Somm David T 
Hall Wines
Coeur Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Caiarossa
Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2021
Another easy to drink at pop & pour. It’s a blend of 30% Syrah, 20% Cab Franc, 16% Merlot, only 10% Sangiovese, 6% Petit Verdot & 2% Grenache. As IGT as IGT can get. At 59.95 a bit pricey. Better at $45.
Nice ripe; blackberries, dark and slightly sour cherries, black plum skin, moist clays, muddy sandstone, pleasant spice, light, fresh tobacco, used leather, touch of tomato leaf, moist, mushy volcanic minerals, dry twig, dusty stones, dark & red, withering flowers, round acidity, well balanced, soft tension, mid structured, round lush finish that lasts 90 seconds and falls on oak powder, spice and pleasant soils. — 12 days ago
Torbreck Vintners
Woodcutter's Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022
Woodcutter is entry level for Torbreck. For just under $20, a very good Shiraz for the money.
This is young and full throttle. Alcohol seems hotter than 15%. But their reds need time.
Lots of ripe; mulberries, blackberries to pie, gooseberries, black raspberries & dark candied black cherries. Anise into black licorice, sweet tarriness, black ground pepper, fresh tobacco, leather, barrel shavings, dark spice, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, dry crushed rocks, red flowers, lavender, violets, full round acidity and nicely balanced, big tensioned, well structured, lush, elegant, well polished finish that lasts 90 seconds and falls on spice and pleasant earthiness.
It needs to shed its baby fat. Let rest another 3-5 years before opening. In Australian Shiraz hard to beat at this price point. — 12 days ago
Marc Hébrart
Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes Mareuil Sur Ay Champagne Blend
I’ve started to enjoy Marc Herbrart Champagne’s in the last six months. There are just over 20,000 grower producers in Champagne…hard to try them all in many lifetimes. Basically, impossible. I picked up some of his 2019 Blanc de Noirs today on Last Bubbles for $79…used a coupon and got the free ship. I bought two of these at Costco last weekend for $56.99. Had a glass at the end of last Friday night w/ friends. Enjoyed it, but wanted to taste it and write notes with a clean palate.
This lives up to that price point and slightly exceeds it. 91.5 rounding up to 92.
The nose has a sour Lemonhead candy quality (that’s a 1st time wine descriptor for me), white stone fruits-peach, nectarine, lime zest, cream, honeydew, brioche, saline, chalk, sea fossils, ginger, hues of ginger ale, white Spring flowers with greens.
The palate shows nice mousse…crisp. It leans into reductive but flashes some oxidative quality. White stone fruits-peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon, lime zest, lychees, Rainer cherries, some apple cider, bruised Bosc pear, cream, honeydew, pineapple juice, brioche, some caramel saline, gritty chalk-limestone-volcanics minerals, sea fossils, white spice-ginger with some palate punch, ginger ale notes, jasmine, white Spring flowers with greens with a well balanced, knitted, polished and elegant finish that lands dead smack on minerality and lasts two-minutes.
One thing I have been meaning to bring into the light with a post on Champagnes in general but haven’t yet is, I studied the hell out of French Wine Winemaking Laws. Perhaps, the strictest or at least one of the most restrictive in the world…growing, labeling, certain varietals for certain wines. Basically 3 grapes are primarily used in Champagne but 7 are allowed; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier are the primary ones and Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are the ancillary ones. 5 grapes only in Bordeaux blends and you cannot irrigate there either. You get what the season gives you. Having said all that, there seems to be some allowed leeway in Champagne labeling…Extra Brut, Brut and Demi-Sec etc.. Nature is 0 to 3g, Extra Brut is 3 to 6g and Brut is 6-9g etc. This Marc Herbrart is 5.5g, which technically makes it Extra Brut. Yet it’s labeled Brut. I see this all the time. I regularly see champagnes labeled Brut that are 10-11g or more. So, if you care about the sweetness level of your Champagne, you should probably read up on the champagne you’re about to buy. Given how strict French Wine Laws are, I find this a little baffling.
This Marc Hebrart received its cork March 2, 2023 and as I mentioned, its dosage is 5.5g.
