12/9/2023 - Matt Scott Likes this wine:

Decanted for two hours. The world can be cruel and in many ways illogical. Ironic. Why is it that the finest Rosella’s Syrah to ever be made by Carlisle is the last vintage that will ever be produced? I still recall the first time I had a Syrah from this outstanding vineyard in Santa Lucia Higlands. The ‘06 was killer and the inaugural vintage. However, with the wines from Carlisle becoming more and more refined over time, this is a dead ringer for an otherworldly Côte Rotie in texture and aroma - with the grapefruit that has been a mainstay from here. One for the cellar or a serious decant. The 25% whole cluster add some interesting aspects. Blueberries, blackberries, grapefruit, cream, black lava and black peppercorns. Lavishly long, and the backend has such an enchanting grip. Fine-grained tannins. Impeccable balance. A feminine, yet full body. Stock up and study for anthology. I’ll refrain from crying…for now. Santa Lucia Highlands beckons for more Syrah and not Pinot, in my humble opinion. Sorry, but there’s more than enough of that. I am grateful for many vintages of this particular Syrah that has become a pure classic. Drink 2026 - 2038.

5/21/2023 - rocknroller wrote:

Pale pink color. Drank a glass over a hour; this was a boat wine. Mouvedre blend. A little watermelon, light strawberry, mineral, and more indiscrete sea air, light body. Very pleasant. Held up well, finishing it off 6 days later. 87+ to 88pts.

3/9/2024 - 3daywinereview.com wrote:

High/Low Blind Tasting III (Eagan, MN): High Low Tasting: No secret this was my favorite wine of the tasting. Excellent showing and low that funk along with gravel, earth, spices, red berries, stone and tar. Just a unique profile and very nicely balanced. Could drink the whole bottle for sure.

4/15/2023 - Mattshank wrote:

Slow ox. Served and maintained at cellar temp given the high alcohol level. Nose: Blackberry aromas and earth. Later would become stewed fruits. Palate: Blackberries in abundance with decent tannin and acid levels giving some life to this heat bomb. Sorry but not a fan of high alcohol wines. This was given to us by good friends who really don’t know wine (such a nice gesture as this one is not cheap). I have some high alc Carlisle single vineyard Syrahs that cost far less and would blow this away. Amazing to me how producers like Orin Swift achieve more on marketing than substantive good wine making principles. Guess I would have to spend “8 years in the desert” to have any real affection for this wine.

12/28/2023 - galewskj wrote:

Turkey night with friends: I should probably slow down with opening these, but they are in the zone and I can't imagine this wine improving. This is aging nicely. Toffee, creme brulee, orange rind and apricot. Just about everything you want from a sauternes. Climens has been very good to me over the years.

9/1/2023 - Henry Miller Likes this wine:

Inky and intense, like a Napa Merlot, with just enough old world freshness to set this apart. The purity of fruit is immediate, and it extends to the sculptured finish, loaded with dry extract. Hedonistic in a medium bodied way...

11/8/2023 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Complex aromas of moss, spice and black cherry with hints of orange peel. Palate: Good spine of acidity with black cherries in abundance and soft yet present tannins that along with the acid provides solid tension levels. Great value at only $20/bottle.

12/5/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

As Mattshank noted, there is a touch of cinamon on the nose and a bit of leathery dust on the palate, with rather soft and subtle dried fruits. Acidity not as high as expected. A bit shallow in the middle. Medium finish. A mid rank, basic Chianti, albeit designated classico.

11/10/2023 - Mattshank wrote:

2 hour slow ox. Nose: Garrique, moss and traces of petroleum & wet cement. Fabulous nose. Palate: Bitter minerals, soft styled tannins, and red fruits. Finish is elegant, but serve it chilled as I did to eliminate the alcohol heat (@55-60 degrees). 91+ points.

3/17/2023 - El_Dougo Does not like this wine:

I feel terrible even writing this note… But I didn’t like this wine. Massive menthol to the extent I was picking up nail polish. No decant but slow ox in the glass.
It was the end of a long night of wine and good (post-Barolo) and so maybe my palate was just tired I will certainly keep an open mind and try again in the future

5/4/2023 - Mattshank wrote:

Slow ox for 30 minutes. Nose: Beautiful aromas of Stargazer lily, ink, fresh mint and hints of herbs. Fabulous nose! Palate: Soft styled with evolved tannins, appropriate acid levels and just enough richness. A "velvet glove" sans the iron fist. Assorted fruits of cherries and blueberries with some gentle/subtle toast way in the background to give contrast. Finish is somewhat lengthy but very elegant. This is probably one of the best bottles of the 6 pack I bought years ago. Glad to have 2 more left and the slow ox is best IMO. No need for a decanter on this nearly 9 year old beauty. Wonderful and now 93 points. Went great with charcoal grilled Prime boneless Ribeye.

