4/1/2023 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

perfect salted caramel figgy pudding crème brûlée crust with backbone of saline and sea spray

9/3/2022 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

last michelin lunch amazing qpr

9/3/2022 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

last michelin lunch - delicious qpr!

8/27/2022 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

at Azak

11/7/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

Altura on night of Biden/Harris win

10/29/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

plum!

10/10/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

unfortunately has definitely gone downhill - significantly past prime

9/18/2020 - Jeffkunins wrote:

garbage now . alas.

5/17/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

haven’t tried one of these in quite a few years and delighted to see how well it’s holding up

bright , fruit and acid still vibrant along with just enough brick and leather to round out the sharper tannins of the petit verdot in its youth

what a treat and amazing value for price after 15 years

have 1 bottle left - will save another 5 yrs

5/16/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

Gotta say I expected this to be “curious” at best — it’s actually a really positive surprise

Still solid acid and tart red fruit (seriously :) ) accompanied by saddle leather and some baking spices.

it’s jammy even now so i suspect was a bit cloying earlier in its life

really fun and drinkable - esp given what a positive surprise it is

Thanks Whidbey Island Winery!

5/8/2020 - Jeffkunins wrote:

cork disintegrated

4/2/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

this is developing so beautifully - really thrilled with this latest bottle

3/29/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

totally disagree with prior reviewers — adore Ruby Leigh and this vintage is showing strong. Bursting with ripe red fruit and vibrant acidity, notes of baking spices and red earth and bramble, with long finish of melted well-balanced tannins

3/22/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

no fussy tasting note - just reiterating this is one of our favorite white wines ever. full stop.

1/5/2020 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

1/4/20 - first taste (via Coravin) - literal perfection. alive and vibrant, acidity shining through endless depths of toffee, hazelnut, candied orange and lemon peel and ginger, black walnut bitters, and sublime rivers of salted caramel

7/14/2019 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

like a perfect marriage of a cult napa cab mega extraction with a grenache forward cocktail of chateauneuf awesomeness

stewed fruit, olive, bramble and garrigue, blackberry and plum jam — silky yet full bodied mouthfeel — lovely heat and achingly long finish with incredibly balanced kick of tannin

just stunning

1/20/2019 - Jeffkunins wrote:

this is by far the best we remember this ever tasting — the cellar time has treated it very well.

12/27/2018 - Jeffkunins wrote:

still quite fruit-forward, raisiny Amarone-like notes. not bad!

5/12/2018 - Jeffkunins wrote:

past prime but still a delightful experience — deep cherry cola, old leather, sandalwood, and tuscan earth and cypress

3/10/2018 - Jeffkunins wrote:

absolutely stunning. truly. will write a complete tasting note with the next bottle.

2/19/2018 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Cherry cola, vanilla and lavender

12/29/2017 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

Opened and enjoyed at Eleven Madison Park by their insane signature “hot tong” table side method reclaimed from 18th century Portugal - https://youtu.be/YcqVwMvGQtU

Beautiful — bursting with green bell pepper, black currant, green olive, mushroom, wild game with a bit of wet fur, and cedar chest. Silky smooth medium bodied mouthfeel with beautifully long finish.

12/28/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Deep garnet. Heady aroma of truffle, smoked meat, black and red fruits, and sage. Medium body and silky mouth feel. Super long finish with lingering truffle and sage along with the black currant and smoke. Yumm.

12/27/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Burnt caramel, preserved orange peel, deep toffee rum, elegantly light while intensely rich...perfect end to a lovely meal
@Brooklyn Fare

12/27/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Stunning Sancerre - had by the glass as part of flight at 3-star Brooklyn Fare ana was truly shocked at price point and prior ratings.

Bracingly acidic, bursting with candied citron and lime peel, river rock, and notes of tarragon and herbes d’provence.

mouthfeel is silky and full-bodied, with hints of olive oil.

long finish of lingering citrus and stone

12/10/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Deep ruby. Purple and black ripe fruit with plum, fig jam, and vanilla against a firm backplane of tobacco, tar, sage, and chinese XO sauce. well-balanced and grippy in a good way, though still young and needs 5-10 more years to come fully into its own.

9/25/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Wow - honestly can't believe how much this has continued to improve. Stunningly good QPR now. congrats Arpad and Obsidian Ridge crew!

9/2/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Adore this wine -- beautiful gold-flecked medium straw color, nose bursting with lime zest, starfruit, hint of tree-fresh pineapple without being at all cloying; smooth, creamy mouthfeel with an excellent bit of butteriness without being anywhere close to an off-putting overoaked Chard, perfectly balanced by more lime and starfruit coming through as bright, powerful acidity. Finish is long and pleasant for a bright summer white.

