I wish I were as excited as others' TNs indicate, but though this was solid, it didn't really grab me. It came across very down the middle. I'm looking forward to trying more Sandlands wines as I'm confident in the voices I've heard singing their praises.

For now, this one is a notch down on QPR with shipping included.

12.5% abv

Empty bottle weight: 490g

1/20/2024 - WineJ2019 wrote:

My bottle was actually 2015 (not 2017), unfortunately past its prime and showing age

1/20/2024 - tward Likes this wine:

Very Good-
This was a very good pairing with an excellent traditional homemade cassoulet. The wine itself is a bit simple, but as expected worked well with the dish. Nice dark fruits that aren't too dense with a bright fruit wrapper. Only touches of peppery spice. I wish this were a bit more on the brooding and wild side, but for $14 USD paid a couple of years ago, it's solid QPR.

14.5% abv

Empty bottle weight: 641g

7/30/2021 - chablis28 wrote:

A fun btl from the Cote d' Auxerre a region nearby to Chablis with many of the same terroir traits that even manages to top Chablis for value at the AOC level. The name doesn't flow across the tongue as easily for most of us as Chablis but this little btl was marked with the same chiseled minerality along with touches of citrus, stone fruit, salinity & faint herbs. I'd be hard pressed to pick this out from Chablis blind. Paid a paltry $17 for this little gem. Drinks like $25+. 12.5% alc. Wish I had grabbed more than one fromy "go to" online store Envoyer. Said to be both fermented & raised in stainless steel tanks explaining its purity and energy.

6/14/2016 - fingers Likes this wine:

Drank over four days open and it suffered little for it. Delicious, smooth texture and grip with an earthy base and a lovely dose of dark berry fruit. My notes are spotty because I was just enjoying it too much to be concerned with the details. Very classy overall. 5+11+18+9= 93

1/13/2024 - JimTaft Likes this wine:

If you like Chianti and other Sangiovese based wines, buy this if you see it. Fantastic, very distinctive, fruit forward, good with or without food, modest acidity with firm supporting tannins. I wonder if this is a Sagrantino?

1/6/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine:

Fundamentally, I hate low fi/orange/natural wines. I grew up in the time when the wine world was moving away from poor winemaking and viticulture - winemaking as art rather than science. In my view the results were fantastic. Inevitably, the swing away from art to science sometimes went too far and produced clean but sterile wines. Hence, lo-fi.

I believe it is essential that we challenge our orthodoxy continuously. My hero is Lenin, and he had enough confidence in his intellect and bullshit detector to be comfortable with the likes of Bakunin, Kamenev, Zinoviev, Rykov all of whom often brought very different ideas to the table. The difference between the ideologically committed and the religious fanatic is that one wants to test their ideas and adapt as need be and the other wants to avoid all contest by crushing the heretic. You may not like my choice of hero but substitute your own - it could be FDR having a cabinet that included Stimpson and Wallace, or Bonaparte, or Julian the Apostate and so on. So, for mine, I must drink lo-fi wine from time to time to hold off ossification, or claudication.

They don't come much more lo-fi than Ochota Barrels.

What is interesting for me is that so far, I have tried 3 of their wines and all 3 have been marked by a character I would describe as 'juiciness'. It is the sense of vividly zesty juice squeezed from fruit picked moments ago. If you have fruit trees or vines at home, you will know what I mean. The fruit picked and eaten in minutes is so alive, so sensual that it can bring you to your knees. Another hour or two and it is still lovely but there is no vampire experience. The life force is gone. So far, my view is that Ochota manage to capture that life force.

That Ochota manage to bring out the inner vampire is surprising because a common factor with lo-fi wine is oxidation (amongst other things) and that is the enemy of vivacious fruit.

So, on to the wine itself.

This is Gamay and it does seem made in a Beaujolais leaning style, although I see a lot that is Burgundy as well.

The colour is brighter than is usual for lo-fi wines. Cherry juice.

The nose is Cranberry, dark cherry, a hint of kirsch (although the ABV is low at 12%) and a definite sour cream character.

On day 1 the palate is dominated by the sour cream and it verges on too much. On day 2 the wine is in better balance. It is on the crunchy side, perhaps a little too sour to score higher points. The length is admirable, intensity is nearly at 11 (as we all know, if all men play on 10, then 11 has to be grandes cajones). There are some funky Burgundy notes on the back palate and finish. I do love the freshness of this wine.

Unlike the two Chardonnays that I reviewed, this doesn't quite hit the same high points, but as Gamay it is pretty good and it does have me looking forward to trying their Pinots. If you see it try it, but whilst I would crawl over broken glass for their Chardonnays, this is not quite at the same level.

