Sean Burke

9.1

Black cherry away, zeno — 3 months ago

Tyler Felous

9.4

Took a flyer buying this from Benchmark. Bottle was in perfect condition, but sadly past its peak. Nose was outstanding - huge - chocolate, spice box. Had lost any acidity to balance the huge fruit. And at 17%, it kicked our ass. Would love to try a slightly younger rendition. — 10 months ago

Marcio Morelli

9.5

Croissant saindo do forno. Não um. A boulangerie inteira. — 5 years ago

with Otavio and Evandro

barak heller hayun

9.2

lovely lovely Austrian Riesling.

stainless-steel fermentation and ageing obviously.

12.5% abv

medium body.
bursting high acidity.

out of the fridge it's mostly green apple and peach. getting warmer grapefruit pith and peel, some lime, blossom and sea salt with a few rocks and yogurt joined the party.

and that's a party I'd love to attend frequently.

long long 🎯 with bitterness rounding things even more.

good stuff.

paired badly with pasta al forno made from leftovers.
a Chianti or barbera would be a better idea with this great simple dish.

sometimes the food and wine speaks different languages. but both of them knew their way with words. — 5 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

8.9

Found a great Italian pizza al forno joint near the harbor in Formentera. Hit the spot with anchovy pizza—crisp and fragrant. — 7 years ago

with Alsu

Jennifer

10

Enjoyed on the patio at Forno before a show. Nice well balanced red. Lots of plump red fruit. Velvety smooth. Such a delightful, easy drinking wine. Perfect for fall and winter. — 9 years ago

C.C. Fridlin

9.0

Very nice super Tuscan blend of merlot and Sangiovese. Nice and smooth, no harsh tanins. Enjoying with dinner at Antico Forno in the Boston North End. — 9 years ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.4

Despite a 17 pct alcohol level this wine is perfectly in balance. Blood sausage, long afterburn rather sweet. — 6 months ago

Rob van Kalmthout

8.9

Zesty lemon flavours, nice ‘italian’ bitters, paired with Rombone al Forno. — a year ago

David Shaw

8.9

New vintage of a benchmark Semillon, 82/18 blend with Sauvignon Blanc. Pale yellow, excellent clarity. Some grass and funk notes in nose on initial pour. Pear and peach flavors, rounded mouthfeel, viscous body, slightly hot finish. Orchard and stone fruit aftertaste with very slight skin astringency. Let it open a bit… Not a wine for sipping, more a heavy duty food wine for a veggie, dairy-intensive or fat-rich meal. Gratin or forno dishes for autumn or winter come to mind. Root veggies too. — 3 years ago

Stuart Pollack

9.3

Perhaps no Valpolicella Superiore deserves more than 9, but this is the best in this style that I have had. (I am not counting Dal Forno Romano or Quintarelli, which are really baby Amarones.) I drank this chilled with penne alla vodka, and it paired perfectly. This wine is light and fruity, but also has a rich cranberry flavor. A nice value for $30. — 5 years ago

Dean Butler

9.2

Wonderful Merlot.Made all the better since we hadn’t had a Merlot in a while.Cherrys,moderate tannins ,and some tobacco come together nicely.Paired very nicely with Pasta Al Forno at Zinicola.We both loved it! — 8 years ago

Heather McDonald

9.3

Really good! Tasted like a full bodied cab but has Italian dryness and varietal taste still. Had at Al Forno with Jennifer and Joel. — 8 years ago

Vicente Piedrahita

9.3

Had side by side with dal forno amarone, this was much lighter and fruitier. Very good. — 9 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and no obvious signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and some dried fruits: bramble berries, slightly stewed black cherry, dried herbs, stony earth, baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The alcohol is high.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Grenache-based blend, Corvina-based blend or Sangiovese-based blend from France or Italy. I felt the combination of slightly stewed cherry and spices ruled out what I would want from a Sangiovese blend. Which, left me to decide between Southern Rhône or Valpolicella. I liked this wine…the oak treatment was interesting. I was getting a French barrique. Hmmm…

So, for my final conclusion: I’m calling this a Grenache-based blend, from France, from Southern Rhône, from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2017, from a more modern leaning producer using a good portion of barrique. I’ll be damned! I don’t hate my call but I gotta get better at distinguishing these wines from Southern Rhône. I probably just need to drink more of both, lol. Tasty stuff! Drink now through 2039. — 7 months ago

Adam Kincaid

9.1

This is a wine of intense subtlety. Deep golden color and tight, but medium acidity. The notes are complex and many, but they are not obvious. Starts with strong saline and brine. Then moves to mineral and stone, with underlying green apple, slight zest, and some minimal tropical notes. It packs a punch and requires a long time on the palate to fully open up and appreciate.

Jill says it tastes like lake water, but I disagree. — 4 years ago

with Jillian

Rania P

9.3

Wow, this is so similar to a Dal Forno Amarone with rich dark berries. Good finish, very impressed. — 5 years ago

with Viviane

Mariana

8.9

Equilibrado, frutas vermelhas e negras, retrogosto leve de Carvalho; ótimo custo/benefício.
Harmonizou com entrecot no forno. — 6 years ago

Pietro Amirkhanian

9.5

This is a special wine to be enjoyed with soft creamy cheeses. The 2004 is it’s best expression. Loved it. — 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Single-handedly responsible for the creation of Sonoma's Bennett Valley AVA, Matanzas Creek Winery has been championing the appellation since 1977. Winemaker Marcia Torres Forno, originally from Chile, moved to Napa Valley and cut her teeth at Cardinale as an enologist and later Kendall-Jackson as an assistant winemaker, before landing at Matanzas Creek in 2010. Their 2015 Sonoma County Chardonnay is full-frontal malo. Popcorn butter, roasted hazelnut, poached pear, with a side of grilled tropical fruit salad of guava, mango, and papaya. — 9 years ago