Dave

9.2

Tame is the right word. This Barolo is moving out of its wild youth, but can still age some. Soft fruit and new leather, a little sage. Tannins are mellow, decanted for 2 hours. Paired with pork medallions in a basil cream sauce. Good pairing.
Listening to Willie Nelson — 3 months ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.2

With five and change years on it, this wine is beginning its transformation. What were bright and juicy lemon and quince in youth are starting to take on more steely, herbal notes as savory and saline elements come to the fore. The color, if anything is even more youthful than before, holding a greenish tinge along with its blonde highlights. Killer acidity still reigns supreme here for complete refreshment. Gonna save a bottle or two and see where it goes in another 5 years. — 5 years ago

Mario Vaillancourt

9.3

Very young so decanted 5 hours before serving. A very expressive nose of dark and red fruits, cassis, cherries and strawberries, kirsch, white pepper, thyme and some floral scents. The palate is forward despite the youth of the wine, medium bodied plus, gorgeous fruit and decent length of the delicious gripping finale. 92-93

Très jeune donc carafé 5 heures avant de le boire, dégusté avec le délicieux et copieux menu hivernal de la Cabane d’à côté, commandé et livré à la maison via la boutique en ligne du Pied de Cochon. Un nez très aromatique, une explosion de fruits, cerises, fraises, kirsch, du poivre blanc, du thym, une touche florale. La bouche se montre avenante, ouverte malgré la jeunesse, belle acidité, ce fruité envoutant dont on ne se lasse pas et une finale delicieuse et de belle longueur, avec juste un peu de poigne sans être trop tannique. 92-93 pts
— 6 years ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.2

Orange peel, heady bright and mineral. Pretty crushable in its youth. — 6 years ago

with Alex

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

One of my favorite small production wine, 300 cases. Cal Nicholson spent his youth in So. CA & after a long marketing career he hung up his spurs to follow his 2 real interests in life – surfing & wine making. Jones is the maiden name of Cal’s wife Pam. A wonderful wine. Aromas of lemon citrus with herb, stone & tropical fruits. Palate, peach, Granny Smith apple & ripe melon flavors with lively citrus zest wrapped in lbalanced acidity. Lingering finish ending with mineral citrus finish. Consistent! Nice! — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

At an old school mate and fellow Pinot nut up at Maroochydore. Never had an aged Ata Rangi before and it was marvellous. Thanks John! Always one of the best Pinots in New Zealand, at 10 years it has dropped a lot of the aromatic red fruits of its youth and become much more Burgundian with savoury earthy mushroom and compost heap nuances. A beautiful wine. — 7 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.2

Wow, quite nice balance in it's youth.

92+ points — 8 years ago

Vijay Parikh

9.4

A 2012 Latour with a 90 minute decant showed what a first growth could be post its first growth stage. With the usual Latour signature it was very drinkable considering its relative youth. One more bottle in the cellar — 6 months ago

Shay A

9.5

Consumed as a pop-and-pour, as my wife decided she wanted to drink it ASAP instead of decanting, ha. My previous thoughts hold true that Aubert’s Hudson is consistently the most approachable of the portfolio in its youth.

Yellow-gold in the glass with the slightest tinge of green. Everything about this is undeniably Aubert…aromatics of tropical fruit (pineapple), white peaches, nutmeg, and honey roasted cashews. I find Hudson fruit to normally be big/juicy with an abundance of ripe yellow fruit, and this has it in spades. Aubert’s signature waves of lemon cream with marzipan and spiced green apple on the palate. The acidity seemed more pronounced here than previous vintages at this age, which added a nice backbone to the hedonistic style profile of the wine. Great now, likely great in 5yrs, but this seems ready for corks to be popped! — 3 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.3

Youthful and meaty and still vibrant despite the 30 year age! Delish. Acidity that still thrives and competes with wines of youth. — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

In my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d'Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2020)
— 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

