Benchmark Wines

Jacques Selosse

Lieux Dits Les Carelles Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne Chardonnay

Disg. 2/14 (07 base)…Always my favorite of the Lieux-Dits and without question one of the very best Blanc de Blancs Champagnes on the planet, it’s particularly special to have with some bottle age. It’s absolutely as stunning as hoped—rich and powerful with crazy depth to its layers with a deep, complex core of caramelized orchard fruit, roasted nuts, old rum barrels and candied white flowers, all with seamless integration. The palate is generous and detailed, with racy acids, waves of saline laced, chalky Le Mesnil minerals and a finish that just stays with you. A BdB benchmark, legendary bubbles. — 21 days ago

Tom, Dave and 7 others liked this

Benchmark Wines

Criterion Reserva Valle de Colchagua Carménère

Josh ❤️ - Casa de surf 🏄‍♂️ — 6 months ago

Enderle & Moll

Muschelkalk Pinot Noir 2009

What can I say? Needs about 30 min of air odd at first and than absolutely brillant. Raspberry driven, thyme, touch oregano, lime, quite tannic at first which mellows out in the glass over time. Drink now or keep for 1-2 years more. A benchmark wine. A unicorn, A singleton, no one makes wine like Enderle & Moll. A perfect match with Salmon. Needs food. — 4 years ago

Rob, Severn and 7 others liked this
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Awesome!

Les Vins Contés (Olivier Lemasson)

R Red Blend

Benchmark wine for me. First favorite wine. 13% but drinks a bit lighter. Peppery. Cab franc comes through. Prefer the ptit rouquin these days. — 5 years ago

Michael and Eric liked this

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2020

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2020 Classico pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, pomegranate, red flowers, old wood, and dry gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. My first time trying the 2020 vintage of Produttori’s Classico and it’s another really lovely, benchmark example of Barbaresco. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago

Ira, Pooneet and 19 others liked this
Zach D

Zach D

Nice. 2020 more approachable now than the 2019s from what I remember

Pattes Loup (Thomas Pico)

Vent d'Ange Chablis Chardonnay 2020

Very muted in the nose… hardly anything at first, fresh saltiness, barely a hint of green apple & lemon peel. And yet, fresh & enticing.
And then, on the palate this sings! Simply beautiful! With a touch of roundness & creaminess on the palate but also vibrant acidity, salinity, stony minerality. Ripe yellow apple & lemon. Vibrant, juicy and quite complex. Great depth & length.
A benchmark for Chablis & delish!
— a year ago

Ira, Pinotman and 3 others liked this
Daniel M

Daniel M

I keep seeing this producer posted on here a lot but I must confess I had never heard of it while I was still living back home. Now I want to discover it 😊 thank you for sharing!

Descendientes de José Palacios

Pétalos Bierzo Mencía 2017

Benchmark Mencia! Unusually elegant style for Spain grace to the cool Galician climate while the old vines ensure intensity. Slightly oak driven and not overly complex. — 5 years ago

Ira and Peter liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2018

Cornas AOC is a small and distinctive appellation in the Northern Rhône of France. 🇫🇷 Unlike its neighboring appellations, Cornas wines must be made with 100% Syrah. 🍇 This makes it a singular expression and benchmark in the world of Syrah. 🍷🍷

This particular wine is pronounced with harmonious aromas and flavors spanning the spectrum from primary to secondary to tertiary …

Offering generous notes of blackcurrant preserves, ripe black cherry, boysenberry, violet, cured meat, peat, forest floor, dark chocolate truffle, mocha, black peppercorn, star anise, fennel, cardamom, spice box, tobacco, cigar, clove, & saddle leather.
— 2 months ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Brian and 23 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

@Vanessa remember when you and @Deked1 shared this! Was soo good! Cheers! Also figured out I can’t work with @J Greene to get us together. More to come from @ K Greene! 😉
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Paul K @J Greene Oh we absolutely remember that night & the blind tasting 💯 Having this again reminded us of that fun get together. We are 1,000% in on a part deux.

Cullen Wines

Kevin John Margaret River Chardonnay 2015

3/6.75/9.75 = 19.5 out of 100 say 98
Eight year Kevin John - lovely with pear on the nose and pear with perfectly balanced acid on the palate. Sets a high benchmark for all premium Chardonnay.
— 2 years ago

Las Vertientes

Benchmark Red Blend

Love this wine - Christina — 4 years ago