1/21/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine:

I am scoring this at the top of the 'Excellent' range but was tempted to put it in the next category up. This is a lo-fi wine with minimal Sulfites and it is under screw-cap (you gorgeous thing). I used a large ISO shape stem and the note is made on day 2, undecanted.

This wine put a smile on my Grenache sceptic face. It really opens up after about an hour and is hardly changed next day.

As with all the Ochota wines, there is a really marked freshness, almost crunchy as in the texture of freshly picked grapes in the mouth. The acid is in balance, however. Tannis are very soft and supportive - a touch of sandiness (a positive).

Although this is almost a riot of Grenache varietal characteristics, I am reminded of the description 'Pinosity' for some Grenache wines - something reminiscent of Pinot Noir and here it is in the slight hint of darker, almost beetroot earthiness combined with aromatics.

There is a distinct sour cream/yoghurt flavour and textural element to this wine and that is common to all the Ochota reds I have tried. I really like it, but I wonder if it will win universal acceptance? There is strong wine gum-confectionary aromatics and these come through on the palate, which is a complex amalgam of sensations. It is hard not to guzzle in between wanting to bathe one's nose in the glass.

Length and intensity are very good. This one is worth finding - difficult though as only 3,200 bottles were made.

Will it cellar? Here is my issue with minimal sulfite wines - you just can't know, because sulfur was used to stop wine going through secondary fermentation in bottle and also to knock off bacteria and other yeasts throwing in unexpected (and usually unwanted) flavours and textures. I am sure that the maker will say that they have worked out exactly how much sulfur they need and others overuse. There may be truth in that. Or you might cellar this for a while and find you have spritz Grenache that is walking on the wild side. As I seem to have no problems with sulfur in wine, I won't cellar minimal sulfur wine, but I will enjoy them now. If these wines help those with sulfur intolerance, then all power to them.

9/13/2023 - Fractalage Likes this wine:

Earthen nose, with light fruit barely detectable and soupcon of lemon.

Palate of yeasty earth, elegant, very light on the mouth, but then the punch of power and stars with length and fantastic crunch.

(After one sip, Burgundy fans come over to the cool climate Nebbiolo on the other side of the Alps. You'll forsake that plonk and never leave the complexities of terroir of these hills.)
https://www.italia.it/en/piedmont/things-to-do/carema-vineyards-and-wineries

As this opens in my Riedel Burgundy hand-blown crystal, (Kinda a must for such quality.) teas start to pop, such as hibiscus, fine black, hints of citrus, ever so slight raspberry/cherry and a palate of fineness with crazy strength that finishes ethereally with length. Nebbiolo such as this is a find and a half deserving of its crown. It’s easy to grasp its price point now. If only every wine would deliver for the dollar such as this.

After about an hour decant, flavors of fine cakes and herbs start to show. Its nose sports a touch more funk of real with tart berry mingled with tars, still keeping that citrus.
Yep, more horse’s butt starts to show, which makes me love this even more!
(I left ½ the bottle undecanted for tomorrow. Great Nebbiolo this young takes time to show all its stuff.)

It’s tasting more and more like a bathtub wine, a real wine, like a raw gem. When I say “bathtub wine” I mean that it’s not been adjusted/manipulated for any sort of taste, but left to be itself, exactly what the earth meant. It’s medicine, it’s prescribed by the gods, it’s for the health of the body and soul, it’s sacrament, it’s what Yeshua would drink. Just exquisite and ranks up there with my top 10 favorite wines.

One day Nebbiolo will be studied for its longevity properties, and one day we will know how this variety is different from others, but for now, I’m happy that this is not so well known. Super small production such as this would create a huge price boom if the Hong Kong-ites figured this out. Just don’t tell anyone, okay.

2/6/2023 - ken@ampy.com Likes this wine:

This is young and needs time. Gave it a 2 hour decant. Opened up nicely but I won't be tempted to open another bottle for a few years. This was the Reserve Bottling, not the regular. There's a substantial difference. This one has a lot going for it typical of a Napa Cabernet. Hope I live long enough to see it reach its peak. It has all the superlatives normally associated with a top tier Napa Cabernet.

12/2/2023 - 3daywinereview.com wrote:

As the world leader in this NV wine this is the 2/2022 Disgorgement. This is really good with apple, chalk, pear, lemon and floral notes. Really a solid. Much better than the crap Veuve I tried today.

12/2/2023 - 3daywinereview.com wrote:

It is truly amazing that this is the number one purchased wine on Cellar Tracker. This mass produced Champagne is terrible and the Piper Heidsieck sampled today blew this out of the water. Sampled this 3 times from two bottles and it is simple with some toast, floral notes and some minerality. Very short finish and lacks concentration. For sure the most overpriced Champagne on the market and glad I did not spend $60 to write this note.

