Ron from VA

9.3

Fantastic at eight years old! Vibrant dark/red fruit… a touch of thyme and a pinch of rosemary. Michael Shaps built this and you can tell. Fantastic attack (cherry sweetness) and the mid palate is just a tango of balance (slightly stewed fruit and herbs)…
Medium finish but delightful in staying inside the boundaries for what this wine is meant to do — 9 months ago

Ericsson

9.5

On the palate the wine is decadent and opulent at the same time. There’s dark chocolate, blueberry compote, sweetwood, with backbone acidity. The finish persists, and persists some more, reminiscent of raisin and dry fig. This fortified wine is from hundred percent Napa Cab, from the stellar 2008 vintage, from single vineyard site, and rated 95-99 points by renowned critics. Jayson Woodbridge made the wine in a Port style pushing the boundaries of conformity. That alone deserves praise but I can’t help considering it a cellar trophy… There to be admired and talked about but ready to deliver pure hedonism the moment it is poured.
— 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2009 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 1.5-2 hours. Defying the conventional boundaries of space and time. Acidity/tannins and fruit as if a 2017 or newer vintage. Medium-bodied (another trippy aspect). Super-youthful yet balanced with great intensity. Time capsule this bleep since it needs another 10-spot to develop some semblance of wrinkles. The usual deal with the devil cuz it hasn't aged a single day. A juicy UFO. Thank you Dermott! 3.5.23. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Mid Gold in colour. Skinnsy aromas unsurprisingly - notes of pear. My first experience with the indigenous varietal, Vitovska that shares similar characteristics with Ribolla Gialla. Paolo Vodopivec is often associated with the natural wine movement but Paolo does not like the tag just because of his use of underground amphorae and skin contact. However, this wine is conventionally made and spends 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks while the “classic “ is made in amphorae on skins. A highly individual and unique wine of profound intensity which pushes the boundaries. The following night notes of pineapple juice. — 4 years ago

Bryan Hopkins

8.9

I have long been an admirer of Germain-Robin, and I like this product, but considered as an absinthe it is a very uncharacteristic example. Prominent scent of lemon with spearmint and fennel, slighter lemongrass. The taste gives more mint and anise at first that quickly develops into lemon and leaves lemon on the finish. Think of this as as what the label says, an “aromatic brandy distilled with herbs and natural flavors added,” and it’s quite pleasant. Think of it as an absinthe, and you are likely to be left thinking that it is not what an absinthe should be. But I often enjoy experimentation outside the boundaries of a genre. The fact that it is made with an apple-honey mead as the base adds to the novelty. — 7 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.0

The AVA for Friuli apparently extends into Slovenia, due to historical boundaries. Did not know that! — 7 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

Off dry. Candied orange blossom and clover. Honeysuckle and frolics through fields of overripe apples. Sincerely I’m picturing crunching into a sweet apple while being rained on by honeysuckle but someone has cut the grass I’m standing on recently. Am I a moscato person?! Perhaps not totally yet but this one is yummy. With a nutty cheese I’m imagining a happy future exploration of boundaries if not a lasting friendship. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Massican – Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Massican’s take on Sauvignon Blanc is never about following trends, but about pushing boundaries. This 2016 proves that Napa whites—when crafted thoughtfully—can age with grace and finesse. At 9 years old, it’s still alive, structured, and fascinating, a clear statement that Sauvignon Blanc deserves a serious seat at the Napa table.

Aromas & Flavors
Zesty lime peel, grapefruit, and passionfruit weave together with subtle elderflower and a mineral core. Secondary notes of dried herbs, beeswax, and a hint of lanolin show its age but also add depth and intrigue.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, bright, and polished, with a spine of acidity that still carries energy. The texture is sleek yet layered, leading to a clean, lingering finish with citrus oil and gentle salinity.

Winemaking Notes
Fermented and aged with minimal intervention, Dan Petroski focused on preserving varietal purity while allowing the wine to develop gracefully over time. No oak heaviness—just pure Sauvignon character with a refined edge.

Food Pairing
Perfect with goat cheese crostini, seared scallops, spring vegetables, or even sushi. Its brightness and structure make it versatile across fresh, savory dishes.

Verdict
A rare aged Napa Sauvignon Blanc that stuns with its precision and longevity. Proof that Napa whites can stand tall in the cellar and deliver beyond their expected drinking window.

