Abbas Zand

9.1

Dark ruby red. Medium to full body.
Nose of earth, plum cherry fruit.
Dry with a hint of ripe sweetness.
Chocolaty, dark red fruits plum, cherry, blackberry. Dusty, round tannins and acidity. Nice wine overall. — a month ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Roots of Leflaive family go back to 1717 when Claude Leflaive took up residence in Puligny-Montrachet. Straw yellow color with rich stone fruits, floral and biscuit notes. On the palate flavors of apple, peach and ripe pear with citrus, biscuit notes and gentle spice, great mouthfeel. Long finish ending with fruit, vanilla and a mineral tang. Nice! — a year ago

Lyn Farmer

8.9

This is an excellent example of the modern style of Valpolicella - still firm acidity but more fruit and depth than in the past. The wine’s Classico roots clearly show with sour cherry, black cherry, violet, red plum and a bit of leather and forest floor in the background. It has medium minus body, soft and supple tannins and, at 13.5%abv, it has all its components in excellent balance. Very nice and can even ages for another year or two though hard to resist right now. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep roots of Beaulieu were first planted back in 1900, when founder Georges de Latour noticed similarities with his native Bordeaux and declared the Napa Valley ideal for winemaking. A blend of 78% Cab Sauv, 11% Merlot, 3% of Cab Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Aromas of dark berry fruit and earthy spice scents. On the palate blackberry and currants, spicy notes on full soft ripe tannins, nice mouthfeel, long finish ending with fruit, oak and earthy mineral character. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Crafted by Joseph J. Wagner, 4th generation winemaker, with winemaking roots in the Napa Valley since 1906. Deep Ruby with red berry fruit aromas, tea and sweet spice notes. On the palate flavors of jammy blackberry and cherry with pronounced sweet vanilla oak, cacao and pepper spice notes. Soft tannins and bright acidity, well balanced, with mineral tones on a long finish ending with toasty spice! Nice! — 5 months ago

Vanessa

9.1

Burgundy 🇫🇷 is renowned for its Chardonnay, but did you know that Aligoté is the second most planted white grape in the region? 👀

Some of the finest Aligoté comes from ‘Bouzeron,’ an appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise region (north of Mâconnais, south of Côte d’Or).

In a land of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, Bouzeron AOC is 100% dedicated to producing Aligoté 🙌🏻. In fact, it first became a legally-recognized AOC in 1998 thanks in part to the efforts of Aubert de Villaine, the winemaker behind this beautiful bottle. 👏🏻

Interestingly, Aubert is also a co-owner & co-Director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) (and, as an aside, was on the tasting panel for the 1976 Judgement of Paris 😆)…

Yet, instead of devoting himself exclusively to DRC — one of the world’s most famous and prestigious estates — he and his wife, Pamela (a California native), were enchanted by the possibilities of Aligoté, and terroir of Bouzeron, where they put down roots through “Domaine de Villaine”.

This wine is Domaine de Villaine Bouzeron AOC (2019). It has a shimmering lemon robe and bouquet of white blossom, just-ripe white peach, yellow apple, pear, citrus, fennel, and wet slate notes. It’s remarkably fresh on the palate with mouth-watering acidity balancing the warm (14% ABV) and fruit-driven profile. It’s positively delicious!

We’re pairing it w/ pan-seared sea scallops, roasted asparagus, & lemon-herbed farro…

Cheers to nurturing the diversity of Burgundy in all of its splendor! 🥂
💙🤍♥️ — a year ago

with Deked1

Daniel P. Drake

9.8

Over the Easter weekend I opened for friends the 2015 Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley St. Helena, California a blend of 89%Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Other.

I let decant for at least an hour on the nose there was black cherry, blackberry, plum, black currant, cedar, spice, roses, crushed gravel and earth.

On the palate there was black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, licorice, mint, sandalwood, crushed gravel and earth.

This wine was rated 100 by both Jeb Dunnick and Wine Advocate whom I respect highly and can totally understand their exuberance for this wine but I couldn't make it quite there. I found that this is full bodied with a freshness and smooth mouthfeel medium + to high acidity and medium + high grainy crunchy tannins that gives a beautiful long dark fruit gravelly earthy finish. An eceptional wine by any means and I am glad to have a few more at rest in my cellar for this wine has many years to continue to develop. Our Easter weekend was one of excitement and exuberance where we had a baby shower on Saturday for our daughter who is expecting the last week of May first week of June which will be our second grandchild. Easter day we spent with family and friends which the day was spectacular. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend and I wish everyone a wonderful week ahead. Please stay safe and healthy with peace to all. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 3 years ago

Amy Hill

8.9

Very nice Cabernet with a rich dark color. Black cherry with notes of tobacco and cassis. Nice tannin structure. Great sipping wine! — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

First, the Gentaz and now, Verset?! Be still my beating heart! Noël Verset is a freaking legend. His first vintage was during the period of peace between the first and second world war which means, for most of his career, Cornas was a tough place to make a living making wine. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that things began to turn around and by that time, Noël was in his 70’s. Talk about perseverance. By the time he made this 1996 vintage, he had already started selling off some of his vineyards and by 2006, he was done making wine altogether. 

And this 1996? It is lighter in color than the other wines in the Cornas line-up; almost a pale garnet with a transparent core. The nose is just crazy. I just wanted to smell it for the rest of the night. Wild mixed berries, dried purple flowers, garrigue, tobacco, and coffee. This was a Cornas of elegance and thinner on the palate relative to the Allemand and Clape. Long finish. Divine with venison, umami bomb, potato and pearl onion. Drinking very well now and could hold for longer but why? — 8 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2021 | Peace is the greatest work of Art — 2 years ago