Made by superstar winemaker, Randy Dunn, of Dunn Vineyards, the 2017 ‘Feather’ by Long Shadows is a masterful effort from this exciting warmer vintage in Washington. Once on the nose there is a lovely round core of toasty oak that wraps around the rich dark fruits, sagebrush and chocolate fudge aromatics that all meld in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, revealing a round and generous mouthfeel. The seamless effect created mid-palate is utterly fantastic. Black currants and blackberry cordial dance with shades of Black Forest Cake and espresso bean on this highly complex palate. This finishes long with dark fruits and a beam of minerality. While enticing to savor now, the 2017 ‘Feather’ will have a long life ahead of it. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to afford a two hour decant prior to enjoying. Drink 2021-2040- 95 — 6 years ago

Samuli Jokipaltio

9.3

One of our avorite producers. Very good Brunello, good to drink despite its youth. — 7 years ago

Andrew Lohse

9.4

Still showing plenty of youth // blackberry, dried red and black cherry, some light tobacco and wood, some green notes // rich, densely concentrated, direct, and big - while still retaining a mouth-filling juiciness — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

My first impressions of the 2020 Pégau “Cuvée Reservée”. I brought this bottle to Tasting Group and presented it double-blind to the crew, for science! The wine pours a deep ruby with a translucent core. Moderate staining of the tears; high viscosity. On the nose: the wine is moderate intensity; developing. Ripe cherry and bramble fruits with some strawberry, anise, exotic spices, garrigue, and lavender. On the palate, the wine is dry, medium+ tannin and medium+ acid and medium+ alcohol. The tannins are super grippy. The finish is long, herby and there is a streak of black pepper. Whoa…this is a gorgeously expressive wine! Some felt it was 1er cru Burg. Other thought something form Italy: Brunello or CCR. Only one, the only Advanced Somm in the group, called CdP, but he called 2016. Having had many 2016’s recently, I can see where he was coming from. But make no mistake, this will age well despite it’s current approachability. Drink now to enjoy its youth before it potentially (likely) shuts down. Otherwise, this will drink well for 10-15+ years. — 3 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.5

Holy cow, what a home run! This my friends its the taste of terroir. Dense and muscular, with a focused minerality that is keeping the beat.
Despite its youth it is very expressive and not holding back on its complexity. François Cotat La Grande Côte, a marvelous piece and an act in the magic of wine.
Pronounced intense aromas with a layered depth Lemon juice, kiwi, boxwood, dandelions almost reaching towards honey with a prominent Limestone mineraliy that is keeping the beat.
High piercing acidiy that cuts through the smooth and ripe edges. Dense and athletic on the mid palate with a layered complexity, salty backbone as it expands before closing up in a long tightening finish. — 5 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.2

I’ve saved a couple of bottles to see how these wines, so delicious in their youth, age. In this case, beautifully, the strawberry and prickly pear jam flavors tinged now with dried sage and other herbal notes and a touch of dusty road. Great acidity and freshness remain in force with barely perceptible tannins. — 6 years ago

Stacy Stadnik

9.2

Still had some youth present. Very nice wine. — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2009 Chateau Pichon Lalande is a thrilling wine to savor at now eleven years of age. Needing a one hour decant to be fully expressive, this glorious Bordeaux opens with a deep core of tar, chocolate covered espresso bean and blackberry compote aromas that take shape in the glass. The dense, chewy mouthfeel is lined with moderate tannins that provide the backbone alongside the bright acidity. Layers of dark fruits are woven together with creosote and shades of Turkish coffee and cassis on this expressive palate — all leading to the exceptional long and inviting finish. Truly sensational now, this beautiful, warm vintage Bordeaux will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Be sure to give this a long decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2016 Figgins Red Wine is a stunning new bottling by superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. On the nose you can really smell the Petit Verdot undertones as this shows off gorgeous blackberry compote with blueberry pie, sagebrush and green pell pepper aromas that all build marvelously in the glass. The palate is gorgeous, showing a silky texture and wonderful sense of minerality. A bright beam of salinity runs through this beautiful wine, slowly unveiling bright black cherry and Turkish coffee flavors that collide with blueberry pie and Chinese black tea flavors. Polished and layered, this is seriously good in its youth but it will evolve well for decades to come. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 7 years ago