Jay Kline

9.9

What a special treat to have an entire flight dedicated to the one and only Noël Verset. All three wines were opened prior to dinner and serially enjoyed over the course of a few hours. Stylistically, all three wines were similar and most importantly, sound! The 1998 pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with ripe and slightly desiccated, wild red bramble berries, dried purple flowers, cracked black pepper, black olive, garrigue, spiced meat, coffee, old leather bound books, exotic eastern spices and inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Bro…this bottle left me speechless. It has all of the things I could possibly want in Cornas plus, it has the staying power of Barry White. For me, this was the wine of the flight (and WOTN), overshadowing the more heralded 1999 and giving more than the relatively demure 1992. Drink now through (???). This has the characteristics of an immortal. — 3 months ago

Byron Fuller

9.0

Quite soft but great length and a sort of slowly creeping charm. Not a fireworks style but rather demure and complementary. Plenty life ahead, might develop much more complexity— this was definitely still first plateau. — 4 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Domaine Faiveley, Mazis-Chambertin, Grand Cru. 2006 Vintage. Medium Garnet. Umami notes on the nose and palate - wet earth, mushroom, dried herbs - also ripe black cherry, wild strawberry, violet, vanilla, nutmeg. Tannins are very present but also soft. Elegant wine. Demure at first but with time and acquaintance opened up nicely. — 5 years ago

with Holly and Deked1

Ellen Clifford

8.9

Very lovely and hi new world Chardonnay ages gracefully. It is tropical but apple/quince-esqe on the nose. It is full but also light in the mouth. Worthy. Fully. But demure. — 7 years ago

Jim McGarry

9.2

Smooth, soft and supple on the tongue, demure in the throat.
— 7 years ago

with Dave

Kathryn Vest

8.9

A demure little number. — 8 years ago

Charlie Abbott

Sommelier Casa Mono

9.1

Leesy, bright sharp finish. Delicate florality, almost-ripe apricot. Demure. Lovely — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2006 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black and red currants, black and red, bramble fruit, tobacco, leather, cocoa, earth, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. Despite the character and quality, I didn’t find this to be a powerhouse rather, this was quietly confident. The finish is long, lovely…very demure. Looking great at 18 years young and there’s a lot of life left. If this is any indication of longevity, the 2006 “Terrace Select” might live forever. Drink now with a decant for air and sediment and enjoy through 2036 easy. — 2 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.1

Fresh off the boat, showing a bit closed and demure right now but will certainly improve with time. I often recommend this wine for Burgundy fans on a weeknight budget and will continue to do so. — 5 years ago

Wil Chow

8.9

Ok, damn...this shiyit be muthafuckin demure. Extracted blackberry syrup dusted with white pepper and a hint of mole negro and bitters that rolls into a soft velvety finish that’s like the perfect bite of a berry arugula salad — 6 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.1

Needs an hour decant. All over the place before that. Almost a study In wine evolution.

Nose is a bit slutty. Then it becomes almost demure. Ah fuck corked.

God hates us all.

Palate is nice. — 6 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.2

Admittedly I would never have given this a second thought if it weren’t for the recent WS rating. But I stumbled across it at Costco for under $20 so said what the hell. I’m a believer. Don’t let the label fool you. It’s for real. This isn’t shy or demure; it’s big, bold, and lush. Full of ripe cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, spicebox, and a gravelly finish. It retails closer to $30 but with some work you can find it for $20-$25. Buy it and thank me later. For a Pinot of this quality it’s a steal. Note it’s the Willamette Valley not Sonoma Coast vineyard. — 7 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

Lovely nose. Very floral. Cherry liquor. Palate is insane. Powerful cherries. Early season really potent cherries. Cherry spice. Cherry pit. Long spicy finish. People say that barbaresco is more feminine. If so this is Angelina Jolie. Not demure. Glad I have this bought from Fass selections. ... getting better as it opens. Really sweet cherry spice. Wow. Not the most complex at this point or this would be higher. ... getting a bit more complex on the nose as it aerates. ... really crazy juicy and alive. Finish has a hint of cherry licorice. Dried roses on the nose after 2 hours — 8 years ago

with Lyle

Randy Fuller

9.4

This is a very dark wine, almost no light gets through a glassful of it. On the nose there is a complex set of aromas. Dark fruit - blackberry, cassis, blueberry - are met with savory support from the oak. Clove, baseball glove, tobacco, earth and black pepper all play a role in the sniff. The palate is a real discovery - as dark as you like it, with firm tannins and a long finish. In California terms, the shadings are a little more like Paso than Napa - a bit rambunctious and chalky as opposed to silky and demure. In fact, the wine could have convinced me that it was a Syrah, not a Cab, had I been blind tasting it. It’s a wonderful wine that screams for a big, beautiful steak to go with it. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Selected off the list at Boiler Room. Giacomo Fenocchio’s holdings in the Bussia MGA reside within the sub zones of Bussia Sottana (of which they enjoy some of the best parcels) and that of Munie. Opened about 30 minutes before service; no decant and no formal notes. The 2014 “Bussia” from G. Fenocchio starts off a little shy, but it gains weight and significant aromatic character with time in the glass. Bright cherries, slightly on the more tart side with tar over roses. The body seems a little demure early on but it eventually fleshes out and becomes almost chewy! The structure I want and expect from Barolo is there too with lovely acid and stiff tannins. The finish is long and savory. Last sip was the best. This was quite a lovely example of 2014 and a fine accompaniment to bone-in pork chops and Morgan Ranch beef cheeks. Drink now with some patience and over the next ten or so years. — 3 years ago

Mike Lev

9.1

Wonderful. I expected more fruit, more explosiveness. Silky and demure with soft tannins. — 5 years ago

Wil Chow

9.0

Daaaaammmnnn this is 🔥!!! Gots all the signatures of a big ass Cali cabs, but like I dunno, sophisticated and demure. All those ripe lush fruity juiciness was just so perfectly interwoven with cocoa coffee graphite and lightly crushed herbs all with jusssst the right amount of oakiness <chef’s kiss> — 6 years ago

Seth Morgen Long

Broker • Arterberry Maresh / Winemaker • Morgen Long

9.5

Electric, precise and wonderfully faceted with demure fruit and laden with minerals; there is great depth, power and grace here. — 7 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

This is a stupid great value and can easily cellar 10+ years. What a wine. Initially the nose is quite demure. The palate is exquisite off the bat but the nose needs coaxing. But once I coax it is epic. Like 2010 Burgundy is what 2016 German Pinot reminds me of. The aromas are red berry fruit, cranberry, a multitude of spices. Earth, mineral and limestone. Wow. What an aroma. Just lovely once it gets going. So fresh on the palate with just supernal balance. Lovely dusty tannins really coat the palate but balanced with very pretty cherry fruit and precise minerality. The precision and depth of this wine is very impressive. — 8 years ago

Jess Ica Orona

8.9

Aroma is demure. Toasty, steered red bramble berries and cherry, a bit of earth. Grippy and tight on the palate, although it's scarily thin in body. Strong tannins back up spice tart red fruit. Perfectly enjoyable. — 8 years ago