Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — 21 days ago

Sir Maxwell Hastings, III

9.2

Nice acid. Decent tannins. Stays on the tongue for a little while. Rounder for a chianti. Not super complex. Somewhat lush. Not super dry. Salty aroma. Minerally for a read. (& Taste - 4.2 - Would buy again) — 4 years ago

Sarah O'Kelley

10

This was a wine that I have been holding onto for years and finally deemed my belated birthday dinner to be the perfect or imperfect time to enjoy it. Le ragnaie is for me the very best that Brunello can be especially with this type of age on it: all dried red fruit and dried herbs and leather and all perfectly in balance! Plus Ricardo The man behind the line is just a super nice person! You can read more about it on my blog if that’s the sort of thing you do 🥰 — 5 years ago

Karyn Fricke

9.0

Well balanced, was good on its own and good with a steak. Read about this winery recently then saw one of their wines at a local restaurant. Had to try am glad I did. Will get again. — a year ago

Stas Medvedev

8.9

🏅 Rating 88+/100 (3,85⭐)

Effortless drinking unpretentious red for anyone. Sold in minimagnums (1L) at a bargain price (€16). Purple colour, medium-light body. Cool blend of Pinot Noir, Blaufrankisch, and aromatic St.Laurent. Might become your favourite table wine.

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Read my wine writing at http://stasmedvedev.lv/wine
and follow me on https://instagram.com/wine_talks_club — 3 years ago

Chad Ingram

9.0

Can’t read the label but delish — 4 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

My guess is people read that some is in oak and immediately discount this wine. For the price this is outstanding. Hardly any oak, citrus, tropical, with biting acidity and lemongrass. Definite lychee. Just flat out good and under appreciated in my opinion. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; no formal notes. This was poured alongside the 2013 Gravner Ribolla and they we remarkably similar. The Arboreus was more dried peach than apricot (Gravner). Super complex. Looking back on my previous notes, they still apply. That being said, drink now as I don’t have a good read on what happens next with this wine and it’s delivering the good so well right now. Bottle No. 5864 — 2 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.2

Still looking for balance
Explosion of freshness and flavour
Long and elegant
I reckon it needs time, but honestly this one is a guess.
I find the evolution of the wines from Northern Rhone still hard to read sometimes especially when they are at this stage.
I would love to taste this wine in 10 years and see where it goes — 4 years ago

Kai Wright

9.2

This is weird, but if you read NK Jemisen’s Broken Earth series, and you think about the all-powerful onyx obelisk—that’s what it feels like I’m drinking. Overwhelming in every way—Big, bold, ripe, boozy. But balanced and smooth and soft like velvet glove. I just fall deep into the glass and wanna stay there. The dark, juicy fruit — a blackberry/blueberry cobbler comes to mind—lingers forever. — 4 years ago