Vanessa

9.5

Prior notes continue to apply…

When we visited Billecart-Salmon in October of 2021, we received a tour of the stunning estate. Along the way, our guide, Jerome, paused near a traditional “Clos” (a single vineyard, enclosed by a wall) on the property. 

We could see a beautiful stone wall, surrounding a tiny 1 hectare parcel of “Clos Saint-Hilaire,” named after the Patron Saint & local church in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where Billecart-Salmon is located. 

Although we didn’t go into the Clos, we learned about how special this parcel is to the family; how it’s exclusively planted to Pinot Noir with vines dating back to 1964; how work in the vineyard is performed by hand and horse-drawn plows; how this parcel is farmed according to an age-old savoir-faire, adhering to principles of sustainable viticulture.

The wine is pale gold with a prominent bouquet of yellow apple, Anjou pear, raspberry, lemon curd, white peach, white blossom, desiccated white rose, wet stones, biscuit, brioche, almond paste, marzipan, crusty croissant, pie crust, toast, creamy texture and persistent, fine-beaded mousse and long elegant finish.

This is a 2005 “Blanc de Noirs” Champagne, comprised of 100% Pinot Noir, all coming from Le Clos Saint Hilaire, vinified entirely in oak casks to lend texture and body, and aged over 13 years sur lie prior to its recent release.  Due to the vineyard’s small size, production is very limited, and wine only produced in the best vintages.

Cheers to beautiful wines expressing a singularity of time and place!

Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire (2005).  — a year ago

with Deked1

Will Rogers

9.2

Very good Cabernet — 5 years ago

Brian Koffman

9.1

Stood up to her filet mignon nicely — 7 years ago

Hugh O'Riordan

9.2

First , I am a Grenache fan. Actually toured the Piorat region wineries with a guide a few years ago. This is a luscious, chewy, delicious example of the Grenache grape. — 7 years ago

AgeyFixey

8.9

Picked this up a few years ago in Chile and sort of forgot about it. Blackberry, raspberry with hints of leather and pepper. Smooth all round, some tannins kicking around and medium finish. Visited the winery, and they pretty much only make this wine. Great setting and friendly, albeit hungover tour guide. — 8 years ago

Hajime Kawasaki

9.0

京都のイタリアン 『ヴェーナ』でペアリング。
肉の前菜に。http://www.deeshan.com/guide/diary04/diary35.htm
チンタセネーゼ豚のプロシュート。
— 8 years ago

Stephen Pierron

9.6

Gosh.... Lail Vineyards has to be one of my top favorite wineries. .. Melka does an outstanding job! The beautiful nose and bouquet of the wine is second to none. Very elegant and smooth with a lot of fruit forward notes. This $ 80 wine can hold its own on many $200+ wines I have had. While wine ratings serve as a guide, this is by far one of my favorites. Job well done Lail Vineyards! 2015 is excellent! !!!!! — 8 years ago

with Jen

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2006 Lafleur is a vintage that I have not encountered for a little while. It is similar to how it tasted at a decade old with wild strawberry, blackberry and hints of cooked meat on the nose, still pretty backward and needing time to meld fully. The palate is medium-bodied with still a slightly coarse entry that I don't think would be accepted by Baptiste Guinaudeau today, slightly tarry toward a dense and somewhat muscular finish. Maybe it's just missing Lafleur's usual charm? Yet it's still an impressive Pomerol that requires more cellaring. Tasted at 67 Pall Mall for The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 2 years ago

Marcy R

9.3

At lunch- recommended by guide. Restaurant 36 in Hautevillers — 3 years ago

Alan Weinberg

9.0

https://www.winemag.com/2021/02/22/special-club-champagne-guide/ Special Club champagnes are a small group of champagne houses actually called Club de Trésors. The article above explains a lot. This is an appley citrusy delicious version that needs more time. — 4 years ago

