Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Tank sample. A clear step up in complexity and scale. The nose combines classic Chablis minerality with a deeper fruit profile than the Côte de Léchet, showing green apple, Granny Smith, sweet lime, crushed stone, and remarkable purity. Still unmistakably old-school Chablis in style, but with more flesh and breadth wrapped around the mineral core.

The palate is spectacular. Concentrated, sapid, and intensely structured, with tremendous depth and persistence. Where Côte de Léchet feels like a mineral storm, Vaillons presents similar intensity through fruit, texture, and architecture. The fruit is layered and juicy, but the structure is impossible to miss, carrying the wine across a long, powerful finish that feels built for decades rather than years. The minerality remains firmly in place, but everything is broader, deeper, and more complete. Still extremely young, but already showing the balance, concentration, and authority of a serious Premier Cru. A brilliant Vaillons and one that should reward long-term patience. — a month ago

Ron Kyle

9.0

Another great vintage.
— 5 days ago

with Amy

Bob Rodgers

9.5

A beautiful wine by a brilliant producer. Deep purple color. Bacon fat hints with earthy and truffles on the nose that evolve into dark fruits. Soft tannins on the mouthfeel linger to a grapey finish. Excellent — 3 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.2

N: closed.

P: lovely cherry fruit. Mineral. Very interesting. Iron.

Source 78 — 4 months ago

Patrick Litle

9.2

Great flavor, spice, smooth — 5 months ago

Mark Osmers

8.9

The 2020 vintage of Michael David Freak Show is a blend for everyday drinking. A blend of Syrah (appx 54%), Petite Sirah (appx 42%) and Souzao (appx 4%), it is a balanced, fruit-forward red wine with notes of dark berries and plum. Although it does not provide the complexity and tannic structure of a Napa or Sonoma Cabernet, neither does it come with the same price tag.

I recommend this wine, but just find the circus-themed bottle label a little freaky. — 6 months ago

Sharona

9.1

Stockyards, November 17, 2024, Palomino Supper Club — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Tank sample. Explosive classic Chablis nose, almost all mineral and brine, with seashell, Kimmeridgian limestone, wet stone, and only faint hints of lemon and lime underneath. Almost no fruit in the obvious sense. This is a mineral blizzard, wildly expressive and completely old-school, like 1950s-style Chablis wired to a power station.

The palate is stunningly concentrated, with serious acidity, but also real body, density, and richness. It has the electricity and structure of a great acid vintage, but the flesh and substance to carry it. Briny, stony, deep, and intensely architectural, with waves of seashell minerality rushing through the finish. The acidity clamps down at the end and brings everything into sharp, thrilling focus. Very young, obviously, but already gorgeous in its purity and intensity. A serious 25-year Côte de Léchet in the making. — a month ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Easily the most complete wine in the range today. The nose is all class: elegant oyster shell, brine, crushed stone and sea air, but presented with extraordinary lift and refinement. The fruit is the most expressive of the premier crus, yet nothing feels heavy or obvious. The palate is seamless, combining juicy concentration, unctuous texture and remarkable purity. No hard edges anywhere. Everything flows. The concrete egg seems to amplify harmony rather than richness, giving the wine incredible breadth while preserving its Chablis soul. The finish is already long and complex, though still showing a touch of youthful awkwardness that should disappear with time. A wine of real finesse and sophistication. 9.5 with upside. — a month ago

Adam

9.0

My review may not be beneficial to all because of my drinking style. I drink the bottle myself over the course of a week. With this Freakshow Cab Sauv, my review changed from the first to last glass. The first glass was strong, thin, and barely enjoyable. With subsequent glasses tasted a developing sweetness and thickness. I realize this is counter intuitive to wines normally being best when being allowed to breathe a bit after opening. Just wasn’t the case for me with this one. Rating was a 6.5 to start and a 9.5 at the end I’m grading with a curve to give it an overall 9. Will buy again based on Freakshow reputation and hope for a better early result. — 3 months ago

Paul Masson

9.1

Developing bruised apple complexity, sufficiently balanced with zingy citrus and minerality. — 4 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

2/2026. Good fruit and finish. Medium boldness. Very good for the price point. — 5 months ago

JKT

9.1

Very nice balanced well aged complex blend. — 7 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Classic Chablis turned up several notches. The nose is pure and expressive, showing lemon, green apple, sea air, crushed stone, and a distinctly maritime character, but with more flesh and ripeness than expected. There is real fruit here, not just minerality, and it gives the wine an inviting generosity without sacrificing tension.

The palate is where 2025 announces itself. Huge energy, huge acidity, and remarkable concentration. This is electric Chablis. The fruit is bright and mouthwatering, but the acidity drives everything forward, carrying waves of limestone, oyster shell, and mineral intensity across an exceptionally long finish. There is real depth and persistence here, flirting with Premier Cru quality at times, while remaining unmistakably village Chablis in character. A textbook expression of the appellation, full of nerve, precision, and classic Dampt tension. One of the strongest examples of this bottling I can remember tasting. — a month ago

Jason Whiteside

9.5

Bottle from Wally and Steve’s 50th, drank at Steve’s house June 2026 — 23 days ago

KP

9.4

I would absolutely buy this one again! Especially at the $20-$25 price point.
Delicious blueberry and rhubarb pie on the nose. Silky tannins with low acidity, and a long vanilla finish with mild oak. Well balanced and very enjoyable. — 2 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

N: pink roses. Lovely. Perfumed.

P: lovely slightly sweet fruit. Perfect balance. Long. Elegant. Hint of bitterness.

Source 85 — 4 months ago

Martijn

9.1

Pure Cab S from Lodi.
Nice spicy wine with delicious sweetness. — 4 months ago

Anthony Kluska

9.2

This is what new world should be. Pepper fruit oak. — 5 months ago

Max Gottesfeld, FWS, CSW

9.0

It’s like almost every Napa chard from a high end producer. It’s good but not amazing. It reminds me of a warm hug. — 2 years ago