Ed Chin

9.0

I wanted a little funk yesterday 😁. Just the right amount with the added blackberry fruit. — a year ago

Sharon B

9.3

Not only is this a weekend to remember those who have lost their lives for us, but it’s a sad weekend for me. I lost a longtime friend to cancer yesterday. We went to high school together in Iceland and we both served in the Navy. Normally this would be our weekend to get together and hang out at the pool, drinking beer and listening to 80’s music. RIP Faye I’ll miss you my friend — 4 years ago

Peter Valkenburg

9.4

2 pnt more than yesterday and in the proper glass. — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2008 | Six years in barrel and four years in bottle before release. It’s a wine you must contain yourself not to smell only. A rich and exuberant smell with leather, stewed red summerfruit, brushwood and tones of liquorice, really beautiful and Burgundian expression. I opened the bottle yesterday and drank one glass, now it has a nice expression with all the aeration. Very balanced taste with refinement. A very nice Rioja that is a joy to drink. | Paired with tunafish and green asparges — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Still needs some air, for more info just see @David T post. He basically says the same thing with a couple extra thoughts.
I’d say this will improve tomorrow, just like the 95 Mondavi was better today than yesterday. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

The opportunity to enjoy a small glass of this came rather unexpectedly yesterday afternoon and I’m still trying to wrap my head around the experience. I was looking over a collection of wines that needed a new home and a friend of mine who was the collection’s custodian, mentioned that he had something he had been meaning to share with me and without any fanfare, he walks back into the room with two small glasses and this ancient bottle. I hardly had any time to react before he poured me a small glass....as I looked three times to confirm that I was, in fact, drinking from a pre-war bottle of Madeira. The nose was stunning. A massive wave of confected fruit like candied citron. You know those beautiful syrup glazed orange (and other fruit) slices you’ll often see in European chocolate shops? Yeah...it smelled like that. Just a touch of VA. On the palate, this was totally mind bending. It’s almost all hazelnuts; remarkably dry; and there is pronounced acidity. The finish lasted for minutes. I can categorically state that this wine is very much alive and well but it’s a nerd’s wine as it’s super rustic and best served as an aperitif. — 7 years ago

romo

9.2

Brought this to Spain from Italy yesterday. Still holding on, but fading. At peak likely 3-5 years ago, but still sound and mysteriously sneaky on finish. — 3 years ago

with Chris

Aravind A

9.2

Undersold yesterday. This has really come into its own. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.6

Ok, this was good yesterday, but it is spectacular today. Very sad this is my last btl. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.2

Pop and pour yesterday. Notes from day 2 open. On the nose: soft smoke and chalk, apple, lemon, a hint of reduction...lovely nose. On the palate: chalk, sour apple, lemon, loads of wet stone...fantastic acidity and good density...maybe my favorite incarnation of this wine so far... — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Having had the white SP68 yesterday now trying the SP68 Rouge - a blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato. Previous notes still apply. Earthy with leather and herbs. Medium minus tannins and acid. Somewhat rustic and very savoury. Unique and different. I liked it a lot. — 5 years ago

Clive McNish

9.2

Garnet colour, rich and powerful showing no visible signs of age even after 18-19 years. Nose is great blend of oak, blackcurrant, cedar, sandalwood and light menthol. Palate is packed with initial fruit and balanced, acidity and tannin. Finish is pleasantly dry with lingering perfume and light smoke. I’m no expert but I think this will evolve much further even though it is very enjoyable now. Have to mention again that this looks like it was bottled yesterday, so clean and vibrant. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Loads of dark fruit, tar, gravel, dried herbs and espresso with massive tannins still! This bottle, despite being 15 years old, seems like it was born yesterday. I wish I had more because this would be a treat to try again in 2034. Decades of life left, obviously. This is what I love about Cru Barolo. — 7 years ago

Adam Reinhard

9.9

Citron peel make my mouth water like summer be startin soooooooon. Don’t save champagne for a nice occasion drink now to yesterday y’all. Heard it here first . — 7 years ago

Aravind A

9.1

Popped yesterday. Better on Day 2 open. On the nose: lemon, nettle, guava, stone. On the palate: electric acidity, lovely density, a touch shorter than other Wittmann GGs, but good minerality and mirrors the nose. Lovely. — 3 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

Nose is totally closed on open. Maybe a hint of tomato skin.

Palate is sort of stewed sweet tomato a bit. Some acidity.

Let’s see how this goes.

As this opens gunmetal smoke on the nose.

Palate is fresh. Fruit is smoked sun dried tomato. Lovely internal aromatics.

2 hours in. Nose is cherry with a hint of pleasant tomato skin. Deep. Dried red roses.

Palate is bright cherry. Savory tomato (good thing). Savory. Very interesting.

Day 2 nose is smoky. Deep. Hint of tomato skin. Palate is savory. Better yesterday. But not awful. — 4 years ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.1

Difficult, where I found this wine terrific 1,5 years ago it wasn’t that good yesterday. Very tannic and bitter. Apparently yesterday was an off day to drink wine biodynamically seen. I’m starting to believe this approach more and more — 5 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.8

Yesterday late afternoon I had the pleasure of tasting the 2016 Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo. At first taste I knew this was a special bottle of wine. All boxes were checked on the nose as well as the palate.

On the nose were fully expressive notes of black cherry, strawberry, herbs, clove, clay pottery, rose petals, underbrush, tar and dusty soil.

On the palate were delightful notes of dark cherries, strawberry, red plum, licorice, truffle, herbs, dried roses, a good mineral note and dusty earth.

An outstanding wine from the word go, full bodied, well balanced with a smooth round mouthfeel, medium + acidity and medium + to high fine mouth coating grippy tannins that leaves you with a long pronounced fresh fruit dusty earth finish. This wine still has a lot to offer years from now. What a pleasure to have experienced this. I hope everyone's weekend is going well? Have a continued wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy Spring! It’s one of our favorite points in the year. More; daylight, a little warmer in CA and everything starts to bloom which, means a long summer of gardening and being outdoors every day/night is not far off.

Since it was such a great day and basically most Californians are shut-Ins, the voluntary self quarantining was getting to me. I did the landscaping and got an afternoon of fresh air today. A breath of fresh air...ahhh! Wow, was it needed after Gavin’s Newsom’s estimate of 25.5 million Californians would be infected with Coronavirus over 8 weeks yesterday.

So, a good night to celebrate another day of being virus free with my 2nd favorite N/V Rosé Champagne.

All my numerous previous notes apply.

Stay safe everyone and remember the new terminology of the new decade...social distancing! Cheers! 🍾🥂

Photos of; Spring in our backyard & a Billecart Grand Cru Vineyard.

— 6 years ago

Mike R

9.6

Omg so good - really makes you smile - yesterday was actually my birthday so champagne has calories so all I could drink / damn diet haha — 7 years ago