Lover of: all things light, minerally, & red; in search of the perfect Chenin blanc, cru Beaujolais, mountain Nebbiolo, & varietals unknown.
That it’s 6 yrs of age & presents as young & fresh as it does says a lot about its Tannat core- 60% Tannat, the rest Cabernet Sauvignon & Cab Franc. Juicy but a secondary wave of tannic undertow. Red fruited & delish. For about 15$ a cool choice for a party wine. Intro to a raucous family night watching a great Knicks win. — a day ago
A very decent Cru Beaujolais if not distinguished in character— but is by price, 13$ on sale. Makes me pine for the salad days of 15$ Lapierre. — 13 days ago
Lighter & fresher than past vintages. Black fruited, orange rind, cola nuts. Favorite producer. — 13 days ago
Last wine (#5) of a long line of bottles with family, & which accompanied us with a raucous NBA playoff game. A ‘ big’ cab franc heavy on gorgeous juicy & crushed red fruits. Always a low tannin affair with a lovely fine grain texture. No bell pepper to be found. Larger glasses & air greatly help. — a day ago
My first Timorasso. At first a bit dainty & shy on the nose; crushed nectar pits, white flowers, some white peach & artichoke hearts. On palate very textured, like Huet Chenin, but in a parallel universe. Minerally & reserved, this feels like it could go decades more- which is my understanding it can. The aroma notes are echoed on palate, with additional quince & pale fig notes, with a very slight off dry character (overall quite dry). For about 26$ a steal— I guess it’s a hard sell, this Timarosso.. This can either run as a food wine or not, & it’s delicious. — 8 days ago
No notes but saltwater taffy, white stone fruits & pith. Quite minerally & for 14$ a no brainer. — 13 days ago
No notes. Has shelf life as tannins still integrating. More stony & blue notes, & unusually low price tag for a Priorat. Wine #3 in line up for family. — a day ago
Wine#2 in a long line up for family. I don’t typically like Vaqueras wines as the ripeness is not to my palate, but I found this balanced & elegant, even a bit restrained In a good way. — a day ago
Broke out one of my cellared Raffaults for my homeboy who graced me with a home cooked Tuscan styled flank steak w rosemary & arugula, as well as Israeli cous cous w chickpeas, charred tomatoes, feta, & herbs. Light Cadmium red hued & strong color though ( good cork- not a guarantee w Raffault!); dense Hibiscus, fresh raspberry & some bramble on nose; on palate very clean & smooth mouthfeel, with the initial flavors repeated but a deeper blend of red fruits & a stronger presence of under brush. Super fresh & integrated. Elegant, & the Burgundy echo was hard to ignore. Not Uber complex but not monolithic either, which this line of Raffault can be in its youth ( or as it ages). Very impressive, & accessible now. Curious how my ‘02 & 07s will fare… — 8 days ago
Peter Sultan
No notes but consistent w my last entry in ‘22; it’s a pretty Ribero Del Duero that struck a balance between power & finesse, more on the latter. One of Asimovs 20 under 20. — 16 hours ago