Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Blend of Garnacha (55%), Syrah (39%) and Mazuelo (6%). Dark ruby color with garnet highlights. Aromas of wet soil, coffee, violets and ripe red fruit. Flavors of strawberry, raspberry and red cherry fruit, dark chocolate, minerals and baking spices. Bit of vanilla on the long and pleasant finish. Soft/tight tannins and vibrant (a bit overbearing) acidity that causes the mouth to salivate. Medium-plus body and structure. Needs aeration. — 3 months ago

Brett Rogosin

9.3

This stuff is fantastic. I wish I bought a whole case. The color is honey. It smells like honey suckle and ripe apricot. The acidity causes my entire mouth to salivate and crave more. The palate is pure delight, also honey suckle, apricot, minerals, and a hint of ripe cantaloupe. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

Tasted blind. Medium gold color. Killer old white burg nose. Notes of lemon creme, white dry soil, some spice, a little honey. Rich and powerful in the mouth. Some fine acidity on the finish causes some pucker. Very interesting overall profile, and my guess is I’ve never had this before which is accurate. I go with a 95 Corton Charlie as a guess. The power and great mouthfeel expanded as this absorbed air over the afternoon. Each sip better than the last. — 6 years ago

Brian S

9.2

Such a great thirst quenching grapefruit flavored beer. One of the best hangover cures at only 2-2.5% ABV. — 6 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.8

The nose comes at you like a firehose filled with citrus, honey, apple and almond. Crazy concentration that causes your cheeks to bulge. Insane level of acidity but it still manages to release flavors of citrus , honey and toast. A palate saturating finish . Given the bear hug structure I’m amazed how giving the palate is. — a year ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

Yes please mag I have another. Because my synesthesia causes me to liken wines to fabrics and/air clothes I’m calling this day robe wine. Silky and comforting but with equal parts kick the keep you on your toes because the last thing you need is a day robe to put you to sleep. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

@Delectable can you please add the 2003 vintage. I keep getting error message 2000.

It’s a very good night when you have an Allen Brothers Ribcap and an older Pichon Lalande. It is my favorite beef pairing. The 03 is just starting to move into its good phase. I would not open another 03 for at least 5 more years and has another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead.

I decanted it for about 2 1/2...could have used another half hour. Once it was fully open, the body was elegant and the tannins like velvet. The ripe black raspberries & raspberries led the rush onto the palate. Followed by; blackberries, dark cherries and a little strawberries on the long set. Gentle earth of; stones, clay & loamy dry soil, fresh tobacco, graphite, suede style leather, some dark spice, understated baking spices of; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a dash of clove. Dark, red, purple & some blue florals. The acidity was excellent. The creamy, velvety, elegant, well balanced in fruit and earth was harmonious wire to wire.

The pairing causes my eyes to roll and let out an mmmmm.

Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande, stainless steel tanks, side garden area of the chateau and their barrel room. — 6 years ago

with James and Christina

Jay Kline

9.5

Every now and again, a wine comes into your life that causes you to rethink what you thought you knew about a type of wine. “Avvoltore” by Morisfarms is one of those wines for me.

The cork pulled perfectly. The wine pours a dark ruby color with an opaque core and some slight signs of sediment. Moderate staining of the tears. On the nose the wine is intense with bright, lush dark fruit: black currants, dark plums, blackberries, black cherry, tobacco, freshly tilled earth, cocoa, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium++ tannins and medium+ acid. The texture is super grippy…like whoa. Confirming the fruits aforementioned on the nose and accompanied by notes of espresso, and trading the cocoa for dark chocolate. There’s a nice touch of baking spice too. The finish is very long. A super compelling wine that is still quite primary. I expect this vintage to be extremely long lived. My next bottle after 2032.

As an added note, the Super Tuscan genre has always given me mixed emotions. Many of the wines are usually very lovely and technically excellent yet, I often struggle with them because so many taste as if they could really come from anywhere. And that’s cool for a lot of people but I crave wines to tell me a story that give me a sense of where they’re from. “Avvoltore” does this with a style and grace that’s massively compelling. — 4 years ago

Hanibal

9.2

Every time i drink this i am in awe...a rosé that causes you to think...rarely happens to me before — 6 years ago

Jason Brater

9.2

Delicious wine for my bday. 😎Bramble nose. Black cures olives and Black raspberry w cherry and oregano and black pepper. Nice oak and then smooth tannins leave your mouth dry!
Delicious. — 6 years ago

with Heather