Photos of; Champagne House-Marc Herbrart, the man himself-Marc Herbrart, perfect vineyard Chardonnay grapes & vista of their vineyard(s). What rows!!! — 6 days ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Bedrock Vineyard Heritage Red Blend 2023
They might want to rename this bottling to, “Everything Including the Kitchen Sink”. It is a blend of mostly; Zinfandel 65%, Syrah, Petite Syrah. Tempranillo, Trousseau, Castets, Cabernet, Merlot, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Lenoir and more. 🤯
It’s aged in 25% new oak for 10 month and the rest in used oak.
It drinks like a Zinfandel that you might think has a couple other varieties, not that long list.
It is pleasant at pop & pour. But full disclosure, I don’t embrace much in the way of Zin’s. When I do it’s primarily Ridge’s blend.
This is juicy, red, purple & blue fruity fruits. Some dry top soil, some used leather, light pepper, moist clays, some herbaceous notes, dark chocolate to mousse, mid berry cola, lots of fresh, red, blue and purple flowers, pleasant, round acidity, a nicely balanced, lush, elegant, polished finish that lands on earthiness & wood powder.
It is not bad but at $54.95, there are Ridge’s I buy first for under this price point. — 12 days ago
Kosta Browne
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2010
This 2010 is in tip-top form.
Beautiful, ripe fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, plum/black plum for days, cherries, strawberries, raspberries & some pomegranate highlights. Cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg & soft vanillin, black teas, mid berry cola, both licorices, fresh tobacco, used leather, steeped black tea, limestone minerals, some charcoal, pepper, grilled meats, dark spice w/ heat, sandalwood to cedar, dark, withering flowers with violets, grand acidity and a balanced, well tensioned/structured, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on spice.
Even adding the plum reduction sauce, the 2011 Burnello is still the better pairing.
Photos of; Kosta Browne winery, founders-Dan Kosta & Mike Browne and their barrel & tasting room. — 13 days ago
Château Lagrange
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Other than the style of well made 80’s Bordeaux’s, 2005 is my favorite modern vintage. It was a grand slam year/vintage for the Bordelaise.
2005’s are drinking beautifully with still room for improvement. Of course, Saint Julien is known for its elegance and this Lagrange is all that. The evolution at this point is sheer beauty.
Round, lush, ripe, soften fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, both plums, black raspberries & slight bake strawberries. Some red & black licorice, dark red, cola, soft used leather, dry tobacco, soft graphite, savory herbaceous notes, beautiful, relaxed, dark spice, dark rich earth with stones & dry leaves, limestone, gentle unstated spice, undertoned; cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Black coffee hues, black tea, red roses, red & dark fresh & withering flowers, perfect acidity, balance for days, elegant, smartly polished, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & minerals.
Delicious today & will drink beautifully for another 15 years.
Winemaking; 46% Cabernet, 45% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot. From 40 year old vines and rested in 60% new & 40% used oak for 21 months. — 12 days ago
Smith Madrone
Estate Bottled Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
After reading the story of this producer, I inspired to try it. Especially, at $59.99 for a quality Napa Cabernet. These two brother’s are true pioneers of the Napa Valley. They do their own thing. Don’t follow trends and are not aggressive with their bottle price, nor do they really wish to. More rare than common in today’s Napa Cabernet market. I have a lot of respect for that and Napa Pioneers.
This also drinks pretty well for a young Napa Cabernet. I was expecting bigger/bolder based on write up. Not that this won’t benefit from cellaring.
The fruits are nicely ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, cherries & blueberry hues. I was expecting more teeth. Think it is showing the finesse & balance of most 21’s I’ve had. Dark spice, grilled meats, light black pepper, barrel dust, dry tobacco, leather, savory herbaceousnes, moist clays, dry crushed rocks, cola, flower bouquet of red, blue & purple fresh flowers, rainfall acidity with a well balanced, softly structured, elegant finish that lasts just over a minute and lands crushed rocks and touch of spice.
It will be interesting to see if this shows more in 5 years.
Photos of; Smith Madrone vineyards and brothers Stuart and Charles Smith — 12 days ago
Château Gigonan
Clos du Roi Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2019
First time having this producer.
Right off the top, this is much sweeter than the CNP’’s I am used to drinking. The fruits here are crazy ripe. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries. Not much in the way depth or grilled meats. It is highly drinkable. I don’t want to throw them in with Caymus’s modern style but it is hard not to think it. There is some mid spice here, moist, clays, dry stones, some very light herbaceous notes, some barrel dust, light black pepper, loads of red flowers, nice round acidity and decently balanced, elegant, round, lush finish that lasts a minute.