2/11/2023 - chablis28 wrote:

This is a hell of glass of Puligny like chardonnay from a master producer at a fraction of its Puligny designated sites. Loved it! 92-93

10/15/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote:

New Release Burgundy Tasting (Chicago.wine - Glenview IL): Walk around tasting. Rich orchard fruit from start-to-finish that seems particularly lush at the beginning, then more firm in the middle, opening back up on a long, nearly opulent finish. Better from 2026.

5/24/2022 - forceberry wrote:

Macerated with the skins for 25 days. Aged for 3 years in old botti casks up to 6000 liters in volume. 14% alcohol.

Somewhat translucent, dark cherry-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels quite big but also pretty classically styled with traditional Brunello aromas of sweet black cherries and licorice root, some ripe dark plums and a little bit of fresh red plums, light strawberry nuances, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is ripe, firm and juicy on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of soft black cherries and licorice, some bitter notes of sour cherries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light strawberry nuances, a hint of earth and a touch of tobacco. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate while the moderately high acidity and firm medium tannins lend good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long, somewhat grippy and subtly warm with a balanced aftertaste of ripe dark plums, some fresh red cherries, a little bit of strawberry, light licorice tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of sweet pipe tobacco.

A balanced and classically styled Brunello with good sense of structure and harmony. Seeing how this is a Brunello by the Valpolicella producer Tommasi (since 2015), I really didn't have that high expectations of the wine, but this turned out to be a surprisingly well-made textbook Brunello with a classic flavor profile and firm, moderately structure-driven overall feel. This is drinking really well right now, but I can see this improving for another decade or so. A solid effort - and I hope Tommasi will keep things that way.

7/11/2022 - chablis28 wrote:

Said to be primarily Nebbiolo w/ a splash of Vespolina. A pretty translucent copper/red tinged pink. Roses & herbs on the nose. Red fruit w/ garrigue infused wildness, mineral, herbs & a refreshing burst of pomegranate. At once both crisp & creamy. Already asked my retailer to set aside 4 more. Loved it!

10/22/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

2 1/2 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Red fruited and perfumy with floral nuances, juicy fruit gum, gravel and Rutherford dust. Fantastic aromas! Palate: Soft styled w/ cherries and perfect tannins. Acid levels provide the right amount of lift, and the finish is lengthy but elegant. A really classy Cab that is timeless and eschews the modern style per WineGuyDelMar's notes below. Glad to have one more left in the cellar. 92+ points.

9/26/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

1 3/4 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Pleasant aromas of cherry, clay mineral and a touch of tar and cinnamon. Palate: Dusty tannins show w/ the cherries and solid acid levels hence the need for a good decant at this stage. Good QPR Chianti play at only $22. 90+ points.

7/17/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

Last notes on 12/11/19. Nose: Still the same big lemon oil aromas like previous bottles along with the subtle fusile minerality. Palate: Still amazing acidic tension for a 7 year old Bourgogne Blanc with the candied lemon occuring after the wine has left the palate. The subtle fusile quality on the nose is evidenced here as well. Just a fabulous wine that has legs. Glad to have one more left. Now 92 points. Shout out to my friend Craig (Chablis28) for his excellent notes on this wine.

11/24/2020 - soyhead wrote:

drinks a bit immature but it is still very young. the fruit is impressive and reminds me of the '16 of this same cuvee had a few months ago. I think with a year in the cellar this will make for very proper generic appelation Bourgogne with a slightly new world character.

9/15/2020 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine:

(1st of 12 bottles, perfect fill, has been in professional storage, no cork issues, popnpour). Limpid red with clearing rim, no brown. Aromatics subdued, just a hint of sous-bois complexity, even after being open for 2.5 hours. Forepalate delicious, still some crunchy red fruit, but tannins now are just present but not dominant, not fully resolved but a much better bottle than when tried a decade ago. [Yes, "foursquare" but you don't buy Pommard expecting it to be Volnay]. Just, just, entering drinking window and has at least 10-15 years of prime time ahead of it. Mix of being a 2005; Pommard; and Jadot attitudes re: making long-aging wine work for this bottling. 89-90 on pleasure-meter but an extra point for structural balance and promise. Excellent villages wine. Would drink this with food (protein and fat, not green salad). If you have only a couple bottles, could give this another 5 years.