12/7/2023 - tward Likes this wine:

Very Good++
Interesting, fun wine with and without food (worked well with black bean, roasted squash, and mushroom tacos). Quoting SILTON's TN "think Zweigelt, Gamay, Ruche, Poulsard maybe". Most definitely the Ruché! That would have been my best guess. Also, Mammolo (Sciaccarello) came to mind. Starts off with a little VA and a medicinal black cherry. Candied fig? Such pretty floral nose with a bit of time open. Crisp plum and raspberry. Blueberry and blackberry. I loved the combination of dark fruit in the body and brightness in the nose. Fresh.

14% abv

Empty bottle weight: 601g

4/28/2023 - tward Likes this wine:

Very Good+. Great telltale aromatics out of the gate. I'd have thought it Chinon for sure. Some earth and stone and violet. This is very much upright, however, even hard. Rustic is that word that comes to mind, even if it's a another fallback term. It seems to have more structure than it can justify with the fruit and it will be interesting to see if this integrates over time or if the fruit fades faster. A very nice bottle that worked great at the table and that's where I advise drinking it. An elevated bistro wine. I really enjoyed it.

13.5% abv

4/6/2023 - kenthecpa Likes this wine:

Perfect match!

6/17/2023 - mathwonk wrote:

On opening, quite tart, and tasty. Reminds of a fresh rhubarb pie my wife is making again for father's day. we both like it.

the next day, still delicious, still quite tart, hard to drink much of for that reason. Actually enjoying more much cheaper wines, a $22 meleto chianti, and a $50 duckhorn merlot. The barolo is more enjoyable by virtue of our love of all things Italy than its actual taste.

12/11/2023 - jmottern Likes this wine:

Needed 45 minutes to open. Deep dark big (14.5%) wine. Plum and burnt oak fruit. Very long finish. Not as smooth as some syrahs.

4/17/2023 - Neuneuil Likes this wine:

Drank far too young after I pulled this out blindly from the cellar.. not the Les Closiers 2020 I was planning to open but hey ho, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do with an uncorked bottle.
Lots of fruit and tannic astringency at this stage but still a beautiful pour after a 1hr decant. The next bottle will wait a certain 15 year +

3/12/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. This might be the greatest, GREATEST, wine deal I've ever had. I can't believe this is only $13. This can EASILY go head-to-head with anything Champagne can throw at it. Absolutely beautiful golden color. Apple, citrus, pear and peach. Hints of vanilla. I can't believe how delicious this is. 40% Bical, 30% Arinto, 30% Maria-Gomes. Everyone should buy this by the case. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

*Highly Recommended*

12/3/2022 - Marc wrote:

Very young, very fresh and bright, with a hint of biscuit. Fine bead. Nashi pear. Very classy drop. This can stand some time in the cellar, but it certainly delivers the goods even now. Excellent. Note - this is a note for collection 243.

7/23/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Pop and pour, and it is shockingly fruit forward. Feels like super ripe Contra Costa Mataro. Fast forward an hour, and the middle has filled out with deeply savory tones, and herbal notes. Go forward another hour, and the teeth come out. Tannins clamp down on the finish, to remind me that this is Bandol, not California. Still, it was a shocking level of fruit. My lazy young Tempier was the 2011, so perhaps I have missed some style and/or climate change effects. It eventually turned into what I was expecting, so I will let my other bottles rest and develop.

11/25/2023 - tward Likes this wine:

Excellent+
Loved this from PnP before dinner and with dinner where it paired nicely with rack of lamb with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts.

Brooding plumy fruit with some meaty earthy undercurrents, yet somehow fresh and lively. Really nice depth that somehow floats. That's the best I can do for a descriptor for now...

Note: I was concerned when I opened the bottle. The foil had to be torn off in bits, because it was stuck to the bottle neck near the cork and even down the side a bit. I could see and smell seepage. I cleaned it off and removed the cork with no problem. The cork was in very good condition with no seepage at all along much of the cork and only 5-10% seepage elsewhere *except* for a perfectly straight fingernail-width apprx. 1mm deep groove the entire length of the cork that carried a line of seepage to the top. (There was also a similar grove about 150 degrees from that one, but that only went up about 50%.) I wonder if this was due to the cork manufacturing or an issue with the cork handler on the bottling line. Either way, I was happy the wine seemed unimpacted. I think the very tightly placed foil helped save the day.

Solid buy five years ago at $65 USD. If Burgundy prices hadn't have gotten absurd in the past ten years, I'd drink more of it.

13% abv

Empty bottle weight: 586