Isil Bayman

9.0

Château Tour Massac 2011 has medium intensity in color. It has mix aromas of young small black fruits and spices through the aging of the barrel. Its bouquet, still to develop during bottle ageing, towards mainly tobacco, medium level of leather, and little bit of mint . It has a round, soft initial taste, followed by a full, mouth-filling volume. The finish is with silky considerably young tannins, deliciously guide the aromas throughout the further tastings. — 6 years ago

with Hakan, Vedat and 1 other

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

In the 17 published editions of Gambero Rosso, Italy’s acclaimed wine rating guide, this Tuscan estate has won the coveted Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award 17 times. Ruby with complex berry and elegant spice aromas. On the palate rich ripe cherry and blackberry flavors with sweet spice, cedar, cacao and tobacco enhance the berry fruit. Graceful tannins, savory with good acidity balance, lingering ending with earthy mineral character. Nice! — 7 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Our #bordeaux guide said this would pair marvelously with medium spicy Indian food. We were doubtful but she’s absolutely right. Nice heady aroma of apricot, peach, balanced acidity and starting to show some of that complexity that age brings to #sauternes. It’s pretty amazing how well it stands up to Indian food or Thai which would blow away most other wines. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.

The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.

Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.

Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.

Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.

Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.

Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.

I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 8 years ago

Ivor

9.3

Margaux perfume with underneath the red fruits; wood fire, rose petals, iron and cigar box. Palate of summer forest floor, black tea, rosehip, prunes and dried strawberries. Gently drying tannines guide you to a smooth long finish. A lovely wine. — 3 years ago

Ciulli

9.5

Un très bon blanc, idéal apéritif
Trouvé chez Monoprix. Conseillé par guide Hachette — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

See previous note from January 2023. Pepper Liquorice and Raspberry. Savoury and full bodied on the palate. Such density despite the drinking window describing this as “Old”. 2011 to 2028. I see this as having many years to go. Riper having blackberry and not as much pepper as you would expect because of this warmer vintage. The vineyards were originally planted in 1964, establishing this as one of Australia’s leaders in cool climate Shiraz. It has always been one of my favourite Australian Reds. Best Shiraz and Wine of the Year for 2011 as voted by the Good Wine Guide. 98 points from Nick Stock. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have been fairly critical of the 2010 Napa Cabernet vintage. This 2010 World’s End is one of the Napa producers that breaks with the many others I’ve had that were leaner, lacked structure, tannins & complexity.

This wine was just under $45 when I bought it upon release. Tonight, it is far out delivering that price point. In fact, as good as it is with tri-tip tonight, I wouldn’t open my next bottle for five more years.

The nose shows; some smoke & char, ruby, moist, forest floor with dry leaves, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, dark spices, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, black, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender.

The body is; full, ripe, lush & juicy. The palate guide is that of a very well made & expensive Cabernet. Tannins are; dark, tarry, chewy, sweet with baby to adolescent teeth. This 2010 has 15-20 years of good drinking ahead with proper storage. The tension, structure, length and balance are just starting their singing lessons. It is very Bordeaux like; moist, forest floor with dry leaves, truffles, mushrooms, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, very, dark Indian & Asian spices with just the right amount of palate heat, saline, smoke & char, black, cracked, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, dry, river stones, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender. The acidy is good to very good but, could be a little better. However, it does hold the alcohol level just in check. The long, complex finish is; ripe, well balanced fruit & earth, nicely knitted & balance which; slides into earthy, dark spicy, dry, dusty, tarry tannins on the long set that persist for several minutes.

Still needed a two to three hour decant.

One of the more complex wines I’ve had in some time.

Cuvée note, “If 6 Was 9" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded on his Jimi Hendrix Experience LP in 1967.

Photos of; World’s End Winery, staff at the sorting table, the famous & picturesque Napa Valley sign and their barrel room. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Very much an “orange “ Wine having a cloudy amber Colour. A skinnsy aroma of peaches which translates to a certain bitterness on the palate. 100% Grecanico - despite the lengthy time on Skins in a clay amphora the wine retains freshness and acid. I remember last year when my wife and I visited COS our guide said they picked the grapes at 2 different times - to get acid in the first pick and fleshiness and riper fruit in the 2nd pick a couple of weeks later. Interesting and different. — 8 years ago

Tim McCoy

9.1

Easy to drink. Smooth upon uncorking. Open up to a nice fruity finish — 8 years ago