6/21/2021 - Vinnut Likes this wine:

Medium-deep bright reddish garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & mulberries with overtones of floral notes of violets & earthy/dusty notes, spices, herbs, minerals & a slight hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, strawberries & pomegranate with herbs, spices & minerals. Lingering finish. Although it is presently accessible with decanting & extended airing, it will definitely benefit & develop further with additional aging.

7/18/2020 - jlhkiss Likes this wine:

Opened and paired with balsamic chicken off the grill. Served out of an ice bucket on a scorching hot day. Pale pink color. Nose brings white flowers, crushed limestone, and whiffs of apricots. The palate is light, square, bone-dry, and weighty, bringing hints of orange marmalade, kiwi, rosemary, and peach with loads of herbs, minerals, and glycerine into an ultra-dry finish. At almost four years of age, almost felt premature to drink, but eventually paired nicely with grill fare. Drink 2020-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 91.

7/13/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Similar aromas to notes on 5/29/20. Palate: The acids are a bit more folded in with stone minerals, lemons, pears and a clean finish. This last bottle is still drinking fantastic. Still 90+ points.

6/1/2021 - François1986 Likes this wine:

Robe citron d'intensité moyennement pâle +.

Nez au départ délicat et qui gagne ensuite en profondeur et intensité sur des arômes de citron, chèvrefeuille, eau de roche, minéralité levure, beurre léger.

Bouche: fruit, fraicheur et longueur marqué par une très belle tension.

Cette une cuvée très maitrisée et qui oscillent entre finesse et puissance.

6/12/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

Wow has this blossomed since the last bottle about 2 years ago (notes on 5/31/19)! Now additive aromas of flowers and ink. The inky quality shows up on palate along with perfectly balanced tannins acids and fruit. Glad to have one more bottle left. Now 91 points.

12/31/2020 - oakville72 Likes this wine:

Lots of green apple and crisp, refreshing flavors, even after a walk in sub-freezing temperatures as I did today. In depth and intensity, not up to the estate's Pouilly-Fuissés, but could be a splendid "house white" for anyone who loves the wines of the Mâcon, as I do. Vintage after vintage, this is a lovely Mâcon at a great price. Tasted several times.

5/19/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Fresh air aromas with big inky/Stargazer lily qualities. Seductive. Palate: Perfect in its evolution this is fantastic now. Good acidity and fruit balance. Could age longer if one chose. This last bottle is just right for my palate. Still 92 points.

5/3/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Some red fruits present but a tad musty making me think this bottle was insipid corked (very subtle). Palate: Cherries and some raspberry with decent acids and little tannins. Decent cheapie at $12/bottle but still wonder about provenance on this bottle as it seems a touch off hence no score. Would score about 87 based on this. We’ll see on the next bottle.

12/30/2020 - PhillyVine2112 Likes this wine:

92+ Poured a half glass to make sure it wasn't corked and expand the surface area of the wine and gave the rest of the bottle about an hour and a half of air. Beautiful light crimson. On the nose a kaleidoscope of red, purple, and blue fruits, framed by the new oak. On the palate, the wine is more clearly red-fruited, with a medium-body and good acidity. The wine typically had a crisp and long finish but as it evolved over the course of the evenings, there were times when the finish would become more jammy and less precise. On the whole, this is a very nice wine, a tremendous value, a good choice for Burgundy drinkers looking for something in Oregon. Drinking nicely in its youth but certainly no rush.

11/17/2019 - vegasoenophile Likes this wine:

Rich aromas of black currant, crushed blackberry and black plum with some dried bay leaf and garrigue aromas. Suggestions of clove and baking spices. Wonderful mouthfeel. Flavors of spiced plum, hoisin, savory herbs and blackberry and cassis. Big acidity so more time or have with food. My favorite vintage of Pleinair to date.

1/9/2021 - Mattshank wrote:

2 hour slow ox. Nose: Minerals, earth, sage, mint and pepper. Palate: Soft yet very present tannins w/ rustic black fruits. Solid wine but not as good as I remember over a year ago when I first had it at a tasting.

