Adam Gäfvert

9.5

I had the 2014 Latour a couple of years back. It was from a half bottle and I remember it was rather disappointing. But this wine has really come around. Or maybe it has been developing much better in a full size bottle. Today it’s graceful, with great posture and in perfect balance. A timeless beauty. I had a few 2014 (both left and right bank) lately and I find them very appealing right now. A unsung vintage that turned out pretty good imo. — a month ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

At age 22, Palmer 2000 is finally in a great spot and unquestionably accessible, really popping after an hour in the decanter. It has an explosive nose showing layers of intense blackberry fruit, mocha, cigar box and a kiss of cedar and soil tones. The palate, while still showing some ripe tannins, is velvety and seductive with tremendous depth, balanced acids and massive length. Many fabulous years ahead for this beauty. — 2 years ago

Eric Ford

9.1

Great wine in this price range. Full and complex. $30 at OWC. — 4 years ago

with Jill

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I am not the biggest fan of a lot of CA Chardonnays but, I have come to fully embrace Arnot-Roberts, this vintage & terrior.

This is not a wine you want well chilled...better just under room temperature. When well chilled, it loses too much of its beauty & sheer elegance. Shows more CA Chardonnay structure/backbone with big green apple. When it is cold it does pair better with the Lattebusche Piave Vecchio...a drier, harder cheese. When it warms, the best choice is the Jasper Hill Farms soft, full cream. white, Harbison.

After it has warmed & had about a half-hour of air, the nose is rounded, lush & ruby. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, lime candy, caramel, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens.

The body is rich, lush and full, a touch gluey with good viscosity. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, tangerine, lime candy, honeysuckle, caramel, cream, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, limestone, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens. The acidity is phat, round and really well done. The rich, well balanced, elegant, long finish is delicious, settling into persistent, delicate white spice.

Just misses 94.

Photos of; Arnot-Roberts vineyard, staff at harvest and Duncan Arnot Meyers (left) and Nathan Roberts in their vineyard in Forestville, where they have Trousseau planted. — 5 years ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.3

Big step ahead in quality for Mondot.
Pure fresh salty and drinkable.
Beauty 93-94 — 8 months ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Wow! My cellar aging project scores another ‘discovery’ win. At almost 10 years from harvest, this Nate Walsh built beauty was doing what aged Nebbiolo is supposed to do! Using Horton fruit (Orange, Va), this bottle has metamorphosed into a seductive herbal-rose tea. It’s acidity is almost non-detectable, yet it was the perfect pairing for Tuscan-sausages & peppers w/creamy mash. The flavors of this Nebbiolo are so alive that they danced effortlessly with the sautéed peppers and complimented the herbs in the locally made Tuscans. Just wow…1 ‘12 remains plus 2 ‘10’s. — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

👁 This wine was deep ruby.

👃On the nose it had a medium(+) intensity of youthful aromas. Aromas included ripe and juicy blackberry, plum, black cherry, also violet, vegetal, toast, dark cocoa, espresso, cedar, and allspice notes.

👄 On the palate this wine was dry, it had medium acidity, a full body, high alcohol, medium(+) tannins, and medium(+) intensity in flavors consistent with the nose. It had a medium(+) finish.

This was a bold Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley. It presented really strongly on all key structural elements. It was delicious paired with grilled filet mignon, roasted veggies, and sautéed maitake mushrooms and will benefit with more time in the bottle. @win_drinks_wine thank you for introducing us to this beauty!

Viña Don Melchor, Puente Alto, Cabernet Sauvignon. Vintage 2017. ABV 14.5%. — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Shay A

9.5

Opened as part of a 2-day tasting with Alex Macdonald while he was in town. Day two was a small group of us with killer wines (2010 Chave Hermitage, mag of ‘02 Krug, Selosse Substance, 1996 Latour, 2003 Mouton, 1992 Dominus).

Quick one hour double decant to prep this beauty. While La Mouline is my favorite, La Turque still incorporates the co-ferment with Viognier. 93 Syrah/7 Viognier.

Beautiful translucent ruby in the glass. As I get with certain Cote Rotie wines (especially Guigal), barbecue and bacon fat can be overwhelming when young, but this has channeled a really balanced profile. Aromatic notes of smoked meat, cherry liqueur, and espresso. Beautifully rich yet elegant on the palate. Great nerve of acidity with a finish sporting plenty of tannin to carry this a while. Black peppered raspberries, black fruit on the palate with a little bacon and a hint of sweet/tangy barbecue sauce note (delicious). Enjoy now with a short decant or hold another 5yrs. — a year ago

Brecht Spileers

9.5

The 2016 is a stunning wine. Razor sharp pepper opening followed by an abundance of delicate red fruits countered by a savory finish that shows Rinaldi’s old school take on Piemonte. Pretty generic description… its beauty is in the balance, refinement and the lingering finish. Color and integration show this might be at its prime today. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Nose reveals beauty & grace. Sweet & just sour lemons, lime candy, green dominate apples with shades of golden, cream, vanillin, ginger, ripe squeezed pineapple flesh, grapefruit with pith, touch of apple cider, salted caramel, cream soda, sea fossils, sea spray, light volcanics, marmalade fruit, Stone fruit with yellow & spring flowers flowers set in mixed greens.

The palate is very full, round, waxy, rich with excellent viscosity. Beautiful mouthfeel. Great time for a bottle. Sweet & just a sour lemons, lime candy, green dominate apples with shades of golden, cream, vanillin, ginger, ripe squeezed pineapple flesh, grapefruit with pith, touch of apple cider, salted caramel, cream soda, healthier honey, sea fossils, white spice with the perfect depth & heat, sea spray, reductive, melted molasses, light volcanics, wet stone, elegant flintiness, marmalade fruit, stone fruit-apricot, nectarines, white & yellow peach with yellow & spring flowers flowers set in mixed greens. The acidity is like a cool stone filled stream. The long, round finish is; waxy, round, lush, with excellent balance fruit & earth, gentle white spice palate heat that persists endlessly. On the long, longboard set, I get soft subtle cream notes of whiskey/scotch w/o any heat. It Hoovers center mouth.

Photos of; one of Dauvisst Cru vineyards, staff caning in the spring, Vincent, Dauvisst and photo of a vineyard that shows every bit of reason why White Burgundy tastes the way it does!

Some producer notes I read. Vincent started helping his father René in 1976 and, during the last decade, has gradually taken control of viticulture and winemaking. For him, the ultimate goal is to harvest healthy grapes that are fully ripe and concentrated which, he declares, can only be achieved consistently by hard work in the vineyard. His passion for wine enables him to put this work ethic into practice with real vigour - close pruning the vines (40 years old on average) during the growing season to restrict yields, hand harvesting at vintage time and ruthlessly discarding any rotten or split grapes. His vinification and maturation methods see him join the small band of Chablis producers who employ oak. The wines are vinified and aged in a mixture of steel vats and 6-to 8 year old wooden barrels. The wood is old and therefore doesn’t stamp any oak flavour onto the wines but does give them an extra depth of flavor and density of body, whilst still retaining their unique identities. These are intensely terroir-driven, mineral wines of such concentration that they take longer than most to reach their best, though they are every bit worth the wait. — 4 years ago