If you like a young, pop and pour easy to drink CDP for under $35, this for you. — 12 days ago
Fossacolle
Brunello di Montalcino 2011
While 2011 followed 2010, which is not a fair comparison, this is still amazing with seasoned Pork Rack. Tonight, this is in prime form with & without Pork Rack. It is presenting its best self.
My notes are written from the bottom of the bottle. I leave 2-4 inches in bottle after decanting, depending on how many pours. It forms an expression, “The Truth is Inside.” It is the expression of the very best in the bottle. Wine never lies. Everything that you tasted earlier, tastes more. Tannin soaked.
The evolution is just short of its prime…another 3-5 years before it starts its decent. Excellent with the seasoned Pork Rack. A better pairing than the 2010 Kosta Browne.
Ripe & lush; blackberries, sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum skin, hints of strawberries, cherries, dark chocolate, limestone/sandstone, leather, dry tobacco w/ ash, some graphite, grilled meats, charcoal, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, spices, barrel toast, dry, black licorice, dry herbs, stems, well done toast, moist volcanic clays, withering dark, red flowers w/ red roses, nice acidity with an elegant, balanced, nice tensioned finish that fall onto spice & dry earthiness and lasts two-minutes.
The Fossacolle family winery lies in the village of Tavernelle in the south of Montalcino. Owner and patriarch Sergio Marchetti has familial roots that date to the 18th century, but Fossacolle is a mere baby in relation to Brunello, having only released their first vintage, 1997, in January 2002.
Photos of; Fossacolle, founder-Sergio Marchetti, their fruit & vineyards. — 13 days ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
I only own a few Hall wines. But I find the amount of wine(s) they produce while maintaining high quality, especially in their higher end wines…fascinating as I commented on @Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego post a number of weeks ago. I generally taste them younger vs cellared. So, when I saw this lower spectrum Hall Cabernet on the secondary market, I bought it because it’s a 2013 and only $35. I couldn’t pass it up as 2013 is a grand vintage and most of what I taste from Hall is upon release.
I corvined this last weekend and unsure how that fact affects opening it tonight. You could make a case for 92 here, but I won’t based on the fact it is a week coravined.
The nose shows a core of dark currants. Ripe, lush and a bit jammy; blackberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, plum, boysenberries, baked strawberries, raspberry hues with shades of blueberries. Melted dark chocolate, fudge, dark spice, anise to black licorice, mid to dark berry cola, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanillin, dry tobacco, old leather, hints of dry herbs, dry crushed rocks, limestone, dry top soil, hints of moist clay, cedar to sandalwood, touch of peppercorn, fresh & withering; dark, red flowers framed in lavender & violets.
The palate is smooth, round, lush & elegant. The M+ tannins nicely rounded & velvety. Somewhat softer but still big at this stage of evolution compared to most 13’s I’ve had to date. Coravining might have helped. Nearly identical twins the nose & the palate. There’s core of dark currants. Ripe, lush and just a touch jammy; blackberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, plum, baked strawberries, raspberry hues with shades of blueberries. The fruits perhaps picked a little late-slightly overripe…a deliberate decision or lack of timely harvesters. Melted dark chocolate, fudge/pudding, caramel, dark spice w/ medium heat, anise to black licorice, mid to dark berry cola, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanillin, dry tobacco, old leather, stronger dry herbs-bay leaf/sage than the nose, dry crushed rocks, limestone, dry riverbed stones, dry top soil, hints of moist clay, softer cedar notes that transition into sandalwood, graphite, touch of peppercorn, fresh & withering; dark, red flowers framed in lavender & violets, very pleasant, round acidity with a well balanced, nicely structured/tensioned, elegant, lush, smartly polished finish that lands on soften earth, spice, herbs and lasts 90 seconds.
Despite its minor flaws, delicious and as it opens, settles in, there is a strong case for a 92.
Photos of; Hall’s huge tasting patio in Rutherford, Rutherford estate vineyard, barrel room and cellar where they hold some fabulous events in a grand environment. They have two locations, Rutherford & St. Helena. — 6 days ago