Daniel Bloom

9.3

Well, after almost all have departed and just some close friends and family are left, out comes the Valtellina’s prize. An ever changing chameleon of Nebbiolo* that drinks like 1er Cru Burgundy. Problem is holding on to them. — 6 months ago

with Sarah

S.S. Mandani

9.5

Celebrating another publication this year, for a total of 13 pieces: 10 short stories and 3 installments of the beverage column, Liquid Carriage at No Contact.

Described to me by the owner and resident vino at Frankly in TriBeCa as an electric Chenin that changes over a few days from slightly bready to fresh and zippy to Burgundian-like.

I had to experience this chameleon of flavors.

Fresh Focaccia on the nose. Bready and boozy in the bouquet. Aromas of tropical fruit, papaya and lemongrass.

Super well balanced, fresh acid, nice RS, beautiful softness like rose petal mouthfeel.

Love this. So much. — 5 years ago

Hanibal

9.4

the nose took a bit to open ... ripe fruits, tea leaves, spices and undergrowth. On the palate the attack is fruity a little sweet, mid-palate on spices and a long enough finish. The acidity could have been a little stronger, but the concentration replaces this lack I think. Mid body structure. After 1 hour the wine built up more tannins structure a true chameleon. Ever changing in the glass....what an experience!
  — 7 years ago

Daniel McGeough

9.3

Chameleon wine, changed and adapted to each dish of the night!! — 7 years ago

Geoff Kallweit

9.3

A bit of a chameleon. Peppery first but then earthy and meaty, finally dark concentration. Nice violets in the aroma. Very interesting wine. — 8 years ago

Lindsay Corrigan

9.1

Our “House White” simply Chameleon for white meat, fish or seafood cuisine. A great value, refreshing without food and consistently a thirst quencher. White flowers scents, front of citrus fruits, light olive oil viscosity and finishes with fresh pear tartness. This puts a capital “W” on Wino! 🥂 — 8 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Lots of depth. Sicilian orange wine that has a beautiful creamy texture. Aromas and flavors of apricot, bees wax, yellow delicious apples, flowers and minerals. A bit of a saline note. Earthy and rustic. As it gets oxygen, mushroom flavors evolve. The next day, anise notes appeared. This wine is a chameleon! Great mouthfeel. Almost “sherry-like.” Aged in clay amphorae. Magnificent! Shared this beauty with Kase. — 8 years ago

with Kasey

Gregory Fulchiero

9.4

Viognier-esque bitterness, Riesling-esque fruit, Burgundy minerality. A chameleon but still quintessential Gruner. The toffee notes and golden hue screams Smaragd. — a year ago

Chrissy O'Hara

9.2

Really changes once aired out. Tart on the front end peppery on the back end. It’s like a chameleon, always a lizard — 4 years ago

Ron R

9.5

First quaff of the week...
Nose displays fresh cut flowers and caramel. Palate is chameleon like, starting with honeycomb, summers day and sea spray. Light and breezy with a light texture. Finishes long with moderate sweetness. These wines are worth every cent, and some. — 6 years ago

with Anne-marie

Robert Lim

9.1

Superb amped up expression of chenin in chameleon mode, hiding between waves of acid and mineral. Probably prefer to WS chardonnays most days of the week if I’m honest. — 7 years ago

Ron R

10

Disgracefully good. A gift for the evening from @David L and his lovely wife Kristen - thank you so much my friends 😍. Never tasted this before, but am mesmerized now... With every sip, this evolves like a chameleon. Texture, weight and acidity are all in lock-step. Agree with RP on this. Perfection in a glass. — 8 years ago

with Anne-marie and David

Aaron Rankin

9.3

Poured straight into the decanter and enjoyed over an hour with dinner. On the dark end for Pinot; the color, an honest resemblance. Savory nose of herbs and stewed meat, with an overtone of cherry preserves or cola, depending how much you swirl. Palette is expansive and deeply integrated, bringing the same elements of the nose to life. This wine can be dusty and earthy, or bright and fruity. It’s like a chameleon. There’s a lot to enjoy along the lengthy finish. Age has treated this well so far! — 8 years ago

Carlos Gonzalez

9.3

Chameleon. — 9 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.0

Leather and gravel when I first opened this bottle, and after an hour in the decanter this wine brought out a lot of fruit. Long nose. Quite the chameleon, this grand cru. Rating affirmed 3/18/23. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

A pale to mid gold in colour. Some stone fruit, quince and honeyed notes. Oxidative and keeps changing - ripe mandarin notes on nose and palate. A real chameleon of a wine. Like a not so sweet detuned Sauternes. A first for me with the Altesse grape, Roussette is the style - also have not had many wines from the Savoie district. Medium to full bodied palate weight. At 16 years it is ready to drink but retains some cleansing acidity - not blowsy at all. The following day Apricot notes. A little skinnsy bitterness at the finish. Initially stainless steel and then native yeast used in used oak barrels. One of the 1001 wines. In the book it says that Noel Dupasquier’s vines are up to 100 years old and he picks late when the grapes are over ripe often with noble rot. — 4 years ago

Ron R

9.1

WNH virtual tasting - great fun!
This presented in a somewhat idiosyncratic way. The nose displayed apples, pears and a touch of caramel. But the palate was like a chameleon - first, you noticed the typical Chardonnay signature, but it also displayed some SB like (sherbet) notes. A rare white from NSG, as this village, for the most part, produces reds. Medium weight and texture, with a balanced acid profile. Finishes with a flinty note. I’m sure that this wine would have baffled most in a blind tasting, including moi. — 6 years ago

with Mike, Anne-marie and 4 others

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Bright yellow gold in the glass. Nose of yellow apples and popcorn (but read on!)! Medium palate yields a great balance between baked yellow apples and *lightly* buttered toasted popcorn. Supported nicely by a backbone of medium plus acidity. Don’t be put off by my earlier description. The “popcorn” is ultimately a balance of malolactic and roasted oak. And the key word is “balance.” All of the things you look for in a California Chardonnay are there — oak, butter, pole and tropical fruits — but none of them overpower or dominate. A fine example of what Mendocino can do with this chameleon of a grape. — 7 years ago

Mike Evans

9.2

A blend of 60% Côt and 40% Cabernet Franc, with tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis, this chameleon of a wine starts out showing its Cabernet Franc character with dark fruit and herbs, then with some air the pure purple fruit Côt steps forward to lead the orchestra for a while, before receding to let the Cabernet Franc again command the stage, though this time in a more rustic, olive-tinged, herbal style that reminds me a lot of Olga Raffault's 2009 Chinon Les Picasses. It has plenty of tannin but plenty of fruit to keep it balanced. Fun, interesting, and pleasurable on a primal level that nourishes the soul and the body. Based on my experience with 1997, 1998, and 1999 Côts and the 1999 Cabernet in recent years, I expect that it has years of pleasure left to offer. — 8 years ago

with Eric

Seba Stian

8.9

Pale ruby, juicy dark cherry with raspberries and other red berries. Noticeable touch of peat, and delicate oak. Not really tannic, soft and round on the edges. Acidity higher but toned down by juiciness, well balanced, dry but with enough RS. Does not taste like piercing to the bone. Recommend to keep and hold - sadly bough just one bottle, let it 🌬 to get all from it - it's a chameleon. — 9 years ago