Personal Highlight
One of the most fascinating Sauvignon Blancs I’ve enjoyed from Napa—still vibrant after nearly a decade, and a reminder that Massican is rewriting the book on California whites. Cheers!
— 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2019 vintage. Tasted with the winemaker, Matt. Trampolines between dirty and pretty without any guardrails, affectations or boundaries. Light-medium body. 4.10.24. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2019 vintage. The backstory of this wine is essential. The powers that be pushed the A7 highway through Châteauneuf-du-Pape back in the day and relegated this wine/area to Côtes-du-Rhône status. Freeways/highways being the new geographical rivers/mountains/boundaries. Same soil. Same grapes. Same winemaking. The ‘19 vintage not to be missed in Southern (or Northern) Rhône. A “baby” Châteauneuf at roughly a third of the usual Beaucastel CDP pricing. Explosive, dark and dense fruit with particular emphasis on plummy qualities. Some sweetness due to the vintage. Absolutely lip-smacking and undeniably, super-drinkable. — 4 years ago

Oliver N

9.5

Quite possibly the best sauv blanc I've ever had! Nutty, funky and honeyed nose. Palate has a prickly texture, yellow apple, wet rocks, pear, lychee, pineapple, vanilla, salinity, high acid. Is it chenin? Is it a Jura chard? This flat out pushes the boundaries of what sauvignon blanc can do. — 5 years ago

P A

9.0

If you’re an IPA enthusiast, willing to take the leap, celebrate life, pushing yourself to the fullest this IPA from 10 Barrel Brewing in Bend, Oregon “this one is for you”. If you’re a Bud drinker ok but “This IPA is not for you.” There are no boundaries enjoy life.
6.8% alc/vol. 70 IBU’s Cheers 🍻 🇺🇸🇨🇦 — 7 years ago

Sherri Cornett

9.9

With Abigail. On a night discussing boundaries and fragility, this wine was anything but fragile. Aroma deeply satisfying on its own. This made us happy. — 7 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.1

This is the most iconic barbera in Italy
The story of the label is very curious

Single site hill where a lady had a house.
She was nicknamed "Uccellone" meaning big bird due to her prominent nose that resembled a bird beak. Nonetheless "Uccellone" in italian slang also mean "big penis"...
The local priest was horrified by this label and accused Braida of pushing the boundaries too much. The answer was from him to produce another wine honouring the priest called Bricco della Bigotta(Bigot).

The wine is big, it goes in large oak for 12 months plus 12 months in the bottle before release and needs decanting. Super smooth, super complex, this is a wine for blue cheese or meditation.
It keeps giving you different shade every time you swirl it.
Personally i prefer other style of barbera, but it is a super interesting wine with a lot of history too. — a year ago

Austin Hohnke

8.9

Honeysuckle, pear, and nectarine. Hazy. Pushing the VA boundaries a bit too far for my taste. Better with food. 11% abv. Natural. — 2 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.4

A timeless gem that escapes boundaries. Poised, elegant, unconventional.
The nose is somewhere between a fino sherry, a v. light Vernatsch and southern Rhône white. Nutty, salty with dried strawberries, hibiscus, but also some sharp lemon freshness. A meditation wine - changing, evolving, enticing.
Silky & a bit creamy on the palate, with a touch of tannins, sharp, salty acidity, almost fruitless - and yet with such depth, precision & presence. This is as far from the avg. rosé as it gets. A mind boggling, delicious, slightly funky, grand wine. Amazing.
And at 13y - a baby. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2016 vintage. Great, inky color. Mysterious nose not giving much up currently. Fruit-driven without many boundaries but clearly needs time...3-5 years for it to start dropping hints. A little discombobulated right now but bringing voluptuous body at least. May have some serious somethings in a few years. — 5 years ago

Dan Weisshaar

9.5

Lovely apricot notes, hint of citrus/ pineapple acidity. Beautiful balance and mineral boundaries. I have 3 more. Be nice to me...Thank you, Fass selections. — 6 years ago

with Lyle and Matthew

David Shaw

9.1

Estate Rosé Syrah, Walla Walla Valley. Reddish pink with an orange tinge, excellent clarity. White floral notes in nose. Strawberry and white pepper flavors with a hint of bing cherry, mineral and white pepper finish. Moderate astringency, skin and seed, enough to warrant decanting or patience (at least two hours). Strawberry and white pepper aftertaste with a hint of spearmint. Just enough acidity, but there’s a soft rounded mouthfeel under all those tannins. A serious and challenging but worthy rosé, one I like and that pushes the boundaries of the genre, but not all will like it. — 7 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.1

While Montefalco earns most notoriety for its intense reds, a handful of white wines also leave its boundaries. This one from Scacciadiavoli comes from 50% Grechetto, and 25% each of Trebbiano and Chardonnay. While more reserved on the nose with gentle white florals, the palate finds a steely, acidic breadth that electrifies the wine - lemon juice, almond skin, acacia blossom, white rose, pears, and salt. Gripping and lengthy. — 8 years ago