Mas Candí
Montombra Massís del Garraf Penedés Vi Blanc 2019
Sense memory of Catalonia. Nose: Stone fruit: white peach, some herbal florals like a wildflower honey. So fresh and clean. A little sandy beach or wet pavement. Tongue: bursts of energy, more herbaceousness, keeping the honey vibes going, salinity, overly ripe but still crisp pear, a little green apple candy. Full body damn and again, a clean wine. Long intensely enjoyable finish with bitter lemon and a tiny hint of peppermint. Kind of oily. — 2 years ago
Cantina Vignaioli (Elvio Pertinace)
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 1998
Kinda struggled with the cork, which was actually in great shape so probably my fault. Decanted for about 75 minutes. Drank with Grey Barn Osso Buco and kale blossoms with cannellini beans. Dominated by licorice of all colors. Menthol or herb tea with some muddied and candied dark berries. Little bit of old leather suitcase. Long finishhhh with all the above smashed together. — 3 years ago
Pyritis
Santorini Mega Cuvee Dry White Wine 2015
Drank a bottle of this at the winery’s restaurant in 2018 and a couple days later, in Athens, felt compelled to find this, our favorite wine from the whole trip, and bring home. We had to search several wine stores to find it. Drinking it now 5+ years later. Deep golden straw color like something rumpelstiltskin would spin. Nose: pink lady apple, marzipan, black licorice, hint of smoke, and kind of like an old chest of plastic toys. Palette of very ripe stone fruit, clover honey, vanilla, crème brûlée, hint of mint. Nice acidity still and intense slate minerality. Oak was more pronounced in ‘18, but still there, seems to be more balanced now. Could’ve held this longer but is drinking wonderfully on this pre-Christmas dinner 2023 with Halibut. — a year ago
Gaston Chiquet
Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ Grand Cru Brut Champagne 2009
Nose: stewed apples and toasted sugar like the crunchy top of a crème brûlée. Palette candied stone fruit and mildly tart apple. Impressive depth of flavor but not intensely aged in its flavors. Some smokiness and toasty flavors but tart fruits as well. Vanilla apple tart a La mode finish. — 2 years ago
Walter Scott
Arlyn Vineyard Gamay Noir 2018
Bottle 2 of 3, drank the last one almost 3 years ago! Nose: raspberry (stewed?) and intense menthol. Palette: brandy soaked strawberries, maybe a little chocolate, wild mushrooms, earthiness, long finish, cherry like. Still tannic, silky micro tannins, works well with food. — 3 years ago
Bruno Verdi
Cavariola Riserva Red Blend 2010
2 hr decant, then drank over 2 hours. Complex aromas of dense dark red fruits and menthol and tobacco that mingled evolved over 2-3 hours then started to evolve into overripe plum, candied black licorice and cedar. Palette is bold. In the early hours it was intensely Oakes but over time it opens up into more stewed overripe old sweet fruits umm like tasty fermented fruit? Some cacao and leather. Menthol on the finish. Still modestly tannic in a gravely way but it’s in balance, but does work better with food. — 2 years ago
Celler Escoda-Sanahuja
La Llopetera Conca de Barberà Pinot Noir 2019
Lil bubble of air in the foil, which made me worried. Opened it a couple hours before drinking it to make sure it wasn’t totally off. Tasted upon opening, it’s funky but not off. I’ve had off bottles of Escoda and this wasn’t one. Quite pretty from start to finish. At dinner, a few hours later, on the nose: cinnamon, cherry ludens, Brett/bandaids, lively. Palette: sour cherry, pomegranate, jasmine and other florals, white pepper. Finish has more white pepper and ginger candies with the powdery stuff on them. Sort of tannic still. Acid and tannin indicates we could hold the other 2 bottles for a while. — 2 years ago
Jared O'Connell
I’ve kept this in our collection just chilling for 6 years. And ya know what…it was worth the wait. This isn’t anything special really but the time has brought out those “aged Riesling” qualities that I was hoping for. For $19 at bqe…it’s a good deal if you have the space to stash a bottle properly for more than just a few years. Nose: stretch Armstrong, GI Joe right out of the box, the McDonalds happy meal toy right after you rip open the plastic wrap. But also some sweet ripe citrus. Body/structure/palette: medium body, ripe peachy stone fruit boldness, that petrol is fuckin there but it’s not overwhelming. There’s some peach dum dums happening. Lingering mouth feel. Finish is pretty long with a hint of sour bitterness and candied yellow fruits. I need to do this with more Alsace Riesling and let it sit for 6+ years!! — 5 months ago