Austin Hohnke

9.0

Very pretty and on the delicate side. Packaging nails the tasting notes with cucumber, green tea, and melon rind, though I also get the banana that many tasters mention. From a small brewery, and a prefecture known for its pristine water sources. Pair with Kumamoto oysters or scallop sashimi. Environmentally sustainable, energy efficient brewery. Alcohol stands out to me at 15.5%. — a month ago

Scott Soren

9.6

Valdicava is still my fav Brunello producer. Notes of burnt cherry, Tuscan sun Tobacco, and sandalwood. In a real good place. Long finish with silky tannins. Just yesss — 3 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Glossy and polished. Round and supple. Sun baked fruit. Not much in terms of getting the gears turning, but a delicious wine for simply wanting to sip delicious wine. — 9 months ago

Romain Fitoussi

8.9

Always one of the sure values among Moroccan wines. Evocation of the Rhône-Nord, an ode to Syrah reminiscent of a Crozes or St Jo, under the vertical sun. Great consistency from the nose to the final. Requires at least two hours of ventilation. Floral, fruity, peppery etc. Even better the next day.

Toujours l’une des valeurs sûres parmi les vins du Maroc. Évocation du Rhône-Nord, ode à la Syrah rappelant un Crozes ou St Jo, sous le soleil vertical. Grande cohérence du nez à la finale. Nécessite au moins deux heures d’aération. Floral, fruité, poivré etc. Encore meilleur le lendemain. — a year ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Leaner than the El Puntido. This is more classic Tempranillo. Drier & earthier.

Beautiful wine. Ripe, juicy & slightly candied & floral fruits of; mid to dark cherries, black raspberries, black raspberries, dry blue berries. Cherry cola, dry tobacco w/ ash, dry leathery, barrel staves, muddy herb mix, dark, dry spices, steeped, sun tea, mid; clove, nutmeg, vanilla, limestone minerals, crushed limestone/dry rocks, dry flowers that are black, red w/ dry lavender, round, high acidity with a high, dry tannin finish that falls on to the wild, dry, earthy, wildest finish that is balanced for many minutes.

Paired this with/ a dry rub tri-tip and a burgundy marinaded Cardiff Crack tri-tip. Both very different and enjoyable, but liked the dry rub with the Rioja.

Photos of, my visit to the Bodega, old oak vats that are decades old, neutral wood that is still used as of 2015 when I visited & been repaired endlessly, old wood press and tasting room outside their cellar/tasting room. — 3 days ago

Brian Hearty

9.3

2021. Last of my three bottles. 😪
Time to search for a recent vintage… — 5 months ago

Joe Estrada

9.2

Earthy, soft tannins with a bit of spice on the finish — a year ago

Vanessa

9.4

These are the perfect Birthday bubbles!
 
They’re brought to us by one of our favorite “grower” producers – Paul Bara – situated in Bouzy, a grand cru village in the Montagne de Reims ⛰️ region of Champagne.
 
Paul Bara owns the entire production process from beginning to end, carrying forward seven generations of family history and tradition, with winemaker Chantal Bara now at the helm.

This is the 2016 Paul Bara vintage special club rosé.  It was made with mostly Pinot Noir (70%) along with some Chardonnay (30%) for brightness.  

It is pale salmon 👁️ with medium(+) intensity of lemon peel, mandarin pith, white peach, green apple, raspberry, strawberry, toast, pastry, and blanched almond 👃🏻 👄 . The mousse is fine-beaded and well-integrated. It is dry with a creamy mouthfeel and elegant finish.

It’s positively delicious!

Cheers to another trip around the sun ☀️ and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing Mamas! — 2 months ago

with Deked1

Lee Pitofsky

9.7

While my favorite BdN remains Bout du Clos, this was one of the first “ah ha” Selosse wines for me some years ago in understanding the style. The south facing La Cote Faron is particularly “Selossien” and therefore particularly singular, with its oxidative complexity, textural richness and generous sun kissed ripe fruit expression. Like all Selosse wines, it’s multi-layered and super aromatic for Champagne, and the palate shows tremendous volume and intensity with a powerful, full bodied, satiny texture and a long, vibrant, mineral finish 😋 — 6 months ago

Catherine Leith

9.0

Crisp. Strong notes of stone fruit and grapefruit with a mineral finish. — a year ago