Matt

9.7

Ah, "Terras Gauda Rías Baixas Albariño'-a veritable jewel from the spectacular landscapes of Spain's Galicia, specifically the picturesque Rías Baixas DO, where the Atlantic whispers sweet nothings to the vines. This splendid Albariño unveils a bouquet of zesty lemon, fragrant white flowers, and a hint of sea breeze, tantalising the senses like a playful flirtation. The producer, Bodegas Terras Gauda, founded by the illustrious Ramón V. de Garay, is famed for its commitment to sustainable practices. Fun fact: they pioneered the use of genetic research in their vineyards-a cleverer endeavor than my attempts at crossword puzzles! Albariño, that beguiling grape, is renowned for its bright acidity and versatility; a wonderful partner in crime for seafood, particularly oysters, as the minerality complements their briny sweetness. It also loves the spicy embrace of Asian cuisine, where its zesty notes dance playfully. This delightful nectar has garnered praise, earning a commendable 90 points from Wine Enthusiast. Truly, it's one to uncap whilst contemplating life or... other intimate matters far too risqué for polite company! — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Okay, so I cheated…sort of. I made a commitment to drinking only Greek wines on my trip however, when Kostas Lonis pours you a glass of Egon Muller’s Riesling from Slovakia, you don’t turn it down. This is a powerful Riesling that gives me serious Austrian vibes. I’m not sure how long this bottle had been open but it was gorgeous. Bright, ripe tropical and lemon/lime fruits, some petrol with almost palpable minerals. High acid but not punishing due to the effect coming from the abundance of fruit. An unbelievable value. I wish I had access to more of this. — a year ago

Vanessa

8.9

This wine is chock full of juicy, ripe blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, red plum, and strawberry notes, violet, leather, and soft tannins.

Winemaker Maxime Graillot is the son of the revered Northern Rhône winemaker — Alain Graillot — who passed away in March of this year. Surely his father left an indelible imprint on Maxime’s winemaking, and his commitment to quality, which he will carry forward.

This style of Syrah reflects youth, innovation, and a personality of its own that is so approachable, textural, and delicious; it would make a great choice for any holiday gathering. A crowd pleaser.

We chose this wine to pair with roasted chicken and it’s lovely.
— 2 years ago

with Deked1

Vanessa

9.1

Cheers to the wines of South Africa 🇿🇦

This Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir is unique in that the grapes used to produce it primarily came, not from Hamilton Russell vineyards, but rather from neighboring vignerons.

Hamilton Russell made this unprecedented decision in the aftermath of devastating wild fires that imparted smoke taint to its estate-grown grapes. Unwilling to compromise on quality, I applaud Hamilton Russell for its tenacity and willingness to forge ahead to create this delicious Pinot Noir for its customers. 👏👏👏

This wine is comprised of fruit hailing from three different Hemel-en-Aarde (aptly meaning “heaven and earth”) Wards within the Walker Bay District, in the Cape South Coast Region of South Africa’s Western Cape.

This wine is a reflection of community, camaraderie, and commitment to excellence.❤️

👁 It is medium ruby with pale fuchsia rim variation.

👃 On the nose this wine has a medium(+) intensity of youthful aromas. The aromas include candied cherry, strawberry rhubarb preserves, violet, dried orange peel, white pepper, star anise, clove, and nutmeg.

👄 On the palate this wine is dry. It has medium(+) acidity, a medium body, medium alcohol, medium tannins, and medium intensity of flavors consistent with the nose. This wine has a medium finish.

Hamilton Russell, Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, ABV 13.5%. Vintage 2019. — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Jan de Weerd

9.1

If a wine does not meet your (high) expectations, is it a disappointment?? 🤔. Yeah, everything is relative. This six year old Gran Malbec was still super tight. Sharp, spicy oak tannins (lots of new French oak?) kept anything possibly underneath totally hidden. Although some greener notes came through early on and again later after about 2-3 hours of opening. So, yeah. Not balanced, very intense, limited lingering and single note. Agung will help for sure but not confident if this wine will ever fully shine. But don’t be down on Pulenta. Fantastic winery. We will visit this fall (their Spring) as Spoken Wines. Talking about Spoken Wines, have you seen our latest video story of Hartenberg?? And their incredible commitment to regenerative viticulture, lead by… cows!! Beautifully explained and demonstrated right in front of you by Wilhelm Joubert, the viticulturist. Check it out. And don’t miss the surprise at the end 😁. www.spokenwines.com — 3 months ago

with Tammy

Vino Joe

9.7

I sometimes wonder why I drink other wines…. This wine is so fantastic and so consistently fantastic it’s hard to justify my commitment to variety. Lovely violet color. Nose is full of robust lingering perfume. The balance and length always gets me. It’s constructed so well and deep. The fruit is mature but still has some kick of youth. Outstanding. — a year ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.4

Who doesn’t love that feeling when you point to a wine on the list and the sommelier’s eyes light up and they make an involuntary “ooh” of excitement. This bottle was spectacular tonight and so incredibly youthful for its 15 years. Still showing greenish gold in color and positively vibrating with stony minerality underneath Asian pear and honeysuckle, mandarin orange and star fruit flavors. I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, there’s no better bang for the buck in the wine world than aged Riesling. @weingut_hexamer FTW! — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2018 vintage. Tasted 2.21.24 (9.3) and 10.25.23 (9.4). Medium body. Serious stuff without the ca$hi$h commitment. Tasted with the winemaker/owner-Jeff. 8.9.24. — 3 months ago

Vanessa

9.1

At Flying Goat, the goal is to produce unpretentious, playful wines while retaining a serious quality focus and commitment to a purity of expression from single-vineyard sites such as the Solomon Hills Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Rancho Santa Rosa, to name a few.

This intention is reinforced by everything from the whimsical labels (Flying Goat, Goat Bubbles, YNOT), to the critical acclaim Flying Goat Cellars has garnered for its impressive wines, to the impeccably balanced and delicious Pinot Noir and vintage, traditional method sparkling wines.

This 2016 blanc de noirs sparkler — made with Pinot Noir hailing from the Bien Nacido Vineyard — is medium gold in appearance, with a fine and creamy mousse, and fresh notes of just-ripe yellow apple, pear, white peach, lemon zest, citrus blossom, biscuit, toast, brioche, toasted almond, and marzipan. It has a lingering, elegant finish.

@Delectable Wine this is the blanc de noirs bien nacido vineyard 2016 vintage sparkling (Goat Bubbles, Flying Goat Cellars) — 8 months ago

with Deked1

Jay Kline

9.4

Okay, so there are haters out there that don’t appreciate Joly’s approach to winemaking and question his vineyard practices. Something about his commitment to biodynamics and not doing his vineyards justice. Well, people are entitled their opinions and if those opinions keep his wines away from some people, that’s okay because it just means more for me. The 2014 Clos de la Bergerie is a wine of tremendous soul. For the uninitiated, it’s going to bend the mind. Visually, it pours an almost alarming, burnished gold color that is slightly turbid. On the nose and the palate, it’s a wonder. Bruised apples, marmalade, honeysuckle, lanolin…whoa. The acid makes the whole thing work so well. This is drinking really well right now but I expect these will drink well over the next 5-10 years…possibly more. These wines really need a crazy amount of air. Like…insane. I really wish I could drink them more often. Unfortunately, I’m not that privileged. — 2 years ago