9/28/2020 - Mattshank wrote:

2 hour slow ox. Nose: Tons of slate minerality with pencil lead. Much more secondary aromatics than previous bottles. Palate: So silky and mature w/ flavors of tobacco, pencil lead, and sweet cherries. Tannins still present at 15 years old but very soft and supple. I agree with a previous reviewer in that this is starting to head out to a beautiful sunset w/ perhaps another 1-3 years left. For me my last bottle (signed by Bo Barrett) will be drunk next spring or summer. Still 92+ points.

8/15/2020 - rocknroller wrote:

Deep gold color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over an hour plus. From 375ml. Creamy nose of creme brulee, baked apple, orange marmalade, and spice. The palate is dense, unctuous and ultra creamy, honey, creme brulee, apple cream cheese pie, orange, citrus zest, brown sugar, spice, and apricot.

5/1/2020 - Whisky&Wine Likes this wine:

Excellent showing from this wine. Classy and a little racy at the same time, this wine exhibits good fruit, classic paulliac aromatics and still has enough lift to keep things taut across the tongue. Super enjoyable.

I gave this a 3.5 hour decant and served it at 60. We drank it over a few hours. I think it was best after the 4.5-5 hour mark / high 60s farenheit.

Curious to see how this evolves over the coming years. Gotta say the 2009 is definitely the most complete Pontet I have tried. Just delicious and has nice structure without any weak spots. Is it a 100pointer? Not to me. But excellent The finish is particularly lovely on this. Not the case with all other PC years I've tried. Warming with some rich fruit at back end and some roasty spices. Almost want to say galangal (that thai root in ginger family) and Chinese 5 spice.

This has upside from 95 but I don't see it tickling 100.

11/3/2017 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Similar toasty cornbread aromas found on other vintages of this. Palate: As others have noted there is a touch of frizzante on this but it's very subtle. Good acid levels and light lemon qualities. Really balanced and pleasant Macon that is a stable in my cellar for easy drinking whites, and at only $13/bottle from WTSO a solid QPR. Will buy more if it swings around again.

3/7/2020 - Mattshank wrote:

Wow!! Yet another bad bottle of this. Just like last time stewed fruit and chemical aromas. Even after slow ox in glass for a while zero improvement. My vendor must have gotten a crappy shipment of these. Bummer.

10/5/2019 - Mr. Slate Likes this wine:

At River Twice, BYOB, Philadelphia. Paired with Cornbread Madelines - trout roe, cultured cream, vinegar powder. Raw Sea Scallops - white soy, citrus, radish, nasturtium. Similar notes as my last note. Soft and elegant. Great finish. Got better with each glass. Delicious!

4/27/2020 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Lush aromas of ripe cherries and strawberries with cornbread hints. Palate: Much more evolved than last notes on 6/5/19 with the acids more in check and better integrated with the fruit. Flavors of ripe strawberries and cherries but with perfect levels of acidity providing just the right amount of tension. Just wonderful and proves again why this Rose is one of the world’s best. Went great with herb marinated chicken done on the Weber charcoal grill.

8/20/2018 - BillyT wrote:

For me the Ott family of Rose's are truly overall the best rose's. Why? Balance, elegance, freshness, fruit, all in a well balanced wine that is both complex for the serious drinker yet easy for the newbie to understand and enjoy. Sure, I recognize there are many GREAT rose's out there but this one seems to be the most versatile and balanced of them all. Remember, just my personal feelings, doesn't make me right.

4/3/2019 - chablis28 wrote:

Experimenting with a 375 tonight and this completely reminds me of a previous 750 from June last year so why write a brand new review :). That said, this little btl dose seem slightly more harmonious then my last where the acidity and structure was slightly edgy. Said to be from 40 80 year old vines. Semi translucent red with some light amber on the very edges. Hint of forest floor along with earth and red fruit on the nose. Red fruit, mineral, earth, spice, and further forest floor notes along with mushroom on the palate. This is very Gevrey Chambertin in every way. 13% Alc.

4/26/2019 - jmoore431 wrote:

Mattshank's note says it all. Great value!

