Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Gambino Vini – Tifeo Etna Bianco 2023
Etna DOC, Sicily – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
A striking white blend from the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, crafted with 72% Carricante and 28% Catarratto, two of Sicily’s most important indigenous grapes. Etna Bianco wines are fast becoming symbols of Italy’s volcanic terroirs, delivering mineral-driven, authentic expressions far from mainstream white styles.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and layered, offering citrus zest, green apple, and pear, complemented by wild herbs and subtle floral tones. A hint of saline minerality underscores the volcanic origin, while a smoky whisper adds complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and a lingering citrus-stone finish. Textured yet refreshing, it balances richness and precision beautifully.

Winemaking Notes
High-altitude vineyards on Etna’s northern slopes provide cool nights and intense sun exposure, yielding grapes with freshness and concentration.

Food Pairing
Perfect with seafood pasta, grilled swordfish, Sicilian caponata, or fresh cheeses. A versatile choice that can elevate both traditional Sicilian fare and modern pairings.

Verdict
A compelling introduction to Etna’s whites: mineral, distinctive, and deeply expressive. For wine lovers seeking to explore volcanic terroirs, this is a must-try.

📚 Educational Sidebar – Why This Can Age
Carricante, Etna’s flagship white grape, has been cultivated for over 1,000 years. With naturally high acidity and strong minerality, it develops honeyed, nutty, and petrol-like complexity over time, much like Riesling. While delicious now, top Etna Bianco blends like this can age gracefully for 7–10 years, layering depth without losing freshness. Cheers! — 2 months ago

Mark Chandler

9.1

Deep bramble fruits. Really high quality Bordeaux for under £20 especially with 7 years in bottle. Bought another as a gift , it was so good! — 2 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2019 vintage. An estate owned by the Cazes family (Lynch Bages, Haut Batailley). A blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Petit Verdot (3%). Less flashy compared to the Capbern 2019 tasted yesterday, give it some time to open up. Even with the high Merlot percentage, it has more of a dark Cabernet Sauvignon personality with black fruit and a serious, slightly severe tannic backbone. Abv. 14,5 %. — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Chapellet Mountain Cuvée Proprietor’s Blend 2023
Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A vibrant Bordeaux-style blend from Chapellet, a pioneering family-owned estate high on Pritchard Hill since 1967. Known for its rocky, elevated vineyards and bold mountain-grown fruit, Chapellet crafts this approachable yet terroir-rich blend for both immediate enjoyment and graceful aging.

Blend Composition
• 51% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 24% Merlot
• 10% Petit Verdot
• 8% Malbec
• 7% Cabernet Franc 

Aromas & Flavors
Effusively aromatic with dark cherries, blackberries, and plums, framed by spicy oak notes of clove, cardamom, cedar, plus touches of black pepper and savory herbs. The palate mirrors this with plush ripe berry layers, framed by fine-grained tannins, and finishes with lingering dark chocolate and anise.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with a luxuriously textured core. The fine-grained tannins wrap the fruit beautifully, balanced by inherent freshness—creating a long, silky, and satisfying finish.  

Winemaking Notes
Crafted under the guidance of Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus, the 2023 vintage benefitted from a cool growing season and carefully managed canopy work to preserve freshness and reduce yields. Fermented and aged to deliver immediate appeal without compromising structure. 

Food Pairing
A versatile pairing wine—ideal with grilled ribeye, slow-braised short ribs, or herbed lamb chops. It also complements rich pasta sauces and grilled mushrooms—luxurious yet approachable.

Verdict
Mountain Cuvée 2023 is a powerful yet elegant Napa blend, showcasing depth, freshness, and mountain intensity. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that offers a compelling mix of immediate pleasure and layered complexity. A benchmark for mountain-grown Bordeaux blends. — 2 months ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

had a long visit at the mayacamus touring up and down the vineyards and tasted in the new-ish tasting room after renovation since the old one got burnt down :( 2011 was a cool vintage (like 2006, 2010, 1998)- the transition vintage and 2012 was the first vintage of the new team. 17 was a fine vintage. 13 - limited quantities due to high demand. higher up here in elevation affords more flexible harvest timing. early ripening clone 7 (site dependent) is used for its loose clusters thus stem inclusion (wat??) We tasted through 2007, 2010, and Chardonnays and Cab Sauvs. The 2010 tastes like a fruit basket - red blue fruit pomegranite, blueberry pie, botanical garden, eucalyptus, high acidity, tight tannins, bright acidity with a lift (acid tone...or VA). The 2007 is singing. Red black currants, cassis, tobacco, pencil shavings, black pepper, leather, high acidity, long finish, med+ body, elevated/high fine integrated tannins. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Opened nearly 7 hours prior to Tasting Group and slow-ox'd. Even though this wouldn’t be considered testable, I figured it would be fun to taste with the group, you know, to keep them on their toes! Presented double-blind.

The 2013 Merlot “Passata” pours a deep ruby color with medium viscosity. Moderate intensity; developing vinosity. The nose is redolent of raspberries, cranberries, jasmine, a mix of dried and fresh purple flowers, smoke, some spice, dried herbs, and stone. There are some pyrazines lurking underneath as well which , if nothing else, should have been some clue to others. On the palate, the wine is dry and generous with ripe red fruit mixed with some dark fruit, smoke and spices, leather, and tobacco. Acid is high with medium++ tannin…grippy, juicy tannins. High alcohol. Long finish.

Calls were all over the place, from Dry Creek Zinfandel to Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Truthfully, I didn’t expect anyone to call Langhe Merlot. That being said, there is an underlying Italian sensibility to this wine. The structure is all Italy and even though the alcohol was high, it’s not terribly unusual to see balanced wines from Langhe bumping up close to 15%. Anyway, this was outstanding and universally adored by the group. As far as age-ability, this is drinking quite nicely with a hefty amount of air. That being said, taking the structure into account, this should easily drink well over the next ten years. — 4 years ago

Bonnie Chu

8.9

Pineapple, nut, high acid. can age 5-7 years, 7 months in French barrels. Robert Parker 92 pts, — 7 months ago

Tyler Felous

9.4

Opened on TG. Even with 6-7 hours, it never really opened up. Tight, high acid. Recorked and gave it until Saturday and what a transformation. Mushroom, earth, leather, with fruit still present. Happy to have had the second experience — a year ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!


Dark Inky in color with a reddish/ purplish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, light dried fruits, cedar, light vanilla, herbs, licorice, spices, dark chocolates and light cola notes.

Full bodied and elegant, with medium acidity.

Dry and fruity on the palate with plums, black cherries, black currants, bitter herbs, earth, chocolates, cedar, eucalyptus, tobacco leaf, peppercorn and light vegetables.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a wonderful Merlot from Columbia Valley. Soft and fruit forward. Rich and nicely balanced.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of air time.

This 8 year old Merlot is complex and spicy. Really enjoyed the nose at this point, and the high alcohol is well integrated by now.

Easy drinking and a good sipping wine. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

I had this vintage a few times before, and it is always delicious. I just love Michel Rolland wines.

A blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (85% new).

14.9% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$75. — a year ago

KRISTIE

9.3

Rooftop 7 with Amanda and Sandy. — 4 years ago