Shay A

9.2

I’m in the 91+ range here. Had hoped for a more wow experience but this was simply solid and that’s ok. Not all wines need to be stunners.

80 Grenache/ 15 Mourvèdre/ 5 Syrah. Followed from bottle over the course of two hours.

To this wine’s credit, it presented exactly as it should. Warm 2015 vintage type profile which extracts the Grenache (ripe red fruits, sweet spice, little heat) but also accentuates/deepens the garrigue/potpurri profile. Alcohol pokes out a touch on the palate but it’s mostly juicy red berry fruit, little bit of dirty fig, herbal. On the whole, this is a very clean style of CdP that presents with no Brett/funk but also speaks to Grenache (as opposed to being a typical super CdP blend). Drink or hold another 3-5yrs for this window. — 11 days ago

Shay A

9.5

Shay had this 11 days ago

with Bill and Scott@Mister

Shay A

9.3

Knowing Platt and VV’s reputation, I wanted to give this a spin.

My expectation for a VV white was along the lines of their reds (polished, suave, opulent), but this came across in a different style. Bright yellow in the glass with fresh citrus and honeysuckle aromatics. On the palate this trends more pretty/elegant vs powerful/opulent…if trying blind, I think I’d place this in Oregon. Lemon cream, lemon-lime and a small presence of tangerine with sea salt. Oak is there to frame it but not obtrusive. Good vein of acidity down the middle with a crisp mineral finish. Well made.

I’d like to try another vintage since the notes are so strong, but at the $125+ range, not sure I’m there on a QPR basis. — 2 months ago

Shay A

9.2

I’m in the 92+ range here. Didn’t know how a 12yr Paso Tempranillo would show, but I was pleasantly surprised.

87 temp/ 10 Grenache/ 3 Zinfandel

Everything about this was Paso but I appreciated the slight Tempranillo vibe it pulled off. As I’ve mentioned before, well made Paso wines have this weightless richness to them and while this wasn’t as nimble as others, it smells like Paso through and through. Big, rich, baked dark fruits aromatically with baking spices and some oak presence but a floral note appears with time. Where the fruit presents dark aromatically, it takes a slightly red-fruited turn on the palate with some herbal spice, cherry-vanilla pipe tobacco and plenty of tannin to show its Tempranillo profile.

Followed over two days and stayed strong. Pop and enjoy. — 11 days ago

Shay A

9.3

I picked up a couple C-H wines last month and this is my second bottle to open following Jaboulet’s Thalbert.

Followed over two days. 91-92 initially, finished at 92-93. Still some room for upside, so scoring accordingly.

From start to finish this was undeniably a more enjoyable wine than the Jaboulet. Day one was a potpurri and floral overload aromatically before ripe dark fruits and green herbs shut it down hard with a wall of tannin at the finish (similar to the Jaboulet). Day two showed what this wine is evolving to be…a softer aromatic profile but so much depth on the mid-palate with lavender, charcoal and dark berries before a finish of black peppered meat. The wine feels well balanced by acid and tannin and the alcohol isn’t obtrusive. Not quite crunchy, but bright and powerful. Lovely C-H from the Chapoutier team. Could cruise another 5+yrs in this same drinking window. — a month ago

Shay A

9.4

@Delectable Wine : This is the Madson little cloud vineyard Pinot Noir. I didn’t see it in the database.

Here I am a few days later still thinking about this wine…asking myself why I’ve never heard of this producer? Why aren’t these wines more common? Most importantly, when can I get more?

13.3%ABV; 100% whole cluster; 1 barrel (20 cases); 70% Little Cloud Vineyard, 30% Savaria Vineyard

It’s not common these days to have a domestic wine catch me off guard due to exposure across wine platforms, tasting groups, reading/research, etc, so I had no expectation of this wine. When I poured it in the glass, the translucent ruby color and the smell of whole cluster snapped me to attention real quick. Aromatics of cranberries, green herbs, violets, fresh potpurri fill the glass immediately. It drinks like the old Calera Jensen Pinots of 15+yrs ago…feral, crunchy, stemmy, bright, electric acidity but so much power carrying through to a wonderful finish of spiced rhubarb.

I don’t seek out many Pinot producers (especially Cali ones) but I’m going down the rabbit hole with this one. — 2 months ago

Shay A

Shay had this 11 days ago

with Bill and Scott@Mister

Shay A

9.4

Shay had this 11 days ago

with Bill and Scott@Mister

Shay A

9.2

Got for a steal locally. 15ys on an Aussie Grenache had me curious how it was holding up…

Followed over a few hours from bottle. It could have maybe been double decanted to get some quick air to it as it is still rocking quite the tannin, but it smoothed out quickly. Ripe purple and black fruits (roasted plum, blackberries, black currant) aromatically mixed with sweet tobacco. No menthol/eucalyptus but a distinct sweet note on the mid-palate. Dark, juicy, ripe fruits with old fig jam. Age starting to show itself at the finish. Alcohol started to poke out as it warmed. Drink up. — a month ago

Shay A

9.2

I initially expected more based on vintage + producer, but also have to keep context in focus that this is Crozes-hermitage.

Followed over two days and very little changed.

I’m surprised at saying that after 48hrs for a C-H…I think this is in a weird phase/shut down. Powerful/heady aromatics (black fruits, olive, espresso). ABV pokes out a bit up front. Good mid-palate weight with peppered dark fruits, herbs and some iron before a curtain of tannin shuts this down hard. Undeniably Syrah at the finish with a rusticity I normally find in Cornas…dark florals, spice, graphite and some charcoal. A serious and structured C-H. — 2 months ago