Sommelier
93 that leans into 94 and will see another point or two with 10 years in bottle.
Sofia and I used to go to their futures luncheon for many years. This vineyard consistently yields fruit that makes one of their best Cabernet’s.
It’s lush as it enters and falls onto dry, meaty tannins. Blackberries, creamy black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries & purple fruits. Dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, limestone & volcanic minerals, moist clay, dry tobacco, new, raw leather, still very woody, mixed mid & dark berry cola, plenty of baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark spices with some heat, some dry herbs, dark melted, chocolate, cocoa powder, caramel notes, bright, fresh & candied florals that are dark, red, blue and framed in violets & lavender, ver nice round acidity with a highly structured, tensioned, well balanced and polished finish that lasts 90 seconds but still lands squarely on wood. — 9 days ago
One of my favorite German producers of Riesling. They pretty much nail it yr in yr out.
Rieslings are a Somm darling. But, I find it hard to drink a whole bottle w/o the right food. Mostly due to their sweetness. Prefer Kabinett.
The mouthfeel is nice, round and creamy. Bright lemon, lime, grapefruit, tropicals, pineapple, kiwi, passion fruit, lychees, cream hovers on the mouth roof, limestone, chalky powder, white and yellow flowers, excellent round acidity and a well structured, balance and beautifully polished finish that last a full minute. — 9 days ago
Always struggled with their style and further adding to that struggle is their price point. While they are a known quality producer, oxy just isn’t my wheelhouse.
Bruised apple & Bosc pear, apple cider, grapefruit, marzipan, saline, some caramel notes, yeastiness, bread dough, crisp chalkiness, limestone marl, touch of unsweetened graham crackers, withering yellow lilies, pleasant acidity and while it has a nice structure, balanced, but the finish falls into an unpleasant over oxidative bitterness/bite. — 9 days ago
I compare the Heitz Napa to the Joseph Phelps Napa in many ways. I believe the Phelps is slightly less vintage dependent than Heitz. But, this 07 like the vintage in Napa, sensational.
This 2007 is peaking. Perfectly ripe & juicy; brambly blackberries, creamy black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries/kirsch, blueberries come on late and poached strawberries on the edges. The tannins are still dark and tarry. Rich, sweet, dark soils, mid & dark berry cola, anise, steeped black tea, dry tobacco, used leather, cedar/sandalwood, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dry crushed rocks, limestone, mid spice, hints of grilled meat, some fresh/dry herds, a tad of eucalyptus, stewy/tumble weed, fresh & withering dark, red, blue florals framed in violets, excellent round acidity, the scope of the finishes encompasses; balance for days, nice structure & tensioned, elegant, polished and lasts two minutes.
Photos all taken around their tasting room on Hwy 29 when their tasting was still the last free tasting in Napa. Still not over the family selling to a corporation that has no wine experience. — 8 days ago
Rounding up from 91.6.
Allen Brothers Lamb Lollipops and the 05 vintage from Bordeaux. 🤔 😋
The 2005 vintage was magical w/ star producers. Very good with the lesser regions like Caronne.
Pretty sure I paid around $25 for this give or take.
The entry is round, lush & rich. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries and poached strawberries. Dark rich earth, moist clay, lead pencil, tobacco/cigar ash, used leather, dry river stone, dark chocolate cooking bar, black licorice, limestone powder, dry herbs, very light baking spices, dark, red, purple withering flowers, round acidity, balanced, highly structured & tensioned finish that lasts a minute.
This could actually use some more time in bottle, 3-5 yrs. — 8 days ago
Barolo is a struggle to drink young. It needs many year to flush itself out.
This enters round, pleasant and like most young Italian reds falls onto wood plank.
Dry dark cherries, lean blackberries, fresh rhubarb, some dry strawberries, tarriness, meaty tannins, dry tobacco, fresh leather, wood barrel shavings, some anise, understated dark spice, hints of nutmeg, dry, red, dark flowers, nice acidity, well structured, tensioned, balanced and a woody ending.
I would not open this for 15-20 years for its better self, which raises its rating 2-3 points. Still in a primary stage. — 9 days ago
What I didn’t realize until this week is when I bought this 2013, Sofia & I tasted this with Roger in his cellar before it received the label shown in this post in 2015.
This was $25 on release and it is beautiful tonight as it was last weekend.
Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, purple fruits, blueberries & some dark cherries. Grilled meats, light black pepper, dry galet stones, spice, dry top soil, dry tobacco, used leather, slightly moist volcanic mineral mixed w/ clay, sandalwood, dry & withering dark, red & purple florals, rainfall acidity, a well balanced, nicely structured, beautifully tensioned, balanced, elegant finish that last two-minutes and lands on minerality and florals.
Photos that Sofia & I took in 2015, wood vats, my backside looking at cement tanks, estate vineyard and their facility building. — 8 days ago
Leoville Barton is one of my favorite St. Julien producers and still one of the best values upon release of Left Bank Bordeaux’s. If my memory is correct, I think this was WS’s wine of the year a few years ago.
I haven’t had this since the release at UGC. It was so fresh then. It has definitely put on weight and showing some nice evolution. But, Anthony made his wines for the ages. This will rise 2-3 points with 20 years bottle age.
It is round and lush. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, purple fruits, blueberries, some creamy raspberries & dark cherries. Anise, light graphite, tobacco ash, leather, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dry river stone, limestone marl, dark spice, dry herbaceous notes, hints of black olive, black licorice, dry stems, mix of dry & candied dark flowers, very nice round acidity and a well; balanced, structured, tensioned and polished finish that last minutes.
Would open this in 2032 and beyond. — 9 days ago
Drinking pretty well for such a young Chablis.
Mouthfeel is nicely round & creamy. Ripe, Meyer Lemon, green apple, pineapple, lime pulp with some skin, topical melons, guava, chalky power, saline, sea fossils, limestone, touch of caramel, hint of white spice on the long set, yellow & white spring flowers, cool, round acidity, nicely balanced and well polished finish that last nearly two-minutes landing squarely on white spice.
A conversation was shared with me from Ralph at K&L who has been there 40 plus years that he had with their Burgundy buyer who just returned from his market trip to Burgundy. Ralph asked him what vintage he would compare the 2022 Burgundy vintage to. His reply was, the only vintage I could compare 2022 to is 1959! That’s a huge statement. — 9 days ago
David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Have not had 100% Pinot Meunier that was not from Champagne and in bubble form. This is from Napa/Carneros.
Still young and would prefer to have this in 3-5 yrs.
The palate is dark fruits. Not quite Santa Rita Hills extraction but more than most Northern California.
It is still a bit angular. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, plum and some poached strawberries. Grainy limestone, dry stone, dark top soil, lots dark spice, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, some pepper, dry tobacco, new leather, grilled meats, dry tumble weed, dry, red, dark flowers with violets, fresh acidity and a balanced, highly structured/tensioned, polished finish that lasts 90 seconds.
Many would call CDP on this blind. — 8 days ago