Forgot to take detailed notes, but this was nice. Not really any carbonic / natural / “new agey”notes, just a solid classically made gamay. Definitely has some structure, opened 4 hours before serving which was good. Didn’t sing on any one dimension of fruit / earth / acid / length / texture but was nice overall. — a month ago
From magnum. Slightly deeper ruby , thin ruby rim . Quite a lot more dense and darker fruits , cassis , violet , red plum , blackberry, warm earth . On the palate this is denser and more tannic , more body , dark cassis , summer fruits , violets , hedgerow fruits . Hugely elegant and long , balanced and refined . Mineral and earthy but bright and vivacious . Again shows pretty similar to last year , more dense, intense and bigger boned than La Mission , but still supremely refined and balanced . Come back in 10 -15 years , and will surely show well for another 15-20 — 13 days ago
[Tasted on May 25, 2025 at The Optimist in Nashville with Jay]
Wine is from Pisoni Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands. Cherry, blackberry and red plum fruit, with baking spices, caramel and violets. — 25 days ago
Amazing. Pepperish and milky. — 20 days ago
Getting ready to leave France, so let's go out with a bang! It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.
Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, black cherries, tobacco, cedar, light vegetables, licorice, chocolates, coffee and light peppercorn.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, light vegetables, black pepper, tobacco leaf, earth and black tea.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 8 year old Merlot based blend is still very young. In most vintages, it is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend, but in the 2017 vintage it was a little different.
Spicy and entertaining. Well balanced and complex, but a little tight and restraint right now. Much earthier than I expected it to be.
Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.
A good food wine right now, that will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (70% New) French oak barrels for 18 months.
14% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$450. — 15 days ago
Jay Kline

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2012 pours a hazy garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe mixed fruits: raspberry, pomegranate, strawberry, Bing cherry, licorice, horse blanket, forest floor and rocky minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. This finish is long. A wild wine; literally and figuratively. Teeters on the edge of being too careless but it doesn’t cross over into the realm of gerbil cage. Drink now. — 20 days ago