Armchair Critic

Henri Bourgeois

Les Baronnes Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2022

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8.9

Color: almost no color
Nose: light floural
Fruit: critic and hints of passion fruit
Herbal: none or not detectable
Wood: none or not detectable
Acidity: good freshness, integrated and not sharp
Alcohol: medium to light body, not hot at all
Overall: good length, well balanced
— a year ago

Matanzas Creek Winery

Sonoma County Merlot 2006

Where were you in 2006? I can’t even remember. But this wine has stood up better than my memory. It’s perfectly drinkable right now, despite its age, and honestly could go a little longer. But why wait? You’d be missing out on beautiful scents of old armchair in a cigar smoking lounge. Old leather and red fruit with hints of vanilla and rose petals. Drinks very smooth with lots of sediment but still enough acid to make you pucker. Wonderful, and worth the wait! — 2 years ago

Jillian Varner
with Jillian

Château Quinault

L'Enclos St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

2015. 9.0-9.1. Concentrated red/purple, with smooth Merlot fruit and tannins and a touch of leather. Starts the evening fruity and focused but later develops a relatively “leafy” (as a critic said), herbal finish that spoils some of the fun. Drinks well now; don’t see the acid or backbone to make this a long-termer. $43+ at Total. — 4 years ago

Italo Cescon

Pinot Grigio 2022

nice dry crisp some salinity. excited to dry it cooler, and would typically let age for another year but ce la vie Day 2 was a vast improvement on the nose honey covered fresh apple and pear nice critic splash in the mouth adult grade lemonade — 6 months ago

Cecilia Monte

Serracapelli Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2014

Wow. Great effort In a challenging year (according To the all knowing critics).

Nose is lilac juice and cherry flower. Deep and gorgeous. Something xtra. As this opens even more deep and penetrating. Just a gorgeous attack on the front of the nose. Truly elite aromatics. Tickles the nostrils. This hard to describe integrated perfection. Intoxicating.

Palate is so silky. Elegant early season cherries. A hint of so elegant spice. Sweet cherry licorice. Wow. Just wow. So juicy. So elegant.

Still so fresh. This can go 10+ years.

Not even her top wine.

If you taste this wine you will NEVER EVER believe critic vintage bashing again. Great wines can be made in any year. These blanket statements on vintages are bullshit.

Fass Selections
— 2 years ago

Andrew, Aravind and 3 others liked this

Sans Liege

Groundwork Paso Robles Grenache Blanc

2nd Place / Runnerup in our Blind Tasting @ $16 “Insane Value” penned by one Critic ...Jeb maybe 🤔 100% Grenache Blanc
Sans Liege’s entry level Paso white.
— 4 years ago

Jonathan, Shay and 21 others liked this

The Critic

Napa Valley Chardonnay

Vin rond dès la 1ere bouche , finish tout en douceur 2020 à $16 @ MD — a year ago

Domaine du Vissoux / Pierre-Marie Chermette

Poncié Fleurie Gamay 2020

Phenomenal. So zingy and intense. Tons of purple fruit. Some tomato leaf and armchair leather. Also, brown sugar, cinnamon. Massive fruit soak. Beautiful Beaujolais fruit. Serious value — a year ago

Dawn, Peter and 17 others liked this

Klinker Brick

Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2018

While I can't quite meet the WE critic who gave this wine 92 points, I definitely agree that is "liberally spiced with oak." In fact, when I first opened the bottle, all I got was this liberal spice, and even more heat (15.4% ABV)! The pepper and alcohol overpowered everything. Then tonight I revisited it and I'm glad I did. The wine had mellowed the eff out, revealing beautiful cherry and strawberry fruit flavors, along with cinnamon, chocolate and sweet pipe tobacco. 100% Zinfandel. 9/7/22. — 2 years ago