12/14/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:

The nose was beautiful, even if a bit subdued tonight, showing blackberry, tart cherry, savory herbs, and minerals with dark floral perfumes, and hints of undergrowth. On the palate, I found silky textures offset by a mix of zesty acid, minerals and spice, with ripe blackberry, tart cherry, black tea and a twang of savory herbs. The finish was long showing saturating dark red fruits, lingering acids, minerals, herbs and hints of gruff tannin.

It's amazing to think that this is a Rosso, because it outclasses many producers Brunellos.

12/12/2018 - Mattshank wrote:

2 1/2 hour decant (mag decanter). Nose: Complex aromas of black fruits, graphite, cedar and traces of tar and fennel. Palate: Very black fruited with the graphite showing along with very primary yet supple tannins. This wine is dychotomous in that the previous reviewers illustrate that old adage that “two things can be true at once”. While there are aspects of approachability in the soft tannins there is also a very primary quality to the fruit. Enjoyable now with a big decant, but the real vexing question is when to open the next one? Depending on its evolution this could be 92 points or higher. We shall see.

10/11/2018 - chablis28 wrote:

Opened about 2.5 hours prior to dinner and slow oxed. Unexpected semi opaque ruby red color. Usually the color is bit lighter for rosso from a traditionally styled producer. Expected to love this rosso from one of my favorite Brunello producers, but I didn't. At least not at this point in its early evolution. For my palate this is a bit precocious, ripe and rich currently. The other happy "problem" for me is my ongoing infatuation with Le Ragnaie's soulful, elegant, weightless 2013 rosso that is stuck in my record player. Now, every Rosso di Montalcino I try has measure up:). I'll drink more 2013 Le Ragnaie Rosso instead and likely end up wishing I had bought more of them. This wine is very nice now to be sure but hopefully it shed some baby fat with another year or three.

7/7/2018 - chablis28 wrote:

Opened at 2pm & decanted. Back into the btl at 4pm with cork out. Drinking with "the kids" between 6 - 9pm. Overall I found this balanced & restrained with most of its depth and corresponding intrigue submerged right now. Semi opaque ruby color. Smokey dark fruit nose with a hint of tobacco. The palate is mostly savory with earth,mineral and herb notes dominating a measure of dark fruit. Again a hint of tobacco. This is youthfully tight and in need of a good 10 years plus before it really struts its stuff and we know for sure what we bought. Alc 13.5%. This was an exploratory single bottle from my first grandson's birthyear. Otherwise, I'd never touch a Bordeaux younger than 2005 for myself. If I buy more of these it will be on faith as this didn't wow me tonight like it has other tasters here. For me, 90-92pts, right now.

10/23/2018 - Mattshank wrote:

Nose: Bright lemons and assorted citrus aromas. Palate: Bright and high toned with bracing acidity, lemon zest and a light to medium length finish.

6/18/2018 - chablis28 wrote:

Said to be from 40 80 year old vines. Semi translucent red with some light amber on the very edges. Hint of forest floor along with earth and red fruit on the nose. Red fruit, mineral, earth, spice, and further forest floor notes along with mushroom on the palate. This is very Gevrey Chambertin in every way. The acidity seems slightly more prominent than it might in other vintages but seems to mellow very well with food and the final glass after dinner was elegant and harmonious. 13% Alc This is a very solid value at $46.

3/12/2017 - AMC Eagle wrote:

4 hour decant. Dark garnet in appearance; nose of cherry cola with some hints of spiced blackberry paste. On the palate, there are dark plums with some blackberries and cassis; hints of dark cocoa. Front palate tanins slowly dissipate with some time. Medium bodied with a medium finish; more layers of this wine is revealing itself as time goes on. Last tasted on Dec 2015.

3/27/2017 - Collector1855 wrote:

Dark purple. Intense oaky, vanilla, blue fruit nose, unapologetic modern. The palate is lush and sexy, very competent for a second wine. The difference between this wine and a USA/Chile lush Merlot the Bordeaux terroir that ads character. Not my kind of wine but the crowd pleasing quality cannotbe denied.

6/12/2018 - Mattshank wrote:

2 hour decant (mag decanter). Similar to notes on 7/15/16. Still the same subtle spice, red fruited aroma and flavors but not much in the way of complexity. Cannot see how others who I respect a lot can give this 92 points or higher. I appreciate subtle, nuanced wines but this is not a compromise for complexity and character. Of all the BdM's I've had this ranks pretty low. Still 88 points and wish that were not so. I have one left in the cellar if anyone who's bullish on it wants to buy it.