7/19/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

still lovely, though i think just past its prime now

cherries, damp woodsy earth and cellar, black currant, leather

7/18/2017 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

deep gleaming crimson, clear thin rim; heady explosion of blackberry, black currant, rose, eucalyptus, vanilla, and thyme; enormous yet fully balanced and silky mouthfeel, delightfully intense tannin, and achingly long finish. indeed :)

7/16/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

pretty much almost perfect

blackberry explosion, black tea, cacao, dust, infinite finish.

over the moon.

7/9/2017 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

first time trying the Impulsivo... bold but beautifully balanced, awesome blend of silky finesse with hugely bold tobacco leaf, ash, squid ink, dark stewed fruits, and iron. medium acidity, medium+ finish, nicely balanced tannins.

will be wonderful to see how this develops over next 10 years

7/8/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

popped and poured on a gorgeous sunshiney day :)

instantly brings us back to lunch in the cafe in the village square just outside the Gigondas collective tasting room

violets and cellar must and red currant, medium acid with a full unfiltered mouthfeel, tobacco and dusty earth with a nicely lingering finish

just super drinkable on a summer day

7/4/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

still surprisingly bright strawberry and other red fruit

deep leather and forest floor , with cambezola and mushroom

medium finish

6/3/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

classic delille - particularly long / intense finish. nice!

5/29/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

gorgeous, inky, deep blackberry crimson... nose brimming with cedar, coffee, and loamy earth combined with marionberry and blackberry; on the palate is velvety smooth mouthfeel with added tar, cacao, and continued black fruits and baking spices. delightfully long lingering finish.

5/22/2017 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

white flowers, honeysuckle, white peach , vanilla... truly lovely chardonnay. just a touch buttery but not overstated

5/14/2017 - Jeffkunins wrote:

caramel popcorn (in a good way), butterscotch, and still strong acidity and well balanced

4/26/2017 - Jeffkunins Likes this wine:

agree on the recco that needs more time and 2019+ will be best... but wanted to try one for now.

insanely long (5 min+) finish.

9/25/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

have to say not loving this right now. felt a bit bitter and out of balance. as the fruit starts to recede with age, the other notes are more jagged than satisfyingly complex.

7/8/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Drinking lovely now - deep, slightly-rusty crimson; black fruit still bright amid a dusty, earthy, dried herbs backbone. tannins are still firm and well balanced, fairly long finish.

6/19/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

brought his home from the collective in Gigondas after tasting it there last summer.

agree with the prior comment about the cork (crumbly), but the wine was spot on.

beautiful intense aroma of blackberry, plum confiture, Provençal earth and herbs, and baking spices.

medium to full- body mouth feel, continued strong black fruit combined with well balanced tannins

delicious

6/4/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

revising up to 90 -- tobacco, rich dark chocolate, blue and black fruit, touch of bacon jam.

6/4/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

delicious Rhone-style Grenache rose -- bracing and clean, with rhubarb, strawberry, and flint. very light and refined, definitely brings back memories of Gigondas and St are my

5/23/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

We were worried about this one, as we've had it since buying at the winery in '01 and we didn't have proper cellar storage until '10.

Thankfully was lovely still - fruit getting muted and past its prime, but aromas of confiture and earth and plum, muted acidity but still reasonably well balanced on the palate, medium+ finish.

really glad we got to enjoy it, also glad we enjoyed it now vs continuing to hold.

5/23/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

sickly sweet for a supposed brut

5/23/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

One of my favorite Rubicon vintages to date, though the '06 is tops so far.

Gorgeous crimson and brandied cherries color, heady aromas of still vibrant black and red fruit with vanilla, leather, peat, Rutherford dust, and black pepper. Long powerful finish with beautifully balanced tannins.

2/28/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Enjoyed @ Alinea's "in residence" dinner in Miami.

The perfect end to the perfect meal. Paired with the painted table of chocolate, nitrogen frozen mousse, banana, and dulce de leche by Chef Achatz tableside.

What an honor to get to enjoy these grapes that drank the sunshine in such a different world.

Endless depth of toasted caramel, brûléed French toast, amaretto, toffee, malt, and fig.

I think the finish is still going now. :)

2/28/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Enjoyed @ Alinea's "in residence" dinner in Miami.

Achingly beautiful, violets and black fruit and soft silky femininity. Gorgeous expression of nebbiolo.

2/28/2016 - Jeffkunins wrote:

Enjoyed @ Alinea's "in residence" dinner in Miami.

Stunning pairing with two dishes - a dry ice I steaming cauldron of "Moqueca"-inspired ceviche (best single dish of the night), and 3 composed bites including a "crab zeppole" skewered on a whole dry vanilla bean.

Gorgeous aromas of honeydew, pear, grapefruit, lychee, peony, and apricot; on the palate and paired with the intensely acidic ceviche brought out passion fruit, butterscotch, pistachio and verbena. Finish was a long lingering memory of flowers :)