Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. It’s been almost a year since my last visit with the 2018 vintage and it’s in a very pretty spot right now. All notes previously apply though I should point out that the florals are especially showy right now. The nose is simply beautiful to experience. The fruit remains fresh and mostly red fruited. The structure is still firm. Very, very easy to enjoy on its own or with a meal. Drink now through 2038+. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

8.8

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple color with medium viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with feral notes of violets and a pasture land: violets, black berries, horse stable, and a green herbal note. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acidity. Confirming the notes from the nose. I cannot over state the amount of violets in this wine. It’s almost as if there was addition to the fermentation. It’s wild, no pun intended. The finish is medium+ and the body comes across a bit thin. Initial conclusions: this could be Gamay, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo or a Bordeaux-blend from France or Spain and that’s really about it. The cellar practices should be telling here. So I think there is some winemaking that’s a major part of this story. I exclude Malbec and Tempranillo because I can’t really think of producers that’s would be this…eccentric? I kinda like Syrah but I don’t really get any rotundone. So I’m leaning towards this being a natural producer of Beaujolais with some serious stem inclusion. Final conclusion: Gamay, from France, from Burgundy, from Beaujolias, Beaujolais-Villages 2021. Dammit…freaking Cabernet Franc from Baudry. I should have spent a little more time considering Chinon. Though, this is poopiest Baudry I can recall in some time. For the most part, I love this producer. Certainly a wine of character that tight ropes the line of Brettanomyces gone too far. Drink now. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Popped and poured; enjoyed over two days. Maybe slightly better on Day 2 under a muzzle. The “Le Pucelles” pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart fruit: green apple, wild strawberry, raspberry, Meyer lemon, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry and the acid is high. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Looking back at my previous notes for this wine from the same disgorgement, the fruit set has shifted a little but I’m no less impressed. The quality of the fruit is tremendous and the minerals dazzle. A dense Champagne and yet it never feels heavy. The cut and precision is undeniable. Drink now through 2036. Disgorged in October of 2022. Thank you @Lyle Fass for the assist! — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days and fairly consistent throughout. The 2023 Zinfandel CCC pours a deep ruby/purple color with a magenta rim and a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black, red and blue fruits: brambles, plum, green herbs, freshly opened beachball, some black pepper and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Drink now through 2033. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a garnet color with a slightly watery rim and a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with notes staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Morello cherry, tar, roses, dried herbs, licorice, exotic spices and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. The alcohol is medium+. Initial conclusions: this could be Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Grenache or Pinot Noir. However, the color, transparency and tannins can’t lead me to any other place than Italy and this simply has too many of the calling cards for Nebbiolo. When considering the quality of the fruit and power of the wine, I think this is Barolo from a recent, warm but challenging vintage. My call is Nebbiolo, from Italy, from Piemonte, from Barolo, 2017 from a mostly traditional producer. “Whoop! There it is!” I think the 2017’s (in general) are beginning to show pretty well…following a somewhat similar path to the 2015’s in some respects. A solid annata from the other Oddero. Drink now and through 2037. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2000 “Carpy Ranch” Chardonnay pours a deep golden color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of dried and ripe orchard fruits: apples, pineapple, lemons, nuts, mushrooms, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A fully mature Napa Chardonnay. This is in a lovely a spot. Drink now. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

“PT” comes exclusives from the Pettineo contrada located 217m above sea level with vines 70+ years of age. Arianna ferments in cement and then ages the wine in large oval cement tanks for nearly two years. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2016 “PT” pours a slightly hazy garnet with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears and signs of some light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a beautiful perfume of ripe red fruits: strawberries, raspberries, Morello cherry, red flowers, leather, minerals and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with a refined, silky texture. This was a fabulous paring with spaghetti all’assassina. Drink now and over the next few years. — 7 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured, enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2021 pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of yellow apple, peach, honeysuckle, squishy, pineapple, clove. On the palate, the wine is dry, but showing significant fruit. So much so that it almost gives the impression of being off-dry. Acid is medium. Confirming the notes from the nose where the honeysuckle note is crazy powerful. The finish is long and there’s a slightly oily texture. A great, young Chave Blanc with a very bright future. Drink now with patience to allow it to open and drink through 2046+. Bottle 05182
— 4 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Better on Day 2. The 2023 Zinfandel pours a ruby/purple color with a magenta rim; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of ripe and tart black, red and some blue fruits: black berries, black cherries, raspberries, fig, green herbs, a touch of rubber pool toy, black pepper, dry earth and some gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. From my experience, this is the most youthful expression of Rafanelli Zinfandel I can recall. Good, but to my palate this will probably be better after 2028. — 4 days ago