David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

There are good steak wines and then there are steak WINES! Not that this is the best wine or steak wines I’ve had. It was simply birthed for steak. Allen Brothers Strip Steak. Seasoned with coarse Garlic Salt/ Pepper and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com. If you haven’t had your steak this way, my highest recommendation. The fat & gristle are perfect w/ the 08 Belle-Vue. If you olive oil, heavy coarse salt & pepper your bake potato at 475 for an hour & a half, you’ll discover how great, crispy/crunchy/complex a potato shell can be. Older Bordeaux can be good on its own but with beef or lamb, it’s just a marriage made in heaven. Here’s the rub for my friends & I, we can’t find a steak better than we make. That’s what the Covid years firmed up for us. The 08 vintage was saved with late good weather. It sits somewhere between the good and very good vintages. Drinks better earlier than great to grand vintages. Slightly over achieving its young critical reviews.

The palate shows; drier dark currents-blackberries, black raspberries, black plum dark, not quite ripe cherries, raspberries edges. Dark chocolate baking bar (that’s what French oak does), lead pencil shavings, dark rich earth with dry leaves, limestone powder, dry river stone, dry tobacco, chewy leather, dark, intense spices, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, caramel hues, saline, fresh & withering, dark, purple flowers with lavender hues, nice acidity with a well structured & balanced, rounded meaty tannin, floral finish that lasts minutes. Medoc is always the place to look for nice wines with value…even better in excellent vintages. Even better in 5 years.

It has another 10 years plus of good drinking ahead properly stored. — a year ago

Will Stanley

9.2

Young and pale in colour, the 2020 Domaine de la Charbonniere Blanc - the only white wine produced at this historic Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate - is a medium bodied, elegant wine made with Grenache (40%), Roussanne (40%) and Clairette (20%) from sandy soils in the appellation.

The exuberant nose offers aromas of peach, lavender, pear, cardamom and lime, with a generous hint of salted butter despite the limited use of oak and no malolactic fermentation. The palate is soft and welcoming, with a gorgeous mouthfeel and very concentrated fruit, finishing on a bitter lemon note. The long finish is very satisfying. This would be a brilliant wine for grilled prawns, and I’ll leave it at that. Ageworthy? Not sure, it’s a very complete wine now. — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Meat sauce night part II. Always even more complex after it refrigerates overnight.

The nose expresses, ruby, lush, floral fruits of; blackberries, both black & regular plums, dark cherries, black raspberries with strawberries & creamy raspberries along the edge of the glass. Still a good presence of toasted barrel, anise to black licorice, vanilla, dark spice, nutmeg & clove, sweet tarriness, French expresso roast, mixed berry cola, used leather, dry & fresh tobacco leafs, sandstone & limestone, black pepper, herbaceousness-sage dominate, graphite, shades of menthol & mint, underbrush, dry clay, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich, turned, dark earth with bright, fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red, purple framed in violets & a field of lavender.

The body is round, juicy, clean & full. Wire to wire beautiful on the palate. The tension, structure, length and balance have hit second gear but, still needs more time in the bottle to flourish. This is bottling that will long haul to 30 years plus with proper storage. I will be saving at least one bottle to that age. The tannins are still sizable & meaty. Ruby, ripe, lush, candied/floral fruits of; dark currants, blackberries, both black & regular plums, slight sour/tart dark cherries, black raspberries with strawberries & creamy raspberries. Still a good presence of toasted barrel/shavings, anise to black licorice, dark spice with heat, sweet tarriness, French expresso roast, bright mixed berry cola/licorice, caramel, dark chocolate, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, used leather, dry & fresh tobacco leafs, sandstone & limestone, black pepper, herbaceousness-sage dominate, graphite, shades of menthol & mint, underbrush, dry clay, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich, turned, dark earth dry top soil with bright, fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red, purple framed in violets & field of lavender. The acidity is a cool stream & light on its feet. The finish is well balanced, elegant, nicely kittened that goes from ripe & juicy into dry tannins, earth & spice persisting endlessly.

