Andrew Schirmer

Madeira is my mistress.

631 wines • 22 followers • 60 following

Emilio Lustau

Los Arcos Solera Amontillado Dry Sherry

Andrew Schirmer

8.8

Good structure, basenotes. Lacking finesse. — 4 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie liked this

Winzerkeller Auggener Schäf eG

Gertie & Max QbA trocken Chasselas 2017

Andrew Schirmer

8.7

The worst wine label ever? The exterior may recall “Precious Moments” or a Hummel figurine, and indeed the contents are as pretty and bright as your grandma’s lace doily. Notes of almonds and pear, with no real finish. Good weeknight quaffer with a variety of cuisine. — 8 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie liked this

Domaine Raspail-Ay

Gigondas Red Rhone Blend 2014

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

Infanticide can be glorious. Still needs time, but comes alive after a few hours in the decanter. Big and brash, dark fruit emerging from under a thicket of garrigue and alcohol. — 12 days ago

with Alsu

Keith, Trixie and 1 other liked this

Château Pradeaux

Bandol Mourvedre 2012

Andrew Schirmer

9.7

The pinnacle of Mourvèdre for us. Taking into account that it’s certifiable infanticide to drink a Pradeaux < 10 years of age, a decant will calm the animal spirits, and besides, there are pleasures to youth, hardly wasted. Un vin sauvage, earth, clay, bramble, meat, leather, long finish, bitterness but not too astringent. Drink from here to eternity. — 19 days ago

with Alsu

Keith and Larry liked this

Frédéric Berne

Les Terrasses Chiroubles Gamay 2015

Andrew Schirmer

9.0

Solid gamay fruit. Decent structure, good opening and mid-palate. Bereft of nose and finish. — 5 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie liked this

Dupont-Tisserandot

Les Cazetiers Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2007

Andrew Schirmer

9.5

Something about drinking burgundy as the summer turns to fall...the notes of leaves, earth, cherry liqueur, gorgeous nose, and above all, structure and poise unfurling in the glass, the change from shorts and tank tops into blazers and jackets. — 9 days ago

with Judy, Alsu and 2 others

Ira, David and 4 others liked this

Vinhas do Lasso

Colheita Seleccionada White Blend 2016

Andrew Schirmer

8.9

Flowers & minerality on the nose. A burst of flavor, then immediately to the long bitter citrus peel finish that lingers on your tongue like a sip of brandy. Pretty cool. — 14 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie liked this

Yves Cuilleron

Les Vignes d'à Côté Viognier 2016

Andrew Schirmer

9.0

Nose is on point. Honeyed peach. Enthralling. Palate opens with a burst of the same, strong ginger note. Palate fades out stone, bitter almond. Good, if rather simple example of this varietal and terroir. — 6 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie and Keith liked this

Domaine Macle

Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Savagnin 2014

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

Powerful and rich, buttery & oxidative in the best of ways. — 9 days ago

with Judy, Valerie and 2 others

David, Keith and 3 others liked this

Fabien Jouves

Les Agudes White Blend

Andrew Schirmer

8.6

“Natural wine”. Not our thing, really, but we’re open to ideas. There’s a sauvignon blanc in the nose somewhere, amidst the funk. Palate is tannic and cider-like. Quaffable and pleasant. — 9 days ago

with Alsu

Trixie and Julia liked this

Matthew Cohen

To say you are not into natural wine is equivalent you saying are in to natural wine imho. The natural should be irrelevant to a qualitativist. There is excellent natural wine. It seems that you are not into poorly made natural wine that people only buy because it is natural and people like saying natural wine. I’d agree with that sentiment.

Andrew Schirmer

@Matthew Cohen cheers. We look foremost for distinctiveness, structure, and balance. Wines we’ve tried that wear the “natural” moniker on their sleeve, have rarely, in our experience fulfilled two or more of that criteria. They can be enjoyable if considered outside of the “wine” category...like when one craves a basque cider or gueuze, for instance. Quality above all.

Matthew Cohen

The problem is that if 80% of non natural wines are not imported because they suck 0% of natural wines are culled. They make the grade solely for religious reasons and natural wine apologists explain away any flaws as virtues. So any random sampling of natural wines will be an exercise in wasting money. Add to that the fact that it is hard let to make even decent wine if you eschew certain techniques in hard years and things get even worse. Still there are some very good natural producers. It’s just a misadventure to find them. :-)