Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

10

This was perfection. Full stop. Ten points, 100, A plus, whatever scale you want to drag into the room, it all collapses under the same truth: it does not get better than this. The 2016 Ar.Pe.Pe. Sassella Rocce Rosse Riserva was so achingly beautiful, so complete, so internally right, that halfway through I stopped even trying to “evaluate” it and just gave in. What makes it unbearable, in the best way, is how nothing sticks out and yet everything glows. The wine has lift, detail, soul, delicacy, authority, all of it moving at once, all of it perfectly proportioned. It just stands there in complete command of itself, and the longer it sits in the glass the more it seems to reveal that perfection and grace are not opposites. They are partners. Words really do start to fail with a wine like this, because the whole point of the experience is that it reaches past language. — 3 months ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

Thanksgiving Paso Robles trip second day first stop. 2020 vintage. Pale bright ruby. Medium minus acidity. Juicy red fruits - fresh cranberry and plum. Some blackberry. Minerality. 43% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 19% Counoise, 5% Mourvèdre. — 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.7

Man this is so young. 3-5 years at least from an early peak. But you can see the greatness. Man this is going to be a wine of a lifetime.

Nose is pungent cranberry flowers. An assault on the no trial. Nose petals peeking through. Some lilacs.

Palate is stunningly fresh. So delsignore. You get the amazing Nebbiolo fruit you’d expect from 16 but it’s as fresh as just picked grapes. Bright cherry. A bit of darker red cherry. A hint of licorice. Some cranberry fruit.

A beautiful wine.

On the swallow this is starting to show that “oh my god I can’t believe I’m drinking this” perfect balance of truly great wines.

As this opens piercingly intense. Pure pure pure. A hint of elegant brick like you get in old burgundy. Intense Dried rose petal extract.

Finish is so profound you leave it on the palate for like a minute sucking in air and mumbling “mmmph. Mmmph mmmph” it’s so good you do t want it to stop.

Bought from fass selections — 5 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.1

Red with a rosé backbone. I first enjoyed this wine 3 years ago. I still love this wine! Sangiovese is tannic and acidic LYB is a perfect balance. Stop what you are doing and open a bottle and enjoy. Do not think, just drink. Pairs well with salmon, basil and family. — 6 years ago

Dawn Gaya in Barbados

9.5

Good light ale for a hot day, or a beach day — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.6

My favourite St Julien in great year I got @ £82 now £190+ now 😱 So hard to stop drinking as it's good young & old 😍 Given 5-15 years this will be a 98+ wine easily 👍 It’s in a lovely place now 😍 Sexylicious 💗

📍 Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2005

🏵 96+ points with bigger potential as age will help this 😉

🍇 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot & 6% Petit Verdot

🍷 Opaque deep ruby

👃 Heady soft alluring smokey oak through spiced rich blackcurrant & creamy dark plum w/ double choc mocha, cracked rock mineral, blueberry, herbs & liquorice - dreamy 😉

👄 Med+ bodied silky intense mouth coating blackcurrant & dark plums w/ cocoa, black tea & liquorice in fine dry mineralised tannins

🎯 Long touch dry earthy dark fruits smothered in cocoa w/ a creamed liquorice 💋, black tea 🥊 & a dry mineral 👋 — 8 years ago

romo

9.5

Dachshund. WotN. Would not stop barking, prancing on the table all night. — 7 months ago

Shelly Murray

10

This is actually Syrah/ Grenache blend. Really liked this — 2 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.7

Every opportunity to open Chave Hermitage is a reminder of what masters of their terroir can achieve. Going in was fairly certain this would outclass the rest of the lineup and take home #wotn honors. It didnt do that but did stop us in our tracks so we could savor this. #summitiv — 4 years ago

with Carson, Tyler and 2 others

Adam Beasley

9.5

This has been on my bucket list for a while, and we just got a few bottles in my area. I went in to this with high expectations and it totally delivered. One of the most complex wines I’ve had - there is just so much going on here. The nose on this just doesn’t stop evolving. Beautiful oxidation and so many distinct aromas that I’m not going to rattle them off. Texture, flavor, this has everything to offer for my palate. Need to hunt down an older bottle next time. For me, this lived up to the hype. — 5 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A lovely Champagne that never tries to get beyond itself. Persistent small bubbles that never seem to stop with a fine mousse. Fresh brioche, apricots, and tart apples comprise the nose. Consistency is key here. This little sparkler is so solid and sturdy. Beautifully balanced, delivers at a high level that’s easily comparable to other big Champagne houses. Predominantly Chardonnay, there is a freshness and effervescence to these bubbles. Very bright and lively on the tongue, this is clearly a step above similar bottlings. Toasted almonds and toasted bread lead on the palate with vanilla and green apples bring up the rear. Such a solid, terrific Champagne, this should be your house bubbles. — 6 years ago

Matt Trader

8.9

A little tired, but good example of mature napa cabernet. It's made in a Bordeaux style, but a little VA going on in the wine. Baked strawberries and rhubarb all day.


Had it as a side by side with the 2014 current release, which I didnt rate..it was incredibly hot (alcohol), and loads of green bell pepper. Pretty tight, and I'm sure it'll develope, but the price is a little tough..

None the less, great stop, beautiful property and historic for that matter, and a very knowledgable staff. — 8 years ago

Peter Stern

9.1

Quite rich and flavorful for an everyday red! — 8 years ago

GaryWEdwards

9.5

Particularly approable little beauty that fights well above its weight. Full body with extra long finish with big black berries and and hints of Indian spice. Magic and great value. If in Toronto, stop by Alobar Yorkville. Great wine list and the owner is hands-on in the qood way. — 2 years ago

George Chen

9.3

67 mystery year but wow…low neckperfect cork…only good bottles not always good years! Simply delicious can’t stop drinking it :) — 3 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

9.4

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2018: Full-bodied. Balanced structure. Rich lush flavors. Black fruits. Vanilla. Tobacco. Oak. Smooth satisfying finish. No introduction needed. This was an amazing bottle of wine and the perfect complement to my bone-in filet mignon during my quick trip to Charlotte, NC. It was complex; it was powerful; it was outstanding and I cannot stop talking/thinking about it. Quintessential Napa, this is a remarkable wine on all fronts! Cheers🍷 — 4 years ago

Erik Longabardi

9.4

So fresh. It’s hard not to stop drinking this; the acid is its driving force; steering your mouth feels from icy river runs to hand crushed lemons. — 5 years ago

barak heller hayun

9.0

very confused 🙈 tasting.

black olives and black pepper screamed syrah. red fruit and jaminess called for granache. but medium + acidity added confusion.

i was gambling a south rhone blend but something felt very Spanish. 🧩

this is mostly mensia 🍇 with bastardo and granache tintorera.

medium + acidity
medium - tannins
medium + body

zippy fresh red fruit with some raspberry jam, black olives, black pepper and a bit of oak spices and green pepper on the side.

medium + 🎯

perfect bistro (or the Spanish equivalent term) wine.
paired lovely with roasted 🥔, veggie hot dogs and cabbage with tahini and feta style cheese.
worked great with the salty feta.

2 hours later it opened up nicely with tannins felt more and a silkier texture.

very hard to stop drinking it, slowly. — 5 years ago

Dave Shein

9.5

Drinking amazingly well right now. Fresh red fruit with earthy undertones and bright acidity. — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.4

First stop on our MD trip this year was to Aperture Cellars in downtown Healdsburg.

First of the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings we tasted at Aperture Cellars with Lauren.

Deep ruby red. Layered nose with ripe berries, dark cocoa, tobacco leaves, leather and cinnamon with an earthy undertone. Medium plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of fall spices on the palate with some dark cocoa and blackberries. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2032.

Tasted at the tasting room and retails for $95.00.

@Delectable Wine this is the Del Rio Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. — 8 years ago

with India