The only faults that stick out to me is the ABV (a little hot) & believe they could dial back the amount of new oak & barrel toasting level. These do calm some with more time in the decanter but, not enough. — 4 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.3

dark ruby purple; raspberry, rhubarb, sarsaparilla, mushrooms, pine needles, lavender, cedar: full bodied, surprisingly structured, good acidity despite ripeness, 14.6% ABV; made from 100% Pinot Noir by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, sourced from estate vineyard just a few miles from Pacific Ocean, aged in 33% new French oak from multiple coopers; $75 — 2 years ago

Nicolas Greinacher

9.6

Deep purple, the 2018 Porseleinberg Syrah reveals alluring aromas of dark plum, black cherry, blackberry, black pepper, dried lavender wood smoke and even some rose water. On the palate, this full-bodied South African Syrah offers great tension and flavor complexity, adding notes of ripe strawberry, iodine and earth. The long, lingering finish confirm an outstanding wine. 100% whole bunch fermentation, aged for 12 months in large oak barrels and a small portion in concrete eggs. Drink now until 2040. — 2 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.3

dark purple; blueberry, black plum, white pepper, black olive, hint of smoke; medium body, medium+ acidity, grippy tannin, 13.8% ABV; made from Syrah sourced from remote high altitude vineyard in Mendocino County 3.3 miles from the ocean and cofermented with 5% Viognier, 50% whole clusters used, aged 14 months in neutral French Oak puncheons; $48 — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The nose speaks velvety, slightly perfumed floral, ruby fruits of; dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, very black plum, mulberries, boysenberries and some hints strawberries & raspberries. Soft, subtle, sexy, dark spices, incense, potpourri, cherry kirsch, understated anise, dark, used expresso grounds, savory meats, fresh tobacco, leather, oak barrel dust, dark rich soils, graphite, dry limestone powder, dry herbaceousness, clove, light nutmeg/cinnamon & vanillin with fresh but leaning withering; dark, red, purple and blue flowers wrapped in soft lavender.

The palate is beautiful with velvety tannins that still punch as meaty & tarry. The tension & structure are just out of adolescence. The balance & length are stunning now but, show room for further improvement 10 years down the road. One small flaw is you sense some elevated alcohol vapors. Velvety, slightly perfumed floral, ruby fruits of; dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, very black plum, mulberries, plums, boysenberries and some hints strawberries & raspberries. Soft, subtle, sexy, dark spices with heat, incense, potpourri, cherry kirsch, understated anise, raspberry cola, dark, used expresso grounds, savory meats, iron deposits, fresh tobacco, leather, oak barrel dust, dark rich soils, mix of dry & moist clay, graphite, volcanic ash, dry limestone powder, dry herbaceousness, black & some white pepper, clove, light nutmeg/cinnamon & vanillin, caramel notes, mocha powder with fresh but leaning withering, dark, red, purple and blue flowers wrapped in soft lavender. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is; ruby, lush, silky, velvety, elegance defined, extremely well knitted & balanced fruit & earth, persisting endlessly onto earth & spice.

If you own the 05, leave it in your cellar another 5-8 years before opening.

Photos of, a downslope view of the Estate & vines, their gated entrance, their private wine cellar & the Estate building. — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

9.0

This is just a really really good wine. Outstanding even. Deep dark purple in the glass with a wide brim. Violets and white flower aromas on the nose initially with a ton of powerhouse red and black fruits following closely behind. Dried herbs and smoke accompanying. Smoked tobacco and underbrush. There’s a bit of oak but it’s hiding playfully in the background.

70/30 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Definitely a major step above other Cali blends, this has brains and beauty. Big and full bodied. Fun and full of character with silky tannins. The palate is electric with a continuation of those dark fruits along with milk chocolate and more herbs. A long finish with black pepper makes you instantly pour another glass and that’s a bit of a shame because if you show patience, this wine will reward you. — 2 years ago

Gor

9.2

Expressive nose of pear, yellow apple, beeswax, hint of lemon oil, lavender. Nice concentration and persistence on the palate for a village wine. Perhaps still needs time to integrate the oak but is already singing. — 2 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.8

My second time having this ultra rare bottle, it has to be one of my absolute favorite Champagnes. Coming from 70+ year old vines (given to Guillaume on his 18th birthday from his grandmother), this singular and stunning bottling shows layers and layers of caramelized orchard fruit, roasted nuts, toffee, oak spice, and a touch of lavender, all held together by its chalky minerality. There is incredible depth on the palate, with a seamless marriage of richness and elegance. Wow, I wish I had more of this in my life 😅 — 3 years ago