Eye Candy
Château Cos d'Estournel
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2004
The 2004 Cos d'Estournel has an impressive bouquet with black cherries, hoisin, rose petals and blood orange scents, all mixed with melted tar and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied, with a strong menthol element on the entry that rather dominates the terroir expression. It is very spicy on the finish, with cough candy on the aftertaste. It may be a bit bombastic considering the vintage, but it will continue to age in bottle. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 2 years ago
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
La Crau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2000
Strawberry, red candy, plum and eucalyptus. Feminine and polished.
Drink now. — 6 months ago
Weingüter Wegeler ( Geheimrat J. Wegeler )
Geheimrat J Rheingau Spätlese Trocken Riesling 2020
Just an awesome wine. Reinhardt calls it Germany’s Clos St. Hune and it might be! Nose is confectionary beyond. Like a cotton candy explosion. Gorgeous sweet minerality as well. Just a profound and airy nose. Wow. Palate is chock full of minerals and is elegant, linear and concentrated. So pure and long. Man is this also juicy with white peach .White peach now on the nose as well. Superb concentration and sap. Almost tannic on the finish and so fresh it’s crazy. This is a brilliant wine. Will track as it airs out. Citrus oil on the nose and it gains in roundness as it airs. Stunning. — 3 years ago
Elderton
Command Single Vineyard Shiraz 2001
Wow… this is a wonderful Ozzie Shiraz in that typical, oldfashioned, high-octane, push-the-pedal-to-the-metal personality.
Beautifully aged, showing a mahogany rim plus great secondaries and tertiaries over the still abundant baked plum and blackberry goodness. I’m talking smoked meat, sweet licorice candy, cocoa nibs, caramel, black pepper and olives, espresso, damp forestfloor and BBQ sauce. Delicate hints of orange zest, uplifting balsamic acidity and soft yet palpable tannines make this quite a bold but very classy drink!
Deep, dark and dense. Last bottle of a sixpack and easily the best. Terrific!
I also like the clever, tongue-in-cheek message on the backlabel: “Your wish is our Command” 😁 — 7 months ago
689 Cellars
Devil's Candy Syrah Blend 2019
3rd time, favorite vintage. — 2 years ago
Jean Vesselle
Oeil de Perdrix Brut Champagne Blend
Historic style of making champagne, eye of the partridge is something between a Blanc de Noirs and Rose. Such an appetizing rose gold color. Pastry/biscuit, strawberries & cream & clementine on the nose, much more lithe, tense and bright on the palate.
Honestly it’s hard to come up with descriptors because it’s just a joy to drink.
Disgorged last year on Valentine’s Day.
I’m really digging the Vesselle wines these days and they are so reasonably priced for the quality. — 3 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
I have enjoyed this producers vineyard over many vintage and this might be the best.
The 22 vintage is stunning and as good as it is, 23 might be better based on a somewhat limited exposure at this point.
The entry is glorious…such balance and wire to wire it doesn’t change much.
Green apple, perfect lemon & lime pulp into subtle candy, grapefruit, white stone fruit, kiwi, tropical melons, pineapple, cream reduction, saline, perfect sea fossils, fine powdery taut chalkiness, crisp volcanics, white spice, grey volcanic minerals, limestone marl, mix of fresh & dry stubble herbs, honeysuckle, light caramel, warm lightly done toast, yellow florals, spring flowers with greens, grand waterfall acidity, beautiful structure-tension, incredible balance with an elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and long sets on volcanic minerals and spice.
Decanted 1 hour.
When I first started buying this bottling, it was $50-$60, now $150. Might be my last bought. My white spend has a more limited range than my red. Don’t think I’m alone.
A property Sofia & I have visited in